For 20 bucks I can do a little tweaking
Mixed Freight posted:OKHIKER posted:Thanks, everyone! Kevin Unfortunately, I don't have anything constructive to add to this thread other than to say I got to it too late. I just ordered three Menard's flat cars with missile loads which I too will be running on 072 curves. If I had known of all the problems people were having with these Menard's flat cars I never would have ordered them. Twenty bucks per car or not I really don't think a consumer should have to pick and file away at a new item to make it work. I'll keep my fingers crossed but I ain't optimistic.For a measly 3 cars? I wouldn't think it would take THAT long to do a little bit of filing.
Regardless, I still feel for you. Generally, I buy one of any unknown car, and carefully evaluate. If I like it, then I buy more. If not, chalk it up to experience, make lemonade out of any lemons, and move on.
What's the other option? $70 or $80 per car (or more) from Lionel or MTH? Only if I REALLY want it. Otherwise, no thanks. I seem to be doing just fine without.
Hi Paul - I recently found another option, which was going to the Great Train Show and buying new old stock for about $10 per car, both for Lionel and MTH Premier. It was a fun experience with my little boy, and super fun to talk to the vendors and feel like I was scoring some great deals.
CoastsideKevin posted:Hi Paul - I recently found another option, which was going to the Great Train Show and buying new old stock for about $10 per car, both for Lionel and MTH Premier. It was a fun experience with my little boy, and super fun to talk to the vendors and feel like I was scoring some great deals.
THAT works, too. And is actually my overall preferred method! 
OKHIKER posted:CoastsideKevin posted:All - I promise I have read every thread imaginable on this topic and after spending many hours tinkering and puzzling over this, I have decided to plea for help from the forum.
I have a Menard’s 14” helicopter flatcar from 2016 that is derailing on an O72 curve and I can’t figure out why. The wheels seemed to be a bit close together so I moved them 1/16” wider on all four axles. No change
Here is a short video of the issue.
This is on a flat surface with 9 MPC cars behind it, so not even very much load. But still, this happens every time (and at other places on the layout) and it does not matter if I turn the car around, always the leading truck derails. I checked the couplers and they are not too tight but I would be happy to file away at them if I thought that would help.
Hoping this nice looking car can be salvaged.
Thanks, everyone! Kevin
Unfortunately, I don't have anything constructive to add to this thread other than to say I got to it too late. I just ordered three Menard's flat cars with missile loads which I too will be running on 072 curves. If I had known of all the problems people were having with these Menard's flat cars I never would have ordered them. Twenty bucks per car or not I really don't think a consumer should have to pick and file away at a new item to make it work. I'll keep my fingers crossed but I ain't optimistic.
Well please do give us a report when you get them. Are they the 14” flat cars or the shorter ones? Mine is the longer one but my tank car also has coupler issues. Good luck!
As I noted above, my Menards cars seems to have too little vertical plane movement. I can't see how the trucks are held to the car, but someone above noted that they are held by screws? IS that correwct? If so, maybe by loosening the screws I could give them more vertical play.
RJR posted:As I noted above, my Menards cars seems to have too little vertical plane movement. I can't see how the trucks are held to the car, but someone above noted that they are held by screws? IS that correwct? If so, maybe by loosening the screws I could give them more vertical play.
The 14" flat cars have the trucks attached by Philips screws. Recent ones have a plastic insert (easily removed) on the deck that covers it. I wouldn't loosen the screw too much or you get the wobbles.
As I recall, the shorter flat cars have rivet attachment. Not much you can do with them. I've only had one of them and didn't care for it.
Actually, I'm dealing with the coal hopper cars
RJR posted:Actually, I'm dealing with the coal hopper cars
The trucks on the hopper cars, and (I believe) all flatcars with the metal Bettendorf-style trucks, are held on with press-fit bolster pins. They are a very tight press-fit to boot.
I'm guessing at the factory, they rivet the cast coupler and screw the cast truck side frames to the main truck metal stamping. Then they place these main truck assemblies on the plastic underframes and press the bolster pins in place. Lastly, they assemble the spring-loaded uncoupling plunger in the truck, the bottom plate to the axles, and then install the bottom plate/axles into the side frames (yes, this obviously would involve spreading the side frames enough to get the needle-point axles into place, but I believe this is how it's being done).
I've managed to remove these trucks by prying/twisting them loose with screwdrivers and pry bars. You have to be quite careful so you don't break anything or mar the plastic in the process. And it's quite the trick to get them put back on with the same pin. But it is doable, I've done it with quite a few of my Menard's cars now.
CoastsideKevin posted:OKHIKER posted:CoastsideKevin posted:All - I promise I have read every thread imaginable on this topic and after spending many hours tinkering and puzzling over this, I have decided to plea for help from the forum.
I have a Menard’s 14” helicopter flatcar from 2016 that is derailing on an O72 curve and I can’t figure out why. The wheels seemed to be a bit close together so I moved them 1/16” wider on all four axles. No change
Here is a short video of the issue.
