Walthers/LL GP38-2 on Atlas C55

[ljudice]

Anyone else have issues with the Walthers LL GP38-2 on Atlas C55 - including:

 - hitting spikes on sectional track?
 - gauge problems through turnouts?

All Atlas and all Kato locos (EXCEPT for one SD40 chassis, which hits the spikes) have been OK. Well, some Atlas SD60's did seem to have problems with the turnouts, though I fixed that problem.

I have found you can sand down the spikes a tiny amount in the sectional track to fix this problem. I only use it in a couple of places, but still I'm surprised.

[wm3798]

If it's the old plastic frame one, the flanges are bigger.  This is typical of most Life Like models, plastic frame or split frame.  I don't have one of the newer GP-38-2 models, so I can't speak directly to that, but it wouldn't surprise me if the wheels came from the same parts barrel.

They're easy to turn down, just put a couple of flat files next to each other and apply track power to them.  Run the engine until you see a nice even flat spot around the edge of the flanges.  Test run it periodically.

After doing this, it's a good idea to do a complete tear down, clean and re-lube to make sure there aren't any metal shavings floating around.

Lee

[tom mann]

Yes on the flange issue.  I'm not sure to blame the flanges or the track, since it seems to be a problem on some track.  So it's possible that the track that Walthers tested with didn't have an issue.  Maybe.   :-\

[SirTainly]

If the truck is the same one as used in the GP20s you can swap the wheelsets out for Atlas ones.

[Caleb Austin]

Since the conrail model is in the second run, then I'll assume thats the run you want to get. I've got one from the second run and I haven't had any trouble with the spike heads but the wheel gauge was to narrow and kept getting stuck in the turnouts. I took a screwdriver and pride them apart and the problem was solved.