ES44AC Problems

What size curves do you have?

Standard American Flyer track.

I'm having the same problem with my ES44. Gilbert AF track. U33 and SD70 work fine. It seems my ES44 is a bit more sensitive to any minor flaw in the track, like for example a tiny bump in the connection between track sections. I have been smoothing out these track flaws and it works better. Still trying to determine what the difference is in the ES44 that causes it to derail while the others do not.

I'm using the newer "S" Fastrack with the smaller curves and haven't had any problems with my ES44AC. 

Ii think the ES44 has a longer truck wheelbase [possibly] coupled with smaller flanges which could make it more sensitive to dips and rises in the track. Check your curves to make sure there aren't any twists in the track level.

Have a similar problem on some spots of the club layout when I run my MTH scale-wheeled ES44 Hybrid. We've cleaned up several bad sections.

Nope the trucks and wheels are the same size as my SD70's.  The side frams are different of course.  

Bill,

I have run my ES44AC on our club layout with Gilbert track without issue, but now possibly only on the outer loop with larger radius curves, not the inner loop with 20" radius curves. If I get to run it on the inner loop I will let you know how it goes.  It also runs fine on my home layout, but that only has 20" radius curves in the turn-outs; all other curves are 24" or 30" radius.  I did have issue recently with my SP U33c on a friend's layout and his Gilbert track standard 20" radius curves.  It was OK turning to the right, but not to the left.  As it turned out, there's a clear plastic plate adhered to the floor of the chassis above the front truck.  It was positioned such that travel to the left was more limited than to the right.  From underneath I used a small Dremel attachment and ground away the extra unwanted plastic plate material.  Now it has equal degrees of freedom - left turn and right.  I hope too with better operational results on layouts with Gilbert curves.  It actually sheared off the front drive shaft derailing to the left last time.  Fortunately Lionel sells replacement drive shaft assemblies ($12 each).   

Thank you for the observation.  My ES44 doesn't derail on all Flyer track curves but only some of them. Mostly the rear truck jumps off.  I will look at it more closely.

Roundhouse Bill,

I can't explain it, but I have the same problem with my ES44.  The U33C runs fine on the club modular layout, but the ES44 just doesn't like the old Flyer curves.  

As some one else stated, our outer loop has wider radius curves and it runs fine.  

I haven't tried it art home yet, as the layout is in the building stages.

Aflyer

Have the Penn. ES44. Will run on old flyer track with no problem. I will say that with the swinging pilot it doesn't like passenger cars fright cars no problem Had to rearrange some ***. near curves to allow for swing