Lionel 2022 Legacy SD40T-2 derailing on switches

@MichaelB  I've never been to the San Diego 3-railers' layout.  What brand of switches are they using?  Also, is it every single O72 switch, or just certain ones? Does it happen when entering the switch from the facing-point side, or the trailing point side?  From the curved leg or straight, etc.  Videos are always helpful.

Do the pickup assemblies angle towards the pilot. Is it possible to remove them rotate 180 degrees and reinstall?

Otherwise, I had a similar issue with mth passenger cars hopping over my fastrack turnouts for the same reason.

I bridged the gap a bit with a piece of sticky foam as I had some on hand to try . A more permanent fix would be to use a piece of styrene. Anything non conductive will work. Just  glue it on the side of the rail to shorten the gap.

@Ted S posted:

@MichaelB  I've never been to the San Diego 3-railers' layout.  What brand of switches are they using?  Also, is it every single O72 switch, or just certain ones? Does it happen when entering the switch from the facing-point side, or the trailing point side?  From the curved leg or straight, etc.  Videos are always helpful.

Sorry should have specified, we use Atlas O track on the layout. It doesn't appear to do it for every single switch on the layout, it's the switches for our reversing loop on the upper line and 2 switches on one of the lower lines. Those 2 switches on the upper line do appear to have a wider than normal gap, but again my SD70ACe goes over those switches with no issues.

The derailing issue happens when it tavels through the switch as seen in the below picture...

@RickO posted:

Do the pickup assemblies angle towards the pilot. Is it possible to remove them rotate 180 degrees and reinstall?

Otherwise, I had a similar issue with mth passenger cars hopping over my fastrack turnouts for the same reason.

I bridged the gap a bit with a piece of sticky foam as I had some on hand to try . A more permanent fix would be to use a piece of styrene. Anything non conductive will work. Just  glue it on the side of the rail to shorten the gap.

I will take a look to see if I can rotate them 180 degrees later or have the higher ups close up the gap for those switches causing the issue, but again my SD70ACe with the same truck design and from the same catalog has no issues going over that switch.

I know that’s disappointing and no fun. Are these Atlas O turnouts, if so, they make a fitter piece for that issue. If you can, take a picture of the switch for our review to better help you. Good luck. Happy Railroading Everyone

@MichaelB posted:

, but again my SD70ACe with the same truck design and from the same catalog has no issues going over that switch.

Try comparing the roller assemblies and examining a little closer to see why one engine derails and the other doesn't.  Too much spring tension? Too much side play??? Etc.

In the case of my passenger cars the roller assembly simply had Too much slop allowing the roller to twist and bind in the gap. Other passenger cars I have do not have an issue.

@RickO posted:

Try comparing the roller assemblies and examining a little closer to see why one engine derails and the other doesn't.  Too much spring tension? Too much side play??? Etc.

In the case of my passenger cars the roller assembly simply had Too much slop allowing the roller to twist and bind in the gap. Other passenger cars I have do not have an issue.

I did just that actually, tension and play feels and looks exactly the same. The distance they droop down and the roller diamater is the same. Only difference really is the trucks themselves are swapped in terms of position compared to the SD70ACe, but I don't know if that would make a difference for my issue.

I ran the SD40T backwards and forwards on that switch and both times the pickup roller, on the pilot end of either truck, dropped into the switch and got stuck. During that operationg day I also tried moving around 2 of the pickup rollers to see if that would fix the issue, it didn't.

I have gone in and tightened down the screws for the rollers more to prevent them from twisting slightly over time, that might have been the issue. I will have to drop by the museum next weekend to see if the issue is resolved and also talk with our operations manager on a fix for those switches.

Also I cannot rotate the pickup roller causing the issue 180, they will contact the part of the truck with the worm drive protusion (the one on the right is the pickup roller that gets caught in certain switches).

@leapinlarry posted:

I know that’s disappointing and no fun. Are these Atlas O turnouts, if so, they make a fitter piece for that issue. If you can, take a picture of the switch for our review to better help you. Good luck. Happy Railroading Everyone

I would take a picture of the switch, but that would have to wait until maybe next weekend (but that could change to the end of the month). Appologies for not providing this sooner, but I will try to get some pictures and videos on the issue as soon as possible.

are the pickup rollers level?  they appear to have a twist in the pic.

Search the forum with the last phrase in your title, derailing on switches.

It is a common problem with all sorts of brands and the solutions are common to many of them.

John