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Walthers 40 foot Well Car kit 9`10-55644 car seem to bind on track

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  • Member since
    November 2022
  • 1 posts
Walthers 40 foot Well Car kit 9`10-55644 car seem to bind on track
Posted by trgrassijr55 on Saturday, November 5, 2022 11:57 AM

Hello First time here.

I just received my Walthers Kit 910-55644  5 Well Cars.   I added them to my consist  the track is atlas code 83  the curves are 22 radius.   When the well cars go around the curve they seem to bind and derail but not all of them.   What is the minimum radius for these type of cars.   In my consist I have a 86 foot Car Carrier. and it works well on my curves.  no problems .   Thats why I got the 40 foot well cars.   But I think they are coupled together to close and I do not see a way to extend them .

Any ideas or suggestions

Thank you

 

  • Member since
    January 2004
  • From: Canada, eh?
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Posted by doctorwayne on Monday, November 7, 2022 4:15 PM

Welcome to the Model Railroader Forums.

I'm not familiar with the Walthers well-cars (too modern for my late '30s layout), but you can buy Kadee couplers with longer shanks, which might improve the tracking.

Here's a LINK to the Kadee coupler site.

Wayne

  • Member since
    May 2020
  • 1,057 posts
Posted by wrench567 on Monday, November 7, 2022 5:38 PM

  Are those the well cars with a common truck between two wells?  22 inch radius seems tight but I'm not sure. Are the pivot points free enough? Track level? Is there enough room for the trucks to swing?

   Just because long cars negotiate the track doesn't mean short cars can. Before I glued and ballasted a small yard module I was building it was tested with a variety of longer cars with great success. On it's debut at a show wouldn't you know my short hoppers would derail every time. Pushed or pulled. Costly mistake because I broke 2 Peco short radius turnouts fixing it.

     Pete.

  • Member since
    March 2011
  • 1,950 posts
Posted by NVSRR on Wednesday, November 9, 2022 7:21 AM

I have a couple of the larger ones and they are very light compared to an autorack.    Could they be stringlining due to lack of weight?   I did notice the pivot points were stiff on mine.   That wouldn't help.   metal wheel Sets will help 

 

A pessimist sees a dark tunnel

An optimist sees the light at the end of the tunnel

A realist sees a frieght train

An engineer sees three idiots standing on the tracks stairing blankly in space

  • Member since
    November 2015
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Posted by ATSFGuy on Wednesday, November 9, 2022 1:40 PM

trgrassijr55:

 

Let me ask you a few questions:

Are your cars Smoothside Maxi or Ribbed Thrall Types?

You mentioned they were kits, do the cars have plastic wheels? (metal wheels tend to roll better and create less friction than plastic ones)

Have you used the NMRA standards guage to check all of the wheels?

Have you tried to tighten up the trucks a little? They could be loose

Is your well cars a set of 3-5 Units or are they Stand Alone?

Specifically, where on you layout do you experience a derailment?

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