Discovered last night that the lead truck one of my Walthers C-30-1 Espee cabooses (920-103102) was habitually climbing the outer rail of one particular curve on our club's main line. A close inspection revealed that the curve has a very slight kink at that point. None of my other rolling stock or, as far as I know, none of the club or other members' stock has had issues on that portion of the curve.
The wheels were checked and found to be in scale and without abrasion on the flange rims. I decided to add some loose weight to the top of the caboose above the lead truck, about 1.5 ounces. No problem with repeated passes at various speeds. Looks like I have a simple fix at hand. Except -
As an RTR, everything seems to be buttoned up tightly. I checked the Walthers parts blow-up and noted that the roof (part #2) seems to be attached to the walls by means of three tabs extending below each long edge. But before removing the roof (and the interior goodies), it looks like I would have to also remove the platform railings (#21) from each end.
I would like to be able to add weight to this car internally, not only because it would be out of sight but because there is minimal out-of-sight room available on the bottom. I don't know that replacing the trucks with something only marginally heavier will do the trick. It is quite a nice car and so I am a tad bit hesitant to begin poking and prying with a sharp edge like a #11 blade or my 1mm Trimaster modeling chisel. Any observations or suggestions out there?
Thanks!
John
Can you wiggle the cupola off the roof and insert weights through the opening?
I built up the similar wooden Union Pacific caboose from Walthers and discovered that the trucks that came with it hit the end steps, limiting their swing. Replaced them with a slightly shorter pair of Kadee #580 caboose trucks and everything was fine.
The cupola doesn't budge at all with a stiff wiggle so I'll pass on that for the moment. And clearance of the end wheels from the stair frames is about an eighth of an inch. I'm betting the caboose should handle a 15 inch radius with ease.
This may be one of those strange aberations that can be fixed simply by rotating the lead truck 180 degrees. If that doesn't fix the problem I'll swap it with the one from the rear of the car. Next might be to locate a set of leaf springs with metal frames that would be heavier. There may be a pair somewhere at the club. At my miserly old age, I'd rather not not have to shell out ten bucks at the LHS.
The adventure will continue at the Tuesday night session. Wanna get it fixed as it's my preferred caboose - my most detailed for one of the freight consists scheduled to run three of the four open house weekends next month.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Could you loosen the truck kingpin (screw) so that derailing truck as more play or even both screws so the body has more play? Have your rr club fix the kink in the outer track. I'm guessing the kink is at a rail joiner?
John,
This is a longshot, but I have done it before.....surprisingly it works. Is there enough room without hitting anything to wrap lead/tin,60/40 solder around the leading axle on the truck? Like about .042/.062. Or even both axle's.
Good Luck!
Frank
JaBear - always good to hear from you. considered drilling or cutting out some access from underneath but would like to avoid that if I can. Did think of birdshot and thery could be lined up alonbside and between the split underframe spine and still be mostly out of sight even from the side.
PC101 - the kink is barely noticeable. I had to look both carefully and more than once to see it. It is at a soldered joint (that has no burrs) and, as nothing else at the club seems to have a problem here, I doubt the guys will entertain a repair. Oh, and there is no issue with freedom at the pivot point. If it were more of a swinger it would surpass any known limits of moral decency.
Frank - thought about that option late last night. Might be just enough to do the trick. Certainly a wrap job should be enough to equal the extra weight provided by swapping out with metal-frame trucks. Then very early this morning I wondered if the culprit might be a stiff coupler shaft on the preceeding car. That might provide just enough skew to the caboose to encourage it to climb the rail at this point.
The number of probable contributors to derailments always amazes me. A guy really needs a good noggin for this hobby - lest it become a real love/hate endeavor. Like golf.
I have a Walthers bay window caboose in Milwaukee colors. I took it apart to add interior details and lighting.
Try pushing in at the base of the end walls of the caboose. On mine, there were two small tabs at each end holding the shell to the exposed end floorboards. Pushing the ends in released the tabs and let me get the shell off the chassis.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
MisterBeasley...Try pushing in at the base of the end walls of the caboose....
Looking at the assembly diagram, the caboose body appears to have a subfloor, to which the weight and interior is then added, and it all gets screwed to the underframe. It looks like the only access to the interior is by removing the roof. I'd use X-Acto #17 or #18 chisel-type blades, inserting one at each of the retaining tabs on one side of the car - keep the bevelled edge of the blade facing up - press straight in towards each tab, then lift to slightly flex the car's side, and slide it somewhat down between the tab and the car's side. You probably don't need to use the X-Acto handle for this operation, as all three tabs will need to be released before the roof can be lifted.
Wayne
Wait, don’t take it apart just yet....I have five of these exact models...All of them derailed during backing up - All of mine apparently came with bad trucks. They have way too much slop... I would guess the problem with your caboose is the trucks - swap em’ out and don’t look back.
From someone who has been there
Guy
see stuff at: the Willoughby Line Site
Graham Line Can you wiggle the cupola off the roof and insert weights through the opening? I built up the similar wooden Union Pacific caboose from Walthers and discovered that the trucks that came with it hit the end steps, limiting their swing. Replaced them with a slightly shorter pair of Kadee #580 caboose trucks and everything was fine.
I continuously run into this problem with Walthers cabooses (cabeese). I had to trim the inside corners of the steps. Touch up with black paint and you really have to look hard to see the modification.
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
Graham Line...I built up the similar wooden Union Pacific caboose from Walthers and discovered that the trucks that came with it hit the end steps, limiting their swing. Replaced them with a slightly shorter pair of Kadee #580 caboose trucks and everything was fine....
Well, the club had a parts box with an excessed set of leaf spring frames that were rigid (the originals were Walthers 3-piece jobs). Put the original wheels into these frames and remounted them. No problems. They weren't even metal - and I didn't have to add weight to either the car or the trucks. Guess I dodged one this time.
Thanks for your suggestions, guys.