Stop Derailing! Leveling the Problem Switch Elevated Track - There's a lot more to running a model railroad than just driving the trains. Laying track, fixing problems, and maintaining it all in good operating condition are essential to enjoying model railroading.
The Age of Diesel:
A few weeks ago, I bought my first diesel locomotive. It's a LionChief Plus 2.0 Norfolk Southern ET44 Diesel Locomotive that can be operated using multiple modes. I'm using the LionChief App on my iPad Mini. It can also be operated with Lionel's Legacy System, or conventionally using a transformer. However, when I put my new locomotive on my Polar Express Model Railroad layout, I encountered an immediate problem. The main switch that connects my elevated track number 3 with the two lower level tracks, wasn't level. As a result, every time I tried to run my new diesel locomotive through the switch, it derailed.
My steam locomotives didn't reveal this problem. But the ET44 Diesel Locomotive is longer, heavier, and has three axles on each of its two trucks. The ET44 is designed to operate on O-36 curves, so I shouldn't have a problem on my layout. But the main switch wasn't level. In addition, it was flexing as the weight of the ET44 rolled over it. These problems resulted in a derailment every time I tried to run through the switch.
Solving the Problem:
To level the switch, I needed to buildup the trackbed in specific locations. On the turnout that connected the switch with the grade leading down to the lower level, my FasTrack was out of level by nearly 3/4 of an inch in one location. I used 3/8 inch plywood and 1/16 inch bass wood to shim up the track to bring it into level. I decided to put the shims on top of the sound deadening foam under my FasTrack. Doing so allowed me to solve the problem more quickly. In addition, the foam supports the shims more evenly without the need to taper them.
I used an electric jigsaw with a scroll cut blade to cut the plywood to approximately match the curves of the main switch and the track immediately adjacent to it. I traced the outline on paper and then transferred the shapes onto the plywood. It wasn't necessary to make any curves in the bass wood.
The Outcome:
Building up the support under the FasTrack brought the switch and the adjacent track level. With the switch and adjacent track now leveled, the remote control for the main switch now operates consistently. The switch throws every time the remote control lever is moved. Most importantly, NO MORE DERAILMENTS! The ET44 Diesel Locomotive runs through the switch consistently, both on the mainline, and onto the grade running down to track 1 and 2.
Conclusion:
With the derailment problem now solved, I'll paint the wood used to fix the problem to blend it in with the rest of my layout. Once that chore is finished, the fix with be completed.
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