Peco N-gauge issue?

Are you handlaid, sectional or flexible? Raise your questions or give us your tips here...
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079720
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri Jul 03, 2009 7:05 pm

Re: Peco N-gauge issue?

Post by 079720 »

I know this is a long time after your post, but I did have problems with my staging at one time. I don't know whether my solutions will help but here they are. There were two issues that I had to deal with, the first was a reverse curve on track two. At one end of the staging the track came through a 180 degree curve of about 12" radius and straight into the yard ladder, every road was fine except the second one where frequently trains would derail on the second point making up the reverse curve. The partial solution was to put about 4"-6" of straight in between the end curve and the yard ladder to reduce the stresses in the train. At the other end of the staging where the exit is onto about 4' of straight track I've never had a problem. Total solution is that that staging road is only use in one direction.

The other problems were solved using needle files and any rolling stock that is particularly prone to de-railing. I went through the whole yard checking that flangeways were both wide enough and deep enough. I also used the finger test to check that the point blades were not proud of the running rail for each chosen route and finally check that all point blades form a closed joint with the running rail for the route selected, it's not unknown for the tip of the blade to curve out creating a mini "derail" feature.

Finally there is an article in ,I think, Model Railroader about the effect of movement of the baseboards due to varying moisture content as the seasons change. A staging yard that had been fine suddenly started to give problems. What the author found was straight track suddenly developing kinks but also point developing "pinch points" due to the track either side of the point pushing into the point causing the curved rails in the points to bow and squeeze the gauge. Solution was to put in extra expansion joints close to the point.

Hope this is of some use.

Alan Wyatt
079720
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri Jul 03, 2009 7:05 pm

Re: Peco N-gauge issue?

Post by 079720 »

Model Railroader, January 2012, page24.
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