I have been building an HO Code 83 layout. My turnouts are Peco Code 83. I have been testing my laying of track by simply running freight and passenger cars over the rails using light hand pressure. I find that cars are hanging up on the turnouts. Are there some general things I should troubleshoot or should be looking for? Thank you.
Dan
Would you define "hanging up" please?
If you can get close enough to see can you identify what part of the trucks or other part of the car is not getting on with what part of the turnout please?
It is possible for the uncoupler bar on kadees to "hang up" in switches if it is out of position. this makes a real hang up and stops the whole train.
Two things to check are low coupler pins and wheel gauge. Check all your couplers against a Kadee or similar coupler height gauge and check all of your wheels with an NMRA gauge.
Nearly all problems with rolling stock snagging or derailing on turnouts can be traced to couplers and wheels that need adjustment.
Is it one or two specific cars in particular or any number?
Is it one turnout or all of them?
If its only one id suspect a problem with the turnout. If its all of the turnouts id expect its a problem with wheel dimentions or as already stated, couplings.
Check your back to back measurment of your wheel sets.
If their to narrow, they'l foul up on the ends of gaurd/check rails, principly the wing rails of the frog/crossing.
If their to wide, the wheel will tend to go the wrong side of the crossing nose/fine point.
-Dan
Builder of Bowser steam! Railimages Site
Another thing to look at that I have ran across a couple of times:
Even though Peco turnouts are some of the best there are, I have ran into a couple that needed modification to prevent derailments.
Sometimes as a result of adverse temperature conditions during long-term storage or shipment, the plastic guide rail that is supposed to pull wheels away from the frog points gets warped out of position and opens up too much of a gap between the guide and the outer rail. My solution has been to very carefully close the gap between the guide and outer rail by squeezing with a pair of pliers. Don't overdo it, or the plastic may break off.
I've also read that some people have been gluing clear acetate to the inside of the guide rail to close up the gap. The plastic that comes in new dress shirt collars seems to be good for this purpose and I have done that to a couple of Peco turnouts using super glue.
If squeezing with pliers doesn't do the trick, try the clear plastic.
I am Peco C55 in N. All my Peco turnouts are the best I have ever had. One day I had one turnout that kept derailing an engine that never derailed before. The solution turned out to be one wheel set on my Kato PA1 that for what ever reason had shifted just a touch in spacing using my NMRA gauge. I couldn't believe that just a tink made a difference in the way the engine went over this turnout, but it did and I have had no other trouble with any Peco turnout or engine from that time on.
So now I know to check the wheel sets first before suspecting a Peco turnout. They are very reliable for me. Doug