A Derailment


D&J RailRoad

D&J RailRoad

Professor of HO
I was running trains this afternoon and doing some work on a bridge on the yard lead. Trains had been running laps on the 6 1/2 scale miles of track around the 2000 square foot basement layout for about an hour when I suddenly noticed the sound of wheels running on the ties. All the turnouts were still set correctly. The single trailing axle of one truck on a covered hopper had come off the track with no indication of why. There were 17 assorted cars trailing behind the hopper and all the wheels were still on the rails. No debris on the track for the previous scale mile and the truck was in good working order.
I'm really puzzled by this and may have trouble sleeping tonight.
 
One of my friends owned an HO layout in a semi trailer, that he traveled the country showing it off. The cars would be run so much the flanges would wear almost completely off, causing derailments.
 
Sh*t happens. Take a valium :(, or, you really didn't think you'd get away with it forever did you :rolleyes:
 
I've always had issues with hopper cars. It could have just been the perfect storm of events that caused the derailment. If it isn't repeatable, I wouldn't worry about it too much unless it happens again.
 
Gremlins Ken, I get them too!
I'll run all day before having company no problems. Then the first visitor comes thru the door and the sound of wheels riding ties is loud and clear!
 
Yep ... Murphy's Law, when everything is going well in practice - it will inevitably screw up for the real thing.

Ken, as others have mentioned, I'd run the same train across the same section of track again and see if the derailment happens again. If it doesn't, it was one in a million moment, if it does then I am sure you will find the cause and fix it.
 
Gremlins for sure. Try some sage incense, that should drive em out. I got the Disco Ball for 'gremlin maintenance', they think the lights are 'Sprites' their natural enemy, it keeps em away.
 
You probably need one of those broken wheel or hotbox detectors. ;) Seriously, if that car has been run a lot, the bearing surfaces in the truck may have become worn to the point where the axle came loose. Or, possibly some dirt got into the bearing surface. At least you don't have a visit from the Feds or lawsuits from property-owners adjacent to the derailment! And no spilled crude oil to worry about cleaning up.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
 
D&J:

Trailrider maybe close to what the problem is that caused the derailment. I also would check to see if the troublesome truck pivots easy on the car. Also, try checking the wheel on the truck to determine if the wheel is in proper gauge.

Is the coupler moving free?

Sometimes things just happen. Ask any maintenance director of a "real" railroad.

Thanks.

Greg

PS: If you find anything amiss...let us know.
 
There was a post of a guy in the "N" scale group who was making a Ghost Busters car.
Maybe you could get him to build you one in HO?
 
I'm leaning toward the ghost busters car. The train had been running for about an hour, going over the same route every 10 minutes or so (big layout). I continued to run the train and it didn't happen again. The couplers on the offending car checked out to spec and the wheels rolled freely with independent spin test with the car inverted in hand. The truck pivoted freely as well. I put the hopper into the maintenance shop over night and the night shift gave it a thorough inspection. The only thing they found was two loose hand rails and someones beer can on the end deck. Other than that, it was returned to revenue service.
 
I know of a railroad salvage contractor that will offer you top dollar for the hopper car, minus any beer cans.

Greg

CEO - The Milwaukee Northern
 
It's easy to lose your sanity over such details. You checked the obvious which is the thing I tell anybody troubleshooting. Sounds like you need a hobby from your hobby. I do something else for a day or two if the model trains start driving me crazy.

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk
 
G'day Ken...Your layout is amazing but I think you haven't got a layout til you've had a decent derailment or two...I'm the opposite...If mine stays on the tracks for more than half an hour I'm thrilled....I have an SD 40-2 locomotive that I used for a small model train display at a local event 18 months or so ago...It was a little dodgey on crossing turnouts ..A little girl knocked it off the table onto the concrete floor accidentally and did some cosmetic damage and snapped the securing pin on the front trucks..The next day I mucked around with the front wheelset and trucks and it ran again..I put it away.. A few months ago I got it out and to my amazement it hasn't missed a beat..No rhyme or reason..won't derail on turnouts now..All I can put it down to is that there was a misalignment on the wheelsets and now there isn't..This is just a standard Bachmann , non sound DCC..but for running it now matches the Athearns I have except for low low speed performance..Go figure...Hope you didn't end up having a sleepless night...Cheers Rod...
 
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