This is on a flat surface with 9 MPC cars behind it, so not even very much load. But still, this happens every time (and at other places on the layout) and it does not matter if I turn the car around, always the leading truck derails. I checked the couplers and they are not too tight but I would be happy to file away at them if I thought that would help.
Hoping this nice looking car can be salvaged.
Thanks, everyone! Kevin
Unfortunately, I don't have anything constructive to add to this thread other than to say I got to it too late. I just ordered three Menard's flat cars with missile loads which I too will be running on 072 curves. If I had known of all the problems people were having with these Menard's flat cars I never would have ordered them. Twenty bucks per car or not I really don't think a consumer should have to pick and file away at a new item to make it work. I'll keep my fingers crossed but I ain't optimistic.
Well please do give us a report when you get them. Are they the 14” flat cars or the shorter ones? Mine is the longer one but my tank car also has coupler issues. Good luck!
Kevin, The flat cars I ordered are the shorter 10 1/2 inch versions so hopefully I won't have a derailment problem. They are due in tomorrow so I'll post the results as soon as I test them out.
Hay OKHIKER,
A little over a year ago, I bought about 20 of the Menards flat cars( inexpensive) and for the most part, they were alright. I have 2 older Lionel Shay's with logging loads chained to the car. At some point, I had a car that kept derailing and I just couldn't figure out why. As soon as I rerailed it it would repeat it again and again!
I started to do a close observation of each wheelside set that was derailing. It was doing the same thing that yours is doing. On close observation with car off of track, upside down, I noticed as I'm looking from front to back that the car had a slight twist in the body. One wheelset leaning slightly left and the other leaning slightly right. the wheelset was floating at times, only to derail at times. Check to see if the car body might be twisted!
Steam Forever
John
OKHIKER posted:CoastsideKevin posted:OKHIKER posted:CoastsideKevin posted:All - I promise I have read every thread imaginable on this topic and after spending many hours tinkering and puzzling over this, I have decided to plea for help from the forum.
I have a Menard’s 14” helicopter flatcar from 2016 that is derailing on an O72 curve and I can’t figure out why. The wheels seemed to be a bit close together so I moved them 1/16” wider on all four axles. No change
Here is a short video of the issue.
This is on a flat surface with 9 MPC cars behind it, so not even very much load. But still, this happens every time (and at other places on the layout) and it does not matter if I turn the car around, always the leading truck derails. I checked the couplers and they are not too tight but I would be happy to file away at them if I thought that would help.
Hoping this nice looking car can be salvaged.
Thanks, everyone! Kevin
Unfortunately, I don't have anything constructive to add to this thread other than to say I got to it too late. I just ordered three Menard's flat cars with missile loads which I too will be running on 072 curves. If I had known of all the problems people were having with these Menard's flat cars I never would have ordered them. Twenty bucks per car or not I really don't think a consumer should have to pick and file away at a new item to make it work. I'll keep my fingers crossed but I ain't optimistic.
Well please do give us a report when you get them. Are they the 14” flat cars or the shorter ones? Mine is the longer one but my tank car also has coupler issues. Good luck!
Kevin, The flat cars I ordered are the shorter 10 1/2 inch versions so hopefully I won't have a derailment problem. They are due in tomorrow so I'll post the results as soon as I test them out.
Kevin, received my Menard’s flat cars with missiles today and am happy to report no derailment or coupler problems but they are the shorter version flat cars. Here’s a pic of them on my layout.
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OKHIKER posted:OKHIKER posted:CoastsideKevin posted:OKHIKER posted:CoastsideKevin posted:All - I promise I have read every thread imaginable on this topic and after spending many hours tinkering and puzzling over this, I have decided to plea for help from the forum.
I have a Menard’s 14” helicopter flatcar from 2016 that is derailing on an O72 curve and I can’t figure out why. The wheels seemed to be a bit close together so I moved them 1/16” wider on all four axles. No change
Here is a short video of the issue.
This is on a flat surface with 9 MPC cars behind it, so not even very much load. But still, this happens every time (and at other places on the layout) and it does not matter if I turn the car around, always the leading truck derails. I checked the couplers and they are not too tight but I would be happy to file away at them if I thought that would help.
Hoping this nice looking car can be salvaged.
Thanks, everyone! Kevin
Unfortunately, I don't have anything constructive to add to this thread other than to say I got to it too late. I just ordered three Menard's flat cars with missile loads which I too will be running on 072 curves. If I had known of all the problems people were having with these Menard's flat cars I never would have ordered them. Twenty bucks per car or not I really don't think a consumer should have to pick and file away at a new item to make it work. I'll keep my fingers crossed but I ain't optimistic.
Well please do give us a report when you get them. Are they the 14” flat cars or the shorter ones? Mine is the longer one but my tank car also has coupler issues. Good luck!
Kevin, The flat cars I ordered are the shorter 10 1/2 inch versions so hopefully I won't have a derailment problem. They are due in tomorrow so I'll post the results as soon as I test them out.
Kevin, received my Menard’s flat cars with missiles today and am happy to report no derailment or coupler problems but they are the shorter version flat cars. Here’s a pic of them on my layout.
Those look great! Glad to hear they are working fine and I love the AF switcher. I have the 41 Army version and use it all the time.
