Questions, Answers & Tips - 2
see if all four wheels are flat on the glass. If any one wheel is
floating, then either the axle mounting is incorrect or the truck
assembly may be bent. Remove the truck, take it apart, and
check for ridges of flash or warping.
Fuzzy adds a third possibility: A screw on top of the Bachmann
truck holds it to the frame. Just as a freight car’s kingpin screw can
cause derailments if it’s too tight, these screws can also affect the
locomotive trucks’ performance. Rock the truck in all directions
to see if it feels a little snug; if not, then you don’t have to worry
about taking the body shell off to get at that screw.
John said: I have used the Bachmann FTs and have encountered
problems with the wires from the truck binding and causing
3
3: Bachmann’s power trucks are attached to the frame
with a screw. Check to be sure it isn’t too tight.
2
2. Prof Klyzlr’s illustration shows how off-center wheelsets
can lead to operational headaches.
but the rails (blue lines) are not parallel to the center as they
should be and the red line is not perfectly centered between the
blue lines representing the rails.
The result is the truck crabs down the track at an angle, and
will pick the smallest imperfection on the inside face of the rail,
climb over the rail, and derail.
Another check: place the loco on a known dead-flat surface, like
a sheet of glass. Get your eyes right down to wheel level, and
MRH-Jun 2014
