BEEP Roller Spacing

[poppyl]

My BEEPs are finally running fine everywhere on my layout except while crossing  one side of a Ross 45 degree diamond.  I ran a BEEP across the diamond until it stopped, put a flashlight on the underside, and discovered that both rollers were on the plastic center section.  Since this didn't occur on the other leg of the diamond I measured the distance between third rails on both legs.  As you might have guessed by now, the space on the leg that was stopping the BEEP was 1/16 inch longer than the other leg -- just enough to put both rollers on the plastic center and shut the BEEP down. 

At this point, I'm thinking of two options -- weight the loco (as BrianelO27 suggested in another post) to push the rollers down and out (1/8 inch ought to do it) or possibly find some longer roller arms.

I know that the weight option should work but has anyone tried the longer arm approach?  Any other novel ideas would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

Poppyl

[csxt30]

I think I might try to grind or file a little bit of plastic down at that spot on the diamond & try to flow some solder there, thereby extending that area the needed 1/8th. of an inch. Just my thought as I haven't seen it.

Thanks, John  

[dwiemer]

Another idea, would be to add a car via connection plug with tether coupled to the beep that you could add a roller on to the lead truck.  They did a article about using a Mickey Mouse handcar and adding a "tool car" behind it to add the extra roller pickup.

Dennis

[brianel027]

Hey Poppyl, I was thinking how I used this metal tape... I don't know what it is properly called. I get it at the hardware store and it is bright silver aliminum in color. You have to peel off a backing strip to use it. This tape does conduct electricity! I use this stuff to create my own handy insulated rails (you need to put something between the rail and the aluminum tape, like electrical tape).

I don't know if you have any of this aluminum tape Poppyl, but the thought occurs to me to put some tape over a short section of your crossing track and either run a feeder wire to it, or start the tape over a live rail and run it over a short "dead" section of the cross over track. This might be the easiest solution of all if it were to work for you. You might have to ocassionally replace the tape - as I do with my "insulated rails" but it's pretty simple. And it's nice to be able to make an insulated rail section when your track is already screwed in and ballasted.

[poppyl]

Thanks for the inputs, guys.  I've dismissed the longer roller arm option due to a lack of enough clearance with the underside of the trucks. 

John, I like your idea.  I've got some old track wire connectors. I think that I'll cut a piece out of one of them, snip a "U" out of the side facing the middle rail so that the piece butts up and around the rail and then attempt to solder it to the track.  The space is pretty tight but I have a small tip that can go on my iron so we'll see what happens.  If that doesn't work, I'll try something like what you suggested.

BrianelO27, your suggestion will be my Plan C.  I've seen the conducting tape that you mentioned.  Sounds like something that I ought to have around for a variety of uses.  By the way, how much weight did you add to your BEEPs?

I'll report back on my results.

Poppyl