Plows catching on track

[unittrain]

Well I'm making great progress but have to back track and fix a module a defective Atlas #10 turnout is making the front plow on some of my locomotives catch on the end of the rail of my joiner track inbetween my modules the rail on one side of the turnout  has a bend in it causing the locomotives and rolling stock to dip downward just before the rail joint I wish I would have caught this a little earlier but luckily the switch is at the end of the module so removal should'nt be to difficult. Any body ever have this kind of problem or a similar one with the lower plows?

[wm3798]

Use a jeweler's file to knock the rail down.  Easy peasy.

[delamaize]

Use a jeweler's file to knock the rail down.  Easy peasy.

what he said. 

[Pomperaugrr]

Some of the turnouts I received did have a definite bow to them.  Just apply a couple of drops of CA near a few ties under the middle of the turnout (away from the throw rod!) and press the turnout back down until it flattens out and the glue cures.  This took care of the very few problem #10's I had. 

If I am reading your question correctly, there is no need to file the rails.  I have had some #7's bowed right out of the package as well.

Eric

[Ken G Price]

If I have plows that hit rails I have always filed a little off of the bottom of the plow. Seems much easier then filing track.

This is my opinion and may not be the same as others. Woops,  have to go. just got a whiff of skunk. One of the cats may have found a playmate.

[jpwisc]

I had a few of my Atlas plows that hung a little low. I filed the bottoms of the plows up a little and it was good to go.

[pnolan48]

Every time I installed a C55 switch too tightly, I got a bow that would, somewhere on the switch, catch a plow or coupler pin. Flattening the switch was by far the easiest fix.

[wm3798]

Really, the old saw about trackwork vs. trains applies.  If multiple pieces of rolling stock have problems at a single location, the problem is in the track.  If the same piece of rolling stock has problems at multiple locations, the problem is in the equipment.

Lee

[unittrain]

Really, the old saw about trackwork vs. trains applies.  If multiple pieces of rolling stock have problems at a single location, the problem is in the track.  If the same piece of rolling stock has problems at multiple locations, the problem is in the equipment.

Lee

With this switch most of my rolling stock goes over it just fine but my BLMA gondolas derail every time, It causes all the rolling stock to sway pretty bad hence it is suprising the other cars stay tracked over it. I can't complain so far this is the only section of track giving me problems I have another module with 3 Atlas #10's and they perform flawlessly.  I hope to have pictures of my progress soon once I get some more scenery done.

[MichaelWinicki]

Once in a great while I'll get a new loco where the bottom of the plow catches.

I just file down (or is it up?) the bottom of the plow.

[MichaelWinicki]

With this switch most of my rolling stock goes over it just fine but my BLMA gondolas derail every time, It causes all the rolling stock to sway pretty bad hence it is suprising the other cars stay tracked over it. I can't complain so far this is the only section of track giving me problems I have another module with 3 Atlas #10's and they perform flawlessly.  I hope to have pictures of my progress soon once I get some more scenery done.

I've had all sorts of issues with my BLMA gons.

Too light.
Wheelsets that are too narrow.  the BLMA wheels are great looking but they're of the narrow tread variety so if they are a tad too-narrow they can be problematic on Atlas code 55 switches.

I added some weight and changed out the wheelset to MT low-pro's.

Derailment issues went away.

[inkaneer]

I've had all sorts of issues with my BLMA gons.

Too light.
Wheelsets that are too narrow.  the BLMA wheels are great looking but they're of the narrow tread variety so if they are a tad too-narrow they can be problematic on Atlas code 55 switches.

I added some weight and changed out the wheelset to MT low-pro's.

Derailment issues went away.

So are you saying that the BLMA wheelsets are gauged too narrow and thus have the same problems as some locomotive wheelsets.  Is this a random case or is it more widespread.  [no pun intended]

[MichaelWinicki]

So are you saying that the BLMA wheelsets are gauged too narrow and thus have the same problems as some locomotive wheelsets.  Is this a random case or is it more widespread.  [no pun intended]

Yes, but let me qualify my statement...

Atlas code 55 switches are done to very strict tolerances (so it seems).  And I have experienced all sorts of issues when using any sort of wheel-set that is narrow.  Even if that flange is just a tad too far inside of the NMRA gauge it can potentially cause a problem with these switches.  Yes, you do have to look at the wheelsets that closely.

The BLMA, Fox Valley and the Kato wheelsets on the passenger cars I picked up magnify this problem by having narrow treads.

Narrow wheelsets + narrow tread width = bad time on Atlas code 55 switches

I could have screwed around with the BLMA wheelset and tried getting them in gauge, but I tossed'em and put on MT low-pro's that were in gauge and had the standard tread width.  My problems with BLMA gons were reduced by 80%.

Adding some weight to the kinda light chassis reduced the problem to nil. 

I've got dozens of code 55 switches from various sources and they seem pretty uniform in how they handle (or don't handle) narrow wheel sets.

I'm not blaming Atlas for this.  I like the switches.  I think it's more of a case of the other manufacturers getting their act's together and putting out wheelsets that are in gauge.

[davefoxx]

Narrow wheelsets + narrow tread width = bad time on Atlas code 55 switches

I disagree that the narrow tread width is causing problems on code 55 track, unless seriously undergauged.  Rather, the problem on Atlas code 55 turnouts is the backspacing of the wheels, such that if they're undergauged at all, the flanges will not fit through the flangeways and at least one side of the wheelset will ride up and out of the flangeway.  My experience is that this is usually a noticeable hop and not a derailment.

The cure is merely to properly gauge your wheelsets.  I do not believe that the problem is the fault of the turnout manufacturer.  Fix your wheelsets.

DFF

[SkipGear]

Dave,
 I don't think he is blaming the turnout other than the fact that they have very tight tollerance and if the wheelsets aren't in tollerance, there will be problems. In a round about way he is blaming the wheelsets, thus his solution to replace them.