Is anyone else haveing tracking problems with Walthers 4-4-2 sleepers?

[newhavenguy]

Mine derail on straight track! Forget going through #8 turnouts. Haven't really gotten around to checking them but you'd think right out of the box they would at least stay on the track.[:0][:(][V]

[Anonymous]

Depends on the wheels. I've had some severely out-of-gauge wheels before. I'd suspect you do too.

[cacole]

First guess -- check the wheel gauge. Walthers, as well as practically every other brand today, is made in China, so there is no guarantee that the wheels are in gauge.

Second thing to check: truck free-play from front to rear and side to side.

Third: Wheel set rolling qualities. I have had to replace the entire truck on Athearn Ready-to-Roll products because the wheels don't roll well at all, and some have been out-of-round so bad that the item wobbled as it went down the track.

If they have knuckle couplers, check the trip pin to see if one or two are snagging on turnouts or crossovers, if you have problems there.

[Anonymous]

GOOD MORNING:

The problem that I've had is the wheel sets being outof gage. It's easy to check with the NMRA gage and corrects a lot of problems.

Bob

[Anonymous]

Are these the Budd cars? I bot from the original run three years back and ended upgrading
to IMs regular and the BBs.
I also substituted KD#26, longer shank to compensate for my 22" curves. The Budd trucks
are two piece and held together by four screws. That truck must be pumb/level to roll properl

Try eye balling the roll w/o the car.

[newhavenguy]

Thanks for the comments. Chuck, No these are the P/S cars from the latest run. I'll get the gauge out tonight as I suspect also the wheels are out. I wanted to see if anyone else was having the same problem. Walthers QC is on the fritz.

[michealfarley]

Here's another option.....

The truck sideframes may not be perpendicular to each other. Take the truck off the car, and set it on the track and look straight down on it. See if the ends line up with a litte straight edge. These trucks are held together with little screws. It may be necessary to loosen the screws that hold the sideframes to the bolster in order to "square up" the truck. I had this problem on one of my GN smoothsides. It runs great now.

[Don Gibson]

Derailing on 'straight' track is wierd. It's either truck or track.:

If the problem is 'truck' oriented. Replacement will solve the problem. if it doesn't, it's track. You go from there.

Chuck Walsh' suggestions are recommended once you've determined the cause.
Even cars too closly coupled together will roll on straight.

[newhavenguy]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Don Gibson

Derailing on 'straight' track is wierd. It's either truck or track.:

If the problem is 'truck' oriented. Replacement will solve the problem. if it doesn't, it's track. You go from there.

Chuck Walsh' suggestions are recommended once you've determined the cause.
Even cars too closly coupled together will roll on straight.

It's not my track work Don. It's good and in gauge. Every other piece of equipment I have runs over it and my turnout with NO problems.

Wheels are in gauge with the NMRA standards.

I'll take the trucks off next and check that.
Funny thing--My Pennsy 4-4-2 runs just fine.