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Captain Green Hair

Problems with switchtracks

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This is a question for you trainheads.

When i ride my models over the switchtracks they often derail or just stop.

I wonder if this is a common problem, or that there might be some solutions to this?

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This is a question for you trainheads.

When i ride my models over the switchtracks they often derail or just stop.

I wonder if this is a common problem, or that there might be some solutions to this?

I've never had any problem with my switch track, aside from the Emerald Express running a little rough over them when I didn't align the wheels properly.

Are you running 9V electric track? I'm wondering if you have a short of some kind.

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I've never had any problem with my switch track, aside from the Emerald Express running a little rough over them when I didn't align the wheels properly.

Are you running 9V electric track? I'm wondering if you have a short of some kind.

Yes it is 9V track.

I've discovered the problem, it is with my models.

I think the tram is too top heavy and need some weight in the bottom to drive more stable.

With my steam engine i've gone too low with the bottom, which isn't a problem on normal track, but on the switches it is.

The gaps in between the rails on the switchtracks might have been a little smaller, that would smoothen the ride out as well i think.

So the Emerald goes over smoothly, or is it a bumpy ride on the switches?

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Yes it is 9V track.

I've discovered the problem, it is with my models.

I think the tram is too top heavy and need some weight in the bottom to drive more stable.

With my steam engine i've gone too low with the bottom, which isn't a problem on normal track, but on the switches it is.

The gaps in between the rails on the switchtracks might have been a little smaller, that would smoothen the ride out as well i think.

So the Emerald goes over smoothly, or is it a bumpy ride on the switches?

I've found with most of the 9v series that they are too light. The old 12v used a heavier motor and 2 ballast weights which kept the train on the track and helped conductivity with the power rail.

The 9v is okay at slower speeds, but can derail or over-run points. The solution to this is obvious - use the old 12v weights from the old sets - also I've been buying weights from Ebay - and its made a difference.

The worst 9v train is the crocodile, it's a B*&£er, two swivelling ends and light, so there now are weights in both ends - now it goes well.

The only train which doesn't need it is the rc trains - as they have heavy batteries in them and find that it can go full speed round and over bends without derailing - unless you just use the engine - and its too fast anyway!

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The engine of set 4512 can derail. Don't know if you have it. With this set the light cable leading from the motor to the light brick can be too tight. Just make sure it isn't too tight so that the motor can move more.

I also know this problem with the crocodile engine 4551. As it's been mentioned the too light front and back parts are responsible for derailing. The other locomotives are sometimes not heavy enough if you send them through a switch at full speed. But even on curves they often tilt over if they're too quick due to being too light.

Edited by legotrainfan

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I've found with most of the 9v series that they are too light. The old 12v used a heavier motor and 2 ballast weights which kept the train on the track and helped conductivity with the power rail.

The 9v is okay at slower speeds, but can derail or over-run points. The solution to this is obvious - use the old 12v weights from the old sets - also I've been buying weights from Ebay - and its made a difference.

The worst 9v train is the crocodile, it's a B*&£er, two swivelling ends and light, so there now are weights in both ends - now it goes well.

The only train which doesn't need it is the rc trains - as they have heavy batteries in them and find that it can go full speed round and over bends without derailing - unless you just use the engine - and its too fast anyway!

I might try using the weights on my Metroliner. It generally runs fine but can sometimes derail on high speed turns.

You can still get those weights from Lego Education. I got a bunch of them for Technic models several years ago.

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sorry for digging up and old topic but I was looking for some thing else and seen this and and I thought it may come in handy for some one else. I had the same problem with a bunch of 9v points that I won on an ebay auction and when l looked in tho this a little closer I noticed that it was due to the way the trains were approaching the track.

If you look at the point on the left hand side of this photo http://www.1000steine.com/brickset/images/4531-1.jpg you would notice that a train approaching from the bottom would need to push the rail to the left to pass by. on the tracks that I had they appeared to move freely but the train musnt have been able to move them out the way. To solve this I used some wd40 on those parts of the track to loosen them up a bit and this seemed to solve the problem without adding extra weights to the train.

:cry_happy:

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