derailing engine-HELP

which way is the engine going when it derails? 

watch this video

fastrack switch derailing

What track is ahead of the switch, a curve or a straight section? You should run the engine in all possible directions thru the switch, forwards & backwards, slow & fast, keep notes so you can report your results on the forum. I found that my 0-8-0 MTH switcher derailed, in one direction only, going thru the turnout divergent direction. My other engines worked fine. The solution was that I added a straight track section ahead of the switch.

Good luck in your troubleshooting:

Joe K

Get a track gauge to see if the rails are in gauge.

I've been having trouble with a Ross 072 Wye for a couple of months, fixed it a couple of days ago when it FINALLY hit me to check the gauge of the rails.  I found the piece of rail between the points and the frog (going into the lefthand turn) was out of gauge by approx. 1/16" (too wide, making the drivers fall off the rail).  I simply pulled that short piece up and relocated it, using super glue and spikes to keep it in place.

I'm not sure if you can do that with the track you have, but at least putting a gauge on it will ease your mind as far as track.

Bigdodgetrain's video addresses a problem of gaping switch points, either the contact geometry of the point ends and stock rails is incorrect(gap occurring) or the point end contact force against the stock rail in inadequate, the points are floating left to right or right to left, both conditions cause derailments. Both switch points are attached to a switch bar that moves left or right for the normal or diverging track direction, this bar also transmits the contact force of the point against the stock rail to prevent gapping. A train approaching the points will cross the switch either in a diverging or normal route based on position of the points, a train approaching the frog side will gap the points and pass through without derailing. As mentioned there are other issues that also should be checked the flatness of the switch base and the stocks rails must be in gauge width wise.

wish the op would come back, and give us more info.

I have not seen any Fastrack in person so I watched the video that Bigdodgetrain posted to see at least the switches up close. No offense to any Fastrack users who are happy with the track (it looks good and I like the switch lanterns), but frankly the construction of the switches looked kinda cheesy. "Picking the points" is a problem I might expect in HO or N but certainly not in O gauge. The switch points should lock firmly against the stock rails when the switches come out of the box. 

I had a similar problem with my Lionel engines.  This video explained why and the fix.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZvcxr9BURA

Switch problems like this are even worse with MTH RealTrax. The points don't hold hard over against the rail. The internal mechanism on most of my switches had to be adjusted to allow the points to hard stop against the rail. In some cases the points had to be bent as shown in the video.

Then there was the auto derailment feature of the RealtRax switches. As a train approaches the end of the switch opposite the points a short isolated section of track is supposed to act as a electrical switch to force the switch to activate and align with the travel direction. Every one of my seven RealTrax switches had that track section installed so that it shorted against the adjacent track section making that isolated part of the switch non-isolated. I had to shorten that isolated rail section on every switch so as to not touch the adjacent rails.

In addition, the frog area has a problem as the trains pass through the frog the guide rail in the area of the opposite rail is suppose to hold the wheels over to keep the opposite wheel from hitting the front pointed edge of the frog. The RealTrax guide rails allow the trucks to move over and hit the leading edge of the frog's point. It usually does not cause derailment but it does cause a bump in the trains progress.

Finally MTH RealTrax rails from section to section often times do not line up perfectly. There is no alignment pins inside the rails and junction can be out of alignment again causing a bump in the trains progress at junctions of track sections. My track is screwed down on the layout so I ground back the misalignments on about 20% of the layout.

Bottom line: Realtrax is a joke. Don't use it if you can help it. Lionel fast track seems only marginally better based on the comments offered here. Hand laid tracks like Gargraves  or Atlas Flex track might have been a better choice for me. I have a few feet of the Atlas Flex Track in sections that need a smoother transition and it seems excellent. Hind sight certainly is 20/20! 

LDBennett

I have used MTH Real Trax since I started 13 years ago. Of over 20 switches, only one has failed by not completely closing. I run switches from a separate 18 volt Z-4000 transformer. All the track is solid rail.

I recommend checking each section with an ohmmeter before installation to make sure there are no dead spots due to poor welds between the contacts and the rails. If poor contact is detected, track can be repaired with a small drill and a soldering iron. Shouldn't happen but it does.

I do not like or advocate for the newer hollow rail as I had issues with just a small around the tree layout, primarily with poor alignment.

Joe

My RealTrax is only a year or so old and has the hollow rails. Every switch need repairs and there were many mis-alignment of rails on the rest of the layout. Since I have it all working OK now and I have an investment of about $1000 in track, it is too late to change now so I just get to complain about it instead.  :-)    :-)

LDBennett