Hornby new pullman coaches.

3418 Views 9 Replies 6 Participants Last post by spongebob, Dec 25, 2005

double00

Discussion Starter · Nov 19, 2005

I have noticed on several occasions that the Hornby new Pullman coaches seem to shudder momentarily when pulled by various locomotives, mostly when approaching points. Is this due to the type of wheel flanges?

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pedromorgan

· #2 · Nov 26, 2005

please could you elabotate a little. does it happen on both the straight sections and curved parts of the points?

have you checked the back to back gauge?

i have found that the tail coach will derail unless it is weighted. this is due to the coupler spring arrangement. i corrected this buy fitting the newer NEM couplers to it. this helped but not totally.

peter

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double00

Discussion Starter · #3 · Nov 26, 2005

All my points are located on the straight track and giving access to the sidings. Other coaches like Hornby intercity, show no signs of this fault.

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Colombo

· #4 · Nov 26, 2005

Derailments with Hornby Pullmans has been a frequent topic elsewhere. A popular solution is to replace the couplings. I run two of these in a rake of 6 Ian Kirk Pullmans.

The latter gave lots of problems due to Ian's bogies (sorry Ian) and I have replaced mine with Bachman bogies designed for their Thompson coaches. The whole rake now runs with Kadee couplings, which also include a type for fitting in NEM pockets. Kadee Couplings

The big advantage is that they are buck eye couplings and therefore closely represent the LNER type fitted to Gresleys, Thompsons and BR Mk1 stock. I am pleased to say that the rake of 8 carriages now performs almost faultlessly, reversing over double slips and facing points is no longer a problem.

With tension lock couplings of unequal hook length, the point of coupling is often off the centre line of the bogie. I suggest that the improvement with Kadees is due to the fact that the point where each carriage is attached to the next is always on the centre line of the bogies and so there is no tendency to pull the bogie crabwise, which gives the leading flanges the opportunity to climb over the rail at any out of line track joint or point blade that it meets and so cause a derailment.

Colombo

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Colombo

· #5 · Nov 26, 2005

If the link to Kadee Couplings did not work, please try this one: http://www.kadee.com/htmbord/page58.htm

Colombo

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Dennis David

· #6 · Nov 26, 2005

Do you all add weight to your cars? I know that NMRA suggests minimum weights for rolling stock. NMRA

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Rail-Rider

· #7 · Nov 27, 2005 (Edited by Moderator)

That's a really pertinent principle and a very useful article.
Enough weight and GOOD wheels on free-running axles are vitally important to trouble-free hauling. Many years ago, lack of those important requirements was one of the defining differences between the more expensive HO models and the cheaper British OO models.
Has the gap been bridged in recent years?

In an amazing coincidence, only yesterday, I just happened to lay my hands on a very neat electronic scale with interchangeable grams and ounces display, for less than £10. Perfect for the job, if ever I get around to actually checking my equipment!

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double00

Discussion Starter · #8 · Nov 27, 2005

I maybe alone on this one -

new shiny chrome plated wheels now fitted to most modern coaches, are to me only cosmetic. Cleaning the coach wheels of this type of plated wheels, show part of the wheels (that actually makes contact with the surface of the rail track) - of pitted, making the coach less stable while running.
Steel wheels that are not plated, as sold by Alan Gibson or Romford, retain the wheels rim smooth after months of running. On derailment etc of coaches, Alan Gibson/Romford fitted wheels, to me are much easier to put the coaches back on the rail track.
Unfortunately I find the locomotive fitted with the plated wheels suffer the same fate, and are not as easy to change over as compared to coaches and wagons.

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pedromorgan

· #9 · Dec 5, 2005

if the points are on straight track then it sounds like your back to backs are not quite right. try picking up a cheap B2B gauge from the double 0 gauge asociations stand at one of the exhibitions. that should solve your problem.

Peter

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spongebob

· #10 · Dec 25, 2005

2 things i have noticed on my solitary pullman are
1. the coupling is lower by a couple of mm than everything i have so far tried to couple it to.
2. When the bogie is straight the coupling isn't always guaranteed to be bang in the middle of the buffers causing the carriage and usually the one next to it to derail.
As has been said already the couplings are generally blamed for derailments and i wonder if its possible to fit newer ones from the gresleys instead. Perhaps hornby should address this problem if they haven't already.

I have also noticed that older locos with full width couplings don't like running with slimline coupled stock attached and vice versa. The simplest way i've found to solve this is to remove the hook from the full width coupling and let the slimline one slide along it. This worked on my hornby class 50 which was an absolute nightmare and i contemplated sending it back as unfit for the purpose it was designed for.

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