I had to do the same especially to accommodate 6 axle SD’s. Legit. Authentic fix. Great post and share. Old timer model rr cult’s cringe at this. Me: Salute !
This is why my 35+ year old Athearn, Atlas locos are jumping up and derailing through all of my brand new atlas customline curved code 100 and #4 mark V code 100... Saved me a big headache of ripping them out and replacing. Gunna file those down 😂👍
Note: your last file fix to open the frog pathways. I also had to extend the plastic dead frog V on a left turnout utilizing cheap nail polish. The six axles would short out (not my idea….saw a U-Tuber present the idea).
Great insight for those of us running old stuff in analog; in my case old time 4-4-0 locos. Yes, you can replace wheels on old cars and locomotive trucks to improve running through these turnouts without derails and uncoupling as I have done, but there is another issue that is a source of deeper frustration for me - stalling. My thought is these stalls happen when the driving wheels with deep flanges wobble up and over the frog and guard rails. As the drive wheels become elevated through these areas, their contact with the track is reduced or briefly interrupted - which is important if the drive wheels have electrical contacts. If the drive wheels don't have pickups, the tender truck behind the cab can also lift up or become canted left or right as the coupling height is briefly increased between loco and tender. This can also cause an interruption in track contact with the tender wheels. This is important to know because locos have electrical pickups in different configurations depending on age, model and manufacturer, so the exact spot where electric contact is lost in the switch could vary from one loco to another, although the root cause is the same. I frequently read and see videos where loco and tender weight are blamed for shorts in turnouts. I also see videos where cheap motors are blamed for stall outs. I now think these causes are overstated in many cases. Of course, light weight locos and inexpensive motors can contribute to the problem since a light loco will more easily rise up and away from contact with the track and less powerful motors may not have enough toque to power through a problem spot, but more important it seems to me is maintaining proper electrical contact with the track in the first place. I say this because when a stall does occur, I can most often press down on the tender or nudge the loco to restart operation. The simple reason for this is because electric contact is now resumed between wheels and track. Many thanks for this video.
Thanks for sharing. Interesting idea/solution. I changed out all of my pizza cutter wheels with new metal wheels and all has been great for me. Your solutions is great for those who don't want to change out their wheels.
Great tips A lot of people don't know about And get flustered with and replace Switches, I had to do that to a bunch of my Atlas Brass Switches, I use a broken off piece a few inches long of a Bandsaw Blade 👍
I inherited some old N scale locomotives and rolling stock from my father after he passed. I had the same problem with them hanging up on the switches. This stuff is so small its hard to see that it was a wheel height issue. I filed down as you did and it solved the problem. Is there anything you can't find a fix for on TH-cam? Thanks!
Find out where the camera will focus close up. Then stretch a string nd knot it at the distance. Use this and the close up will be in focus next times. Also you have to know exactly where in the viewing frame the focus cell is or you will always be focusing on the background. See, at the :57 time line you had the subject and the background on the same plane and all was in focus. Looks like your camera will focus pretty close up. Don't be worried what others think. You have to do what you have to do to get the trains running. The filing thing is fine as long as you don't go to far... You were pointing to the guard rail at the 1:55 time line, not the frog.Yep, you have a guard rail problem but you have the right way of solving the problem. Good luck in the future. You are right. The companies want all of us to buy new equipment, but I really don't know if this problem was o]a result of that or just the new dies were just to close and tested with new wheel sets. Anyhou, we all know how to fix them now.
It confuses me that people still buy code 100. The rails are too large and ties are the same. Its like you want to buy a ford F150 and instead you buy the Ford F150 monster truck because its cheaper. well you know what I'm saying, code 100 is not practical. However, I love your idea to file down the frog angles and the guard rail to allow deep flange wheel sets to travel. I love also those curved turnouts - They look amazing!
The Frogs and Guard Rails same problems on N Scale Atlas. Even with New Cars. I have to File (Tune) all of them. Running an NMRA Gauge through them back and forth helps level out the Frogs plastic too.
That's amazing!!!, The problem I've got on my large ho layout, is that I bought a switch not an ordinary one, it's was a LONG, LONG, TIME AGO, its gonna be THE HIGH SPEED LONG WIDE SWITCH, ABOUT 2' LONG, THAT THING SOME HOW GROUNDS OUT MY POWER TO THE TRACK, I SURE LOVE MY SWITCH, BUT IT'S DEFECTIVE, WHEN I THROW THE SWITCH, AND OR AT OTHER TIMES THE TRAIN RUNNS ON IT, IT'LL STOP, I HAVE NOT ALTERED NOR DID I MODIFY ANYTHING, I CANT EVEN REMEMBER WHAT BRAND IT IS, ITS BEEN SOOO DANG LONG AGO. POSSIBLY ITS A PECOS BRAND, OR THE OTHER BRAND THATS STARTS WITH AN R, POSSIBLY MANUFACTURED OUT OF GERMANY, OR YUGOSLAVIA, THANKS FOR SHARING THIS WITH ME, GREAT VIDEO.✌️👍.
