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My MTH Premier Northern FEF runs fine but the tender derails when passing through a tubular Lionel 072 switch (switch is set to straight).  Does not matter whether the tender is approaching the switch from either direction.   The engine and all the cars track through the switch just fine but the front truck of the tender derails.  My other engines and cars seem to handle these switches fine.  I have looked at the tender but do not see anything obvious that looks unusual.  Appreciate any thoughts on what I could check. 

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"Weight" is never a bad thing in this field (to a point, of course), but modern, high-dollar model trains typically have trucks sprung at the screw/pivot/bolster and do not need extra weight (Lionel's first scale Harriman 2-8-0 was designed without a front truck suspension and is a notorious de-railer. Ever fixed?). Make sure that the spring is there and/or is not faulty - that is, it is long enough/firm enough to do something.

 

But, I suspect wheel gauge issues, as mentioned above. I just fixed a wandering wheel on an early Lionel Mohawk tender - the truck was "bumping" through a switch. The wheel had slid inward a bit on the axle and was riding on a switch guard rail. Some epoxy on the inside of the wheel/axle fixed it, probably forever. Being a 3-axle truck it did not derail; your 2-axle has no extra support.

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