ever time my polar express engine hits the first switch on my layout it splits the switch. any other engine that i have goes right though it with out a problem. any ideas what it can be??
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Sounds like the front truck wheels are out of gauge. Does this happen going in one direction only?
yes just when it goes forward.
Originally Posted by traindork:
yes just when it goes forward.
Okay, then I would check the front truck and I am guessing the wheels are out of gauge, likely too narrow causing the derail. You might be able to push the wheels out and get them into gauge otherwise someone in your area that does train repairs could do it very quickly.
ok thank you very much.
Play with the lead truck. Ive had it just kinda not want to sit right. I cant explain it better than that
I had some tracking problems with the Polar Express engine trucks. I my case the shim that Lionel puts between the wheel and the truck frame fell out. This caused my truck wheels to fall off.
What I did was take a short length of 22 gauge solid copper wire and rapped it around the axel, between the wheel and the frame. I did this on one side of the truck cauing the wheel axel to stay seated.
It's been working so well for the past two years that I forgot to order new shims when I ordered a new bell and mount a couple of weeks ago. In fact I only thought of it when I read your post.
It should be stated that I have no switches on my little Polar Express around the tree layout, so I can't say if this is the same issue.
On an out side chance, check your wheel flanges. I had an engine pick up a drop of glue once that caused the pilot to jump a switch frog now and then.
