EZ Track problems

[Seqimbill]

I am having problems with Bachmann EZ Track.  The track itself is fine except for having to file the rail tops at the joints for smooth running.  What I am having a problem with a model 44440, 30 degree crossing which I bought just yesterday.  It fit perfectly into my small layout.  Then I gathered all of my locomotives to test how they would run through the crossing. . . . .  They don't - happily.  I expected that there might be problems with short wheel base (0-4-0 and 0-6-0) switchers.  However, my 4-6-2 Pacific and my GP-20 have problems also.  The problem is either partial or complete stalling, especially at slow scale speeds.  In addition to the stalling, the engines tend to hop and derail about every second or third pass.  Since the crossing fits so well in my track plan, I don't want to return it.  I would like to fix it if possible.  Someone suggested that the frogs might be too shallow and that the wheel flanges may be bottoming out as the loco passes through. Can you help?       Sequimbill

[rbryce1]

Bachmann also makes an 18" radius turnout with a plastic frog.  I have the same problem with the wheels bottoming out when trains pass over the frog.  I simply have placed it in a scenery location where I will most likely never use it.  I have not tried to deepen the groove, but that may be your recourse.  Bachmann uses all Code 100 rails, but not frogs.  My Riverossi steam engine is the worst.

[jward]

would that gp20 be a tyco by chance? if so, it does not pick up electricity on all wheels. the front truck gets power off one rail, and the rear truck off the other. locomotives with this pickup configuration, common in older train set locomotives, will act like an 0-4-0 or other short wheelbase steamer when crossing insulated frogs. this could explain the stalling.

as for the wheels bottoming out in the frogs, locomotives like this also tend to have flanges much larger than the nmra (rp25) specs call for. you could try to deepen the flangeways using a trick i use when building my own switches. a standard hacksaw blade is the same width as the flangeway should be, so you can use one in the flangeway to deepen it. remove material until the wheels no longer bump through the frog.

[Seqimbill]

You guys are the best!!!
I will absolutely try the hacksaw blade.  I was going try an X-acto saw but the blade is too narrow to do the whole job.  I will deepen those frogs and see if it works.
Thanks for the help.
As for the GP-20, it is a Model Power and in the process of cleaning the wheels, I find that all eight wheels pick up current from the rails.  So, deepening the frogs is the answer.
Unfortunately, the crossing is smack in the middle of the main line so there's no hiding it.  It will be inside of a mountain and I am going to have to build an opening to access it for cleaning or get a really good track cleaning car.  We'll see.

Thanks again to all of you.

Merry Christmas

Seqimbill