So the old atlas/ switches didn't allow new wheels and newer atlas/dcc friendly switches didn't allow older wheels I think that's kinda dumb For example Tyco cars won't run on code 83 cause they get caught and hung up but code 100 everything runs cause of the rails I've also noticed the the older power packs run the newer locomotives better and newer power packs run the older locomotives better (Tyco bachmann ahm etc) weird idk maybe it's me whatever works I guess Thanks for sharing
I have a bunch of older Model Power and Rivarossi steam locomotives that have those deep flanges, so I can see a need to still yet do that procedure. If it weren't for that, and it was a matter of the older rolling stock having the issues, I would replace the wheel/axle sets with Kadee wheelsets. The other issue I can see, is some of the new Kadee wheelsets may not fit the older OEM trucks, and a lot of those older passenger coaches require "brain surgery" to install Kadee trucks and couplers on them.
Eeek!! I'd file down your wheel flanges before ruining a perfectly good turnout! Your trucks and couplers are from the1950s toy era; the turnout was designed for today's RP-25 flanges.
atlas should just get out of the business of making switches, They are not reliable, I have continuous derailments over them, and the frog is a pain in the ass to wire. Right now I am in the process of replacing most if not all the switches on my layout to the more reliable Peco switches which are similar in price but much much more reliable. Thank god I have not ballasted the RR yet. atlas should stick to making flex track and that is even getting way over priced. Model railroading has become a wealthy man hobby in the past 20 years or so.
1:38 That's the guard or check-rail, not the frog ! Get your RR nomenclature correct, sir ! Far as flanges go, instead of mutilating the switch components, replace all your old wheel sets with new ones.. If you widen the flangeway too much the inner wheels will potentially go to the wrong side OF frog..5:04 That "plastic piece" is an insulator. Again, get your RR nomenclature correct, sir !
I had to do the same especially to accommodate 6 axle SD’s. Legit. Authentic fix. Great post and share. Old timer model rr cult’s cringe at this. Me: Salute !
This is why my 35+ year old Athearn, Atlas locos are jumping up and derailing through all of my brand new atlas customline curved code 100 and #4 mark V code 100... Saved me a big headache of ripping them out and replacing. Gunna file those down 😂👍
Note: your last file fix to open the frog pathways. I also had to extend the plastic dead frog V on a left turnout utilizing cheap nail polish. The six axles would short out (not my idea….saw a U-Tuber present the idea).
I had the exact same problem with N scale code 55. Simple solutions are the best. Thanks.
Great insight for those of us running old stuff in analog; in my case old time 4-4-0 locos. Yes, you can replace wheels on old cars and locomotive trucks to improve running through these turnouts without derails and uncoupling as I have done, but there is another issue that is a source of deeper frustration for me - stalling. My thought is these stalls happen when the driving wheels with deep flanges wobble up and over the frog and guard rails. As the drive wheels become elevated through these areas, their contact with the track is reduced or briefly interrupted - which is important if the drive wheels have electrical contacts. If the drive wheels don't have pickups, the tender truck behind the cab can also lift up or become canted left or right as the coupling height is briefly increased between loco and tender. This can also cause an interruption in track contact with the tender wheels. This is important to know because locos have electrical pickups in different configurations depending on age, model and manufacturer, so the exact spot where electric contact is lost in the switch could vary from one loco to another, although the root cause is the same. I frequently read and see videos where loco and tender weight are blamed for shorts in turnouts. I also see videos where cheap motors are blamed for stall outs. I now think these causes are overstated in many cases. Of course, light weight locos and inexpensive motors can contribute to the problem since a light loco will more easily rise up and away from contact with the track and less powerful motors may not have enough toque to power through a problem spot, but more important it seems to me is maintaining proper electrical contact with the track in the first place. I say this because when a stall does occur, I can most often press down on the tender or nudge the loco to restart operation. The simple reason for this is because electric contact is now resumed between wheels and track. Many thanks for this video.
Thanks for sharing. Interesting idea/solution. I changed out all of my pizza cutter wheels with new metal wheels and all has been great for me. Your solutions is great for those who don't want to change out their wheels.
Great tips A lot of people don't know about And get flustered with and replace Switches, I had to do that to a bunch of my Atlas Brass Switches, I use a broken off piece a few inches long of a Bandsaw Blade 👍
Very interesting idea. I have Bachmann EZ Track switches that raise the wheel sets at the frogs. I may have to try the filing idea.
