Only one wagon derails!

[ajcooper4]

Now that I've managed to resolve most of my track issues - well documented on this forum - using a short Y point for a straighter run in locomotives and carriages running ok over the revised configuration.

However, running out of that into the next point (a short slightly curved section of only about 150 mm) one wagon derails always - a dapol ale wagon. Other wagons seem ok so far.

Using calipers there's a variation of about 0.25 mm in the gauge of the axles. Is this enough to cause a problem? It's only in one direction and seems only to be this wagon.

It was tricky closing my loop again so ther are some very small gaps in rails - maximum about 1.5 mm maybe less yet everything else seems to run ok.

The solution - the dapol wagon - seems obvious; but is it?

All thoughts welcome. Many thanks.

[brian1951]

Take the axles out of the dapol wagon, adjust the back to back and rotate and fit in opposite ends then try again and report back.

[Forfarian]

I had the same problem with Dapol ale wagons, the Dapol wheels have quite small flanges compared to Bachmann/Hornby.
I changed all my wheel sets for Bachmann type set the B2B and hey presto no more derailments.
A little extra weight also helps.

[footplate1947]

I would change the wheels as suggested if adjusting the back-to-back does not cure it. Try the easy thing first before spending money.

[teedoubleudee]

Check free movement of the couplings too. Ive had problems with a derailing wagon on small radius points due to a stiff coupling pushing the wagon off the track.

[ajcooper4]

Thanks for all the help. Not had time this weekend but as soon as I get back to the railway I will report back.

Thanks again.

[ajcooper4]

The simple option seems to have done the trick - so far!

Removed axles. Flipped them over. Swapped ends.

So far no derailments.

Thanks for all your help, as always.

[footplate1947]

Well done often the cure is the easy thing.

[Chops]

Sounds like you ferreted out the culprit. Odd how these things go.
I had a Hornby double bogied carriage that, identical to its four
sisters, insisted on hopping off a particular section of straight
track whilst every single piece of rolling stock traversed it without
the slightest issue. I went bonkers changing out wheels, studied the
track, and nothing worked! What turned out to be the culprit was that
I had slightly bent one rail whilst tacking it down. It created a dip,
impossible to see from looking down at, and wasn't apparent running
my fingers over it. Replaced it, and voila!

[Mountain Goat]

Never forget my first early attempt to build a 00 gauge (Actually a 0-16.5 gauge with my first very brief attempt) garden railway.
Well, I made a start on a concrete (Actually cement) trackbed and layed a single line on it to test the idea. All I did was dig a small U type trench in the ground, placed a few stones in there and cemented th top putting in wooden wedges to hold track pins in the cement mix. My dad made the wedges out of offcuts of hardwood for me and we criosoted them by shaking them in a plastic powdered milk container containing criosote.
All went well when testing commenced where I used a Lima GWR railcar (The first thing that came to hand) and a rake of free running Lima coaches. Then the train seemed to gather great speed towards the end of the line but it didn't seem to want to reverse back up. I only had four coaches and those Lima railcars, unlike the prototype... They would pull up to 10 coaches in model form as they had those Lima pancake motors in them which were quite strong.
I couldn't fathom what was going on at first. I tried it by itself. It zoomed down but returning up the slight gradient it only just made it under its own power. It was a dry day so damp track was not the issue. I checked the train. All seemed fine. Just to check, I put my face level with the ground. Well. I couldn't believe it. From abobe it looked like thee was a slight downward slope, yet when I was lying down with my head on the ground to see it, the angle was actually more like 45 degrees. It was a miriacle the railcar climbed it at all!
So that aas my first lesson. Gradients outdoors are best avoided!