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I was having a short running session for the first time in a few months. The temperatures in the loft have abated and as the evenings draw in, it's time to get back to some modelling once more. ESU might even manage to deliver their new ECoS to the shops which would be a great incentive to get moving too.
So I was only running two trains. One of these started to derail persistently when run at speed over a Peco code 100 medium radius crossing. It consisted of a Bachmann V2 coupled to a Bachmann Thompson coupled to a Hornby Pullman coupled to a Bachmann Mk1. The leading bogie of the Mk1 would consistently go astray over the crossing.
At first sight, nothing was obviously wrong but after a few "reruns" I came to this conclusion:-
About 3 feet before the crossing, the V2 stuttered due to poor electical contact. The shock of this stutter was communicated back down the train to the coupling between the Pullman and the Mk1. Both of these bogies have the elongating mechanism that allows these coaches to negotiate small radius set track curves. There appears to be enough "play" in these elongating mechanisms that the coupling on the Mk1 rides up onto the coupling of the Pullman. The front wheels of the Mk1's leading bogie are now suspended in the air at an angle to the track. They will now derail at the next obstruction in the four foot which is of course the crossing. Et voila - my own derailment disaster.
Fortunately The Northumbrian was not in the vicinity when the first derailment occurred.
So the moral of this story is - keep your track clean and loco wheels clean.
David
So I was only running two trains. One of these started to derail persistently when run at speed over a Peco code 100 medium radius crossing. It consisted of a Bachmann V2 coupled to a Bachmann Thompson coupled to a Hornby Pullman coupled to a Bachmann Mk1. The leading bogie of the Mk1 would consistently go astray over the crossing.
At first sight, nothing was obviously wrong but after a few "reruns" I came to this conclusion:-
About 3 feet before the crossing, the V2 stuttered due to poor electical contact. The shock of this stutter was communicated back down the train to the coupling between the Pullman and the Mk1. Both of these bogies have the elongating mechanism that allows these coaches to negotiate small radius set track curves. There appears to be enough "play" in these elongating mechanisms that the coupling on the Mk1 rides up onto the coupling of the Pullman. The front wheels of the Mk1's leading bogie are now suspended in the air at an angle to the track. They will now derail at the next obstruction in the four foot which is of course the crossing. Et voila - my own derailment disaster.
Fortunately The Northumbrian was not in the vicinity when the first derailment occurred.
So the moral of this story is - keep your track clean and loco wheels clean.
David