How many derailments do you have??

[JeremyB]

Hi Guys

I was just running some trains around the layout, like I do pretty much everyday, and I got to thinking,huh, I haven't had a derailment in a few years,that doesn't include the time I sneezed and knocked a 20 car train off the rails while trying to cover my mouth. But I thought I would go to the forum and ask other fellow modelers, How Often does a derailment happen on your railroad, and if it does do you just play it off as a thing we have to put up with or does it really bother you. I myself wouldn't let a derailment put a damper on the trains. Anyway hope to hear some feedback. Well I better get back to the Yankees and Red sox game, Have a good night.

Jeremy

[Anonymous]

If I do, it's operator negligence on a simple layout. Nothing complexed.

[Anonymous]

Everytime that I attempt to push rolling stock through the closed points of a turnout.

spike

[Nieuweboer]

I rarely have derailments and when they happen it's indeed mostly due to neglgence on my part. But......derailments increase dramatically as soon as I have someone visiting my layout and don't ask me why, it just happens.

[willy6]

i get a few derailments mainly because i left an object on the track after working on it. also a bulk of my derailments happen durin and after an in-law visitation.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Nieuweboer

I rarely have derailments and when they happen it's indeed mostly due to neglgence on my part. But......derailments increase dramatically as soon as I have someone visiting my layout and don't ask me why, it just happens.

Me too, had done 50+ successful circuits on my 4x8 layout, brought my girl friend downstairs to show her it, start it up, and BAM all 20 cars topple over at the same time!!!

...this is why I can't have nice things [:I]

-Dale

[Anonymous]

I sometimes have derailments, but nothing major that has actually damaged any of my trains. There are some certain locmotives of mine that don't like certain loops of track on my layout, so I just don't run them there.

[GerFust]

I had them all the time. That was my first attempt at a model railroad. I've since torn it up and am working on a new plan. Here is what I learned I did wrong:

• Ran too long of a train around...


• ...a curve with a radius that was too small (18")


• Didn't solder rail joints when I laid the track


• Didn't use freer rolling metal axles instead of plastic ones that came with the cars


• I accelerated when running on a curve...


• ...which is even worse when the curve goes up hill.

Since the track plan was bad to start with and the rails not soldered, I opted to start again. I anticipate much fewer derailments with gentle curves, smoother track, freer rolling stock, and some common sense running the throttle.

[CP5415]

The only time I seem to have de-railments is when I don't set the "air hose" on the coupler's to the right height.

Gordon

[Anonymous]

the worst derailment I ever had was when a car jumped off the tracks on a bad joint... which got straightened out and now I can highball without worrying about that... unless a clumsy visitor shows up (which is rare).

[Anonymous]

Most of my derailments are operator error. (mine) I have one turnout that none of my engines like entering in one direction, but go thru it fine in the other, so for now, I just avoid going the "wrong" way until I replace the turnout and repair the joined track. (It's on a reversing section, so I can back thru just fine.)

Otherwise, it's the typical improper coupler "hose" height or pulling too long and light of a train. Yes, I know, all my cars should be the right weight, but this is one of the items that I haven't tackled as yet.

[Puckdropper]

I've found heavier is better when it comes to freight cars. The more weight the lower you get, the better your cars track. I have very few derailments, but have a few trouble spots.

[JDCoop]

I am working on a layout with a friend of mine and we have very few derailments (the ones we have are a result of operator error). When initially laying the track we test run trains forward and backward across all track and any problem areas are immediately corrected. We only have 4 solder joints on the entire layout (which is about 18 x 60). All we use are rail joiners and feeder wire rail joiners. The track is nailed to cork roadbed set on top of homasote, and we couldn't be happier with the operation. This is the 2nd layout we've built this way. The first one has been in operation for 3 years and the track has not caused one moment of problems. Not soldering the joints or gluing the track down allows us to easily and quickly realign any newly installed trackwork that does't cooperate (usually with the Automax). Up to this point, I'm not convinced that soldering the joints is the way to go, but some day I may be convinced otherwise.

[Anonymous]

I only tend to have derailments caused by Human Error - such as trying to run through a turnout set the wrong way, or occasionally not managing to get all the wheels of a loco or car on the track first time - intermodals and double-stack cars are the worst for this due to the body overhang. The newer Athearn cars with scale flanges are also a bit of a headache, as of now I have only the one car with these (a Metrolink 10th Anniversary cab car), so this seldom leaves my layout - it's easier to switch it out of the way than to rerail it!

[vsmith]

Only when when the crewman forgets to throw the switch and the train rolls over it and derails and the trains crews have to spend a lot of overtime righting it...LOL