So there has been some talk about things derailing in some threads. I'm no different, and I am sure it is more then just these items in the long run. I have 2 Kato ES44DC's new locomotives I purchased in the last few month's, along with some new Kato Gunderson MAXi-IV Double Stack Car 3 Unit Set. One of my Kato locomotives when getting on a certain area, the Gunderson leading car, derails, but the other does not. Makes no difference if I am running 3 units or hook up all 6 to ONE locomotive. I know NOTHING about checking gauge or how too do such a thing. Might need some kind of NMRA tool? I've tried different track, etc... but it still derails at the same location. It appears both of my Kato ES44DC's came with the extended couplers ( not sure of the name? ) on them. Not those Short Shank, maybe they are called, couplers? It also appears it just part of the hobby, especially for those of us that have smaller and maybe tighter curves, but have also seen many YT videos with people that have wide sweeping curves have issues? And help appreciated. I'll take a video soon and post it here. A huge storm in the area right now.
These cars are prone to derailing for three reasons: 1) They are light - they are made of plastic and have no built-in weights. 2) They have truck-mounted couplers, which can force the wheels off the track when backing up or on a downgrade curve; and 3) Some people do not attach the units together properly (it takes a while to get used to), resulting in unexpected derailing or binding. Since it's a leading car, #3 might not apply to you, but put extra weight in the bottom well of the first container and see how it goes. How long is your train? Do you have grades? What is your minimum curve radius? The NMRA gauge is a must for every N scaler (or model railroader in general - they make a version of them in all major scales). I've rarely had a problem with Kato rolling stock wheels going out of gauge but checking it with the NMRA gauge really helps just to be sure.
I'm sure your locomotives don't have truck-mounted couplers, and they're long. If the first car also has body-mount couplers, that helps a lot.
Are you using easements? They can make a huge difference. Even if using sectional track, a section or two of a wider radius at the start and end of the curve can help tremendously.
Is it an s-curve? I discovered a few days ago that my heavyweight passenger cars detail when entering the back staging area of my layout. I knew I had an s-curve there, but never had a problem with shorter cars. Oh well, just not gonna run the passenger cars on that curve, not a problem. But yes, get yourself a gauge! Many videos on YouTube explaining how to use them.
So Truck Mounted is attached to the Wheels/Trucks of the locomotive or rolling stock. And Body are mounted to the body/frame? So much to learn still. And after looking at the Kato ES44DC locomotive the coupler is attached to the Body, in front and back couplers. The Gunderson MAVI-IV are mounted to the Trucks/Wheels. @Metro Red Line I've got the attaching the Kato Gunderson MAXI-IV together properly after learning how to do so watching a Kato video about them. That's not to say I don't make a mistake sometimes. But I know what to look for now. @acptulsa It's appears you are correct? @CSX Robert I'm so confused by easements I think I'll pass on my tiny railroad and do the best I can. @Stephane Savard No it is not an S curve, but I have a weird radius that everything so far makes. Gonna try the weight thing first me thinks? Can't make a video right now as I have my second base taken down for wiring and adding Just Plug lights. And I will get a N Scale NMRA gauge next online order or maybe hobby shop! Thanks everyone!
Yes, correct. In the early days of N scale, there were design/manufacturing limitations to making N scale trains, along with the fact that it's size was somewhat of a novelty, so for a long time, N scale trains had a toy-like quality to them. HO scale was the same way - truck mounted couplers were standard until the 1960s or 1970s. It wasn't until the 1990s or so when technological innovations for both N scale locomotives and rolling stock allowed them to have a far better degree of prototypicality. Also, most model railroaders in Japan live in small apartments with little room for permanent layouts. Hence the popularity of Kato Unitrack, which is meant to create a temporary layout on one's floor or tablespace. Since people with limited space favor tight radius track, most Kato rolling stock comes with truck-mounted couplers. That's great! I didn't mean to say you were at fault for not putting together your well car sets together, only that it's a common issue for some modelers, especially since Kato's well car connection method isn't as straightforward as those of other well car manufacturers (Walthers, Deluxe).
They don't have to be precise to be effective. With flex tack you can just offset the tangent track some and let the flex track naturally form a curve to approximate an easement, and with sectional track, one section of curve of greater radius makes a big difference. They're actually more effective on tiny railroads with sharp curves.
I remember when Micro-Trains introduced conversion kits back then that filled in the open gap in the pilot where the coupler protruded. The coupler was removed from the truck and replaced with one mounted on the new pilot. It was awesome to my eyes and M-T helpfully provided coupler shanks of differing lengths in the kits for those of us with short radius curves.
It was early '90s that I went over to N from O because they got nicer. And I could have them in the house that I moved to.
Maybe I should try a piece of rolling stock in front of the Gunderson MAXI-IV well cars and see if it makes a difference? Worth a try at least. I've seen stranger things fix problems
I've a couple of kato SD 80/90 MACs which if you are not familiar are very long locomotives and therefore the body mounted couplers tend to hang out a bit on tighter turns more so than other locomotives. When I first got them the one that was connected to a piece of freight with a truck mounted coupler would always derail the leading truck of that first car on a certain turn of my layout. This was at a joint where two pieces of track came together. While the joint is less than perfect it was not an issue with other locos. Looking through my box that the loco came with I saw Kato had included longer shank couplers in a spare parts bag so I swapped out with what came installed on the loco and problem solved.
You can use one of the single-unit 53' well cars from Atlas or Jacksonville Terminal Co. They're weighted well (especially the JTC car) and would be perfect for the first car.
Yeah I don’t have any of those. Just gonna try different rolling stock. Also at some point I would like to try the flex track easement thingy, if I can figure it out. Mainly to replace multiple pieces of track on the layout. Even straight sections with flex track if I can? For instance cut custom pieces in my tiny yard, etc... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
First and foremost question, if you want to undertake easements: IS YOUR LAYOUT EARLY IN CONSTRUCTION, OR ARE YOU WILLING TO DO A SIGNIFICANT REBUILD OF THE AFFECTED PORTIONS OF YOUR LAYOUT? Incorporating an easement into a layout is best done during design. You can’t just massage the meeting point of the mating curve and straight to get an easement. To add an easement in after a curve is built requires one or more of these three changes: 1. Move the center of the curve. 2. Move the straight part of the track away from the existing curve center. 3. Change (reduce) the base curve radius. If you’re intent on making easements, I can get into the “why” on the above.
Yeah probably not going to change anything at this point, besides just replace the piece of track, maybe nail it down better. For now it's the only piece of rolling stock having an issue in that area. And one of the Gunderson sets work fine the other does not. But when I hook up all six there is no issue. No other rolling stock has problems at this point. Have other things I want to do for now. So I am good for now.
Well it appears at least I figured out which Gunderson MAXi-IV set is causing the issues. So maybe the front trucks are not aligned properly, or something. Not really sure at this point. Have other things to do, will get back to them later I get distracted easily and tend to move on to other things, and I also get frustrated too. One day my friend, one day!
I like the way the Kato articulated wells look and the way the run. Aside from the causes listed above, I’ve also had derailments when I reassemble the trucks and wheelsets after I weather them. if I accidentally put a smaller wheelset in a middle truck or a larger wheelset in an end truck, I will get issues. Actually happened this last weekend on a set I finished weathering. And on another set I didn’t put the wheelset all the way back in the truck and so it derailed. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Wow, that's AMAZING! I've heard of severe weather picking up railcars and plopping them down hundreds of yards away, but that's amazing that weathering could pick up an articulated well car, rearrange the wheelsets, and plop it right back down on them when the weather passed! oh... never mind...