I inherited some old N scale locomotives and rolling stock from my father after he passed. I had the same problem with them hanging up on the switches. This stuff is so small its hard to see that it was a wheel height issue. I filed down as you did and it solved the problem. Is there anything you can't find a fix for on TH-cam? Thanks!
Find out where the camera will focus close up. Then stretch a string nd knot it at the distance. Use this and the close up will be in focus next times. Also you have to know exactly where in the viewing frame the focus cell is or you will always be focusing on the background. See, at the :57 time line you had the subject and the background on the same plane and all was in focus. Looks like your camera will focus pretty close up. Don't be worried what others think. You have to do what you have to do to get the trains running. The filing thing is fine as long as you don't go to far... You were pointing to the guard rail at the 1:55 time line, not the frog.Yep, you have a guard rail problem but you have the right way of solving the problem. Good luck in the future. You are right. The companies want all of us to buy new equipment, but I really don't know if this problem was o]a result of that or just the new dies were just to close and tested with new wheel sets. Anyhou, we all know how to fix them now.
It confuses me that people still buy code 100. The rails are too large and ties are the same. Its like you want to buy a ford F150 and instead you buy the Ford F150 monster truck because its cheaper. well you know what I'm saying, code 100 is not practical. However, I love your idea to file down the frog angles and the guard rail to allow deep flange wheel sets to travel. I love also those curved turnouts - They look amazing!
What you are referring to is called a guard rail. The frog is where the rails cross.
A frog is an animal.
The Frogs and Guard Rails same problems on N Scale Atlas. Even with New Cars. I have to File (Tune) all of them. Running an NMRA Gauge through them back and forth helps level out the Frogs plastic too.
That's amazing!!!, The problem I've got on my large ho layout, is that I bought a switch not an ordinary one, it's was a LONG, LONG, TIME AGO, its gonna be THE HIGH SPEED LONG WIDE SWITCH, ABOUT 2' LONG, THAT THING SOME HOW GROUNDS OUT MY POWER TO THE TRACK, I SURE LOVE MY SWITCH, BUT IT'S DEFECTIVE, WHEN I THROW THE SWITCH, AND OR AT OTHER TIMES THE TRAIN RUNNS ON IT, IT'LL STOP, I HAVE NOT ALTERED NOR DID I MODIFY ANYTHING, I CANT EVEN REMEMBER WHAT BRAND IT IS, ITS BEEN SOOO DANG LONG AGO. POSSIBLY ITS A PECOS BRAND, OR THE OTHER BRAND THATS STARTS WITH AN R, POSSIBLY MANUFACTURED OUT OF GERMANY, OR YUGOSLAVIA, THANKS FOR SHARING THIS WITH ME, GREAT VIDEO.✌️👍.
there are vidios that show how to fix your switch...on U-Tube.
Roco
So the old atlas/ switches didn't allow new wheels and newer atlas/dcc friendly switches didn't allow older wheels I think that's kinda dumb
For example Tyco cars won't run on code 83 cause they get caught and hung up but code 100 everything runs cause of the rails I've also noticed the the older power packs run the newer locomotives better and newer power packs run the older locomotives better (Tyco bachmann ahm etc) weird idk maybe it's me whatever works I guess
Thanks for sharing
we use code 100 on everything the new Atlas witches are not made right
Nice Demonstration how to.
does this switch allow power to both sides? I have a Peco one and it only allows power to the track aligned
Yes the switch powers up both sides
I have a bunch of older Model Power and Rivarossi steam locomotives that have those deep flanges, so I can see a need to still yet do that procedure.
If it weren't for that, and it was a matter of the older rolling stock having the issues, I would replace the wheel/axle sets with Kadee wheelsets. The other issue I can see, is some of the new Kadee wheelsets may not fit the older OEM trucks, and a lot of those older passenger coaches require "brain surgery" to install Kadee trucks and couplers on them.
Eeek!! I'd file down your wheel flanges before ruining a perfectly good turnout! Your trucks and couplers are from the1950s toy era; the turnout was designed for today's RP-25 flanges.
atlas should just get out of the business of making switches, They are not reliable, I have continuous derailments over them, and the frog is a pain in the ass to wire. Right now I am in the process of replacing most if not all the switches on my layout to the more reliable Peco switches which are similar in price but much much more reliable. Thank god I have not ballasted the RR yet. atlas should stick to making flex track and that is even getting way over priced. Model railroading has become a wealthy man hobby in the past 20 years or so.
1:38 That's the guard or check-rail, not the frog ! Get your RR nomenclature correct, sir !
Far as flanges go, instead of mutilating the switch components, replace all your old wheel sets with new ones.. If you widen the flangeway too much the inner wheels will potentially go to the wrong side OF frog..5:04 That "plastic piece" is an insulator.
Again, get your RR nomenclature correct, sir !