Skip to main content

Reply to "De-Railing going into and out of .022 switches"

Great advice. I've tried all the tricks. Sad to say, I've given up on this particular switcher.  Using FIVE of my other engines, both steam switchers and regular diesel, I can run through all my switches both pushing and pulling with NO PROBLEM AT ALL- NO DERAILMENT and NO WEIGHTS NECESSARY.   I even got brave and put my LIGHTEST freight cars right behind the tender or engine and ran into and out of those old 022 switches with no derailments!

As I mentioned before, IMHO,  the fault is the short arm of the electro coupler on this SW8 switcher, (Lionel 2133590), pivoting all the way to the right or left when passing through one of the curved legs of the switch, which consequently pushes the rolling stock wheels to the side because of the significant spring tension in this position.  THAT is why the wheels grab the small divot of the switches halfway through the turn. And, yes- I DID make sure to add 1/2 straight tracks to the switches to give them a fighting chance. I give up! It's a fine Legacy switcher- just not for my old vintage 022 switches with 031 curves.

Any switching will be made from now on with my LionChief Plus 2.0 A5 0-6-T or my LionChief Plus 0-4-0.  I noticed that there is a new Lionel LEGACY version of my LionChief Plus 0-4-0- which I will consider for the future. Right now it is Pre Order Only. It's the  2232050 Bethlehem Steel #111-Legacy 0-4-0.  I'm a little disappointed that I couldn't do any CAB2 programming to perform switching operations with my 0-4-0 because it's not TMCC or CAB2 compatible, but the more I think about it I think that is wishful thinking. Even if I COULD program some switching events via my TMCC or Legacy, odds are that they wouldn't be consistently successful/repeatable because the rolling stock cars would constantly shift into new positions each time because of the switcher backing into or pushing into the couplers.  So what's the sense? I can perform the switching just fine using the Lionel Universal Remote manually (so to speak)

OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Suite 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
www.ogaugerr.com

×
×
×
×
×