Shoe On Tinplate Truck Catching

Dave, what switches?

Gargraves and Ross

Dave there was an old article that beveled each side of the shoe. Also, Ross and Gargraves inside rails can take a pin. Bend it down slightly to form a ramp.

This appears to be a common problem with shoe equipped trains. The design of the switches is the problem. The common fixes are to file the shoes and/or the switches to alleviate the problem. The Lionel pre- and postwar '0' gauge turnouts were apparently less prone to this problem.

 

Larry

Thanks guys!

As Don suggests, slipping a track pin into the rails really works, it takes some playing around to get it right, but it closes the gap.

 

 

Before doing anything else, determine exactly where on the switch the shoe is hanging up. We have Ross switches on our museum layout, and we found that the shoes were hanging up on the safety guide rails inside the running rails, NOT on the points. We took a Dremel tool and ground down each of the offending guide rails to a taper where it was hitting the shoe. That solved the problem. Instead of hanging up, the shoe would just ride up on the tapered bit. The switch points were not involved. 

Dave,

 

Your topic couldn't possibly have been better timed - for me at least!

 

I started a thread about a month or 2 ago asking about Ross switches and someone mentioned the shoe problem.  He said it was only with some cars though.

 

I was planning of buying some Ross at York in 2 weeks if Steve said it wouldn't cause my tin-plate cars to have a problem (All that I have now is new 'O' tin-plate).

 

I think I'll hold off for a while.

 

thanks for asking your question!

 

- walt

Check and see if it is catching on the guard rail or the extra power rails.

If the guard rails (most likely) are the issue it will require a bevel on the end and/or a bevel on the sliding shoe. if it is the power rails you can slip a pin in the end and bend it down if Ross has not already done so.

 

Walt,

You can always bring a car along to test. Not sure if their Tinplate switches are constructed the same.

That's a good suggestion!  EVERY SINGLE CAR of the new 'O' tinplate that I own has a shoe on it - it's for remote uncoupling.

 

Since I don't do remote uncoupling, I might look into just removing them.  I can't remember if the engines/tenders have shoes or not though.

 

- walt

I used plastic cable ties and locked all the shoes in the up position. I'll a picture when I get home this evening.
Scott Smith

Scott - thanks for replying saying you have a fix!  I will try it when I get my trains out this year if you show what you did so I can duplicate it.

 

Removing them, my comment above, is not something that I would seriously consider.

 

thanks - walt

They should go through with no problem by using cable ties.

Scott Smith

 

 

 

Thanks Scott.  Certainly looks easy enough!!!

 

- walt