Has anyone used Atlas code 55 curved turnouts and had problems with cars derailing? Any suggestions would be much appreciated!
I am not sure which leg is which? Yes in both directions. I am using micro trains trucks on bachmann cars with 36" plastic wheels.
Are you certain the inside leg isn't too tight a curve for those cars? What are the two radii of the switch? What length Bachmann cars are those Micro Trains trucks carrying? 36' reefers? 60' tanks? 85' Pullmans?
So far as I can see, they only make one curved switch (well, two, counting LH And RH versions) and their radii (15" and over 20") seem generous enough even for long cars. I would check and make sure the switch machine is moving the switch points all the way into contact with the outside rail on each side. Is this happening only on one track or the other? Are the rails properly seated in the joiners, so the surface is smooth between the switch and the next section of track? A small piece of debris preventing the points from seating properly against the fixed rail, or a switch machine out of adjustment which is not moving the points all the way into contact, are the most common problems.
Looks like radi is 21.25 and 15. Cars i believe are 56' centerflow hoppers. I will add that there is a 1+% grade involved and im trying to run a 40 car train! I weighted the cars but i had the same problem before i weighted them!
Wow. I'm impressed. Maybe a 15" radius is too tight. The 56' cars should be able to negotiate the curve, but heavy trains on grades work much better on the broadest possible curves. Is this train going through the inside leg of the switch or the outside leg? The sharp curve or the very gentle curve? Are the tracks at each end of the switch straight or curved? If they're curved, are they sharper or more gentle than the switch itself? When pulling a long train through a curve on a grade, everything has to be perfect, so do give the points a close examination and make sure they're seating well against the fixed rail. Also, take it easy on the weight. Yes, weight helps keep the car itself on the rail. But it makes the train heavier, and that makes it harder for the first few cars of the train to stay on the track through a curve.
I weighted the cars to nmra standards. I believe it is going through the tighter curve. The loop i believe is minimum 22" radius. I have a thread titled mismatch that has 1 pic of the two troubled spots! Thanks for taking time to give some suggestions!
Well, the points of the switch might not be seating just so, or it may just be that you're getting trouble at that spot because if the weight and grade cause the locomotive to pull the train off the inside of the curve, it will always happen at the spot where the curve is sharpest. Hauling forty cars up a grade, you're pushing the envelope. Everything has to be perfect. 15" is not a sharp curve in N scale at all. I would think it would work. You're not putting undue pressure on the points, which aren't as stiff and sturdy as the fixed rail, if you're going through the inside leg of the switch. In that case, the flanges are putting the pressure on the fixed inside rail of the switch. Those wheels aren't going through the frog, either. You are pushing the envelope, yet it seems like it ought to work. If it's the first few cars of the train which are derailing, it may just be that the weight of the train simply pulls them off the rail on a 15" radius curve and a one percent grade. If they're farther back, there's another problem, because the cars closest to the locomotives are the ones under the most stress. You might check the wheel gauge of the cars which are derailing. If they are too close together, they'll catch on the frog--especially when the weight they're pulling is holding them tight against the inside rail. Do you have an NMRA gauge for that? Have you re-gauged wheels before? It's easiest if you remove the axle from the truck. Hold a wheel between each thumb and forefinger, and rotate them gently in opposite directions as you work them closer together or farther apart.
I have two Atlas code 55 curved turnouts on my layout. I did have derailment problems with one of them. Both are on level grade and I've pulled no more then probably 15-20 cars through them. What I found the problem turnout had a very tight rail gauge at the point rails, and also the frog casting was elevated above the railheads just a bit. I carefully filed down the frog, and was able to gently bend the point rails so they weren't "squeezing" the wheels. I too have mostly Microtrains trucks on my rolling stock. Before I fixed it, I even had engines derailing at that one switch. It seems to be fine now, and I do like the looks of those turnouts.
Good tips. That's worth checking. He shouldn't have the problem he's having. 15" radius just isn't that sharp a curve, and in N scale, 21 1/4" is practically straight. But either a raised frog or poorly gapped points could cause his problem, and both are guaranteed to cause a headache. Thanks for the report!
I've read that some switches have high frogs. I've noticed the rail just after switch points seems kind of sharp too. Lots of things to try before I rip switches out!
I finally discovered on my first railroad it is best to not let your Atlas code 55 turnouts regardless of which length to be within the longest car length out of a radius turn or slope in a grade, I had lots of troubles. Today on the new layout my turnouts are flat and not near radius to the longest car. Nothing derails today. If you watch close enough you will see some cars hop up and off near the points. I found the cars already in or coming out of a radius nudged some of them enough to make that happen... At least that was my lesson learned.
As suggested, check the gauge all the way through the turnout on both routes. Also, push a single truck through the turnout while looking for signs of binding due to tight gauge and/or other problems where the points meet the stock rails or around the frog. Do the wheels on your Micro-Trains trucks have the older high-profile (aka "pizza cutter") flanges or one of the newer lower profile types?
Progress made. Not done yet but I think I fixed a few trouble spots with suggestions. I did find a high frog in one area and a sharp piece of rail just past switch point that was catching small flange. Of course lots a derailments happened and bachmann cars hit floor, but that's why it's my test train. Thanks for all your ideas and suggestions. The 40 car train will eventually happen!!
