2-4-2

[grumpy]

I have a Roger 2-4-2 that will derail if the rail is not perfectly flat .It cannot adjust to any uneveness in the track. The problem is that the front truck springs even on a perfectly flat surface are compressed to the point that there is no travel left in the trucks. When the truck travels over an uneven surface it lifts the whole loco and it will derail and the trucks are the electrical feed to the loco so that contact is lost also.
Anybody got a solution or experienced this same problem.
Don

[Nataraj]

Have you tried running your engine without the spring? This will help by letting the front truck move side to side. If it becomes so that it is too light, maybe a little lead weight strips (strips used for HO and N scale trains) strips on the back would help way it down.  

-Natraaj

[Steve Stockham]

  Removing the springs would seem to leave the same problem as his springs are already totally compressed! The answer seems obvious: get new springs! Unfortunately, this might be one of those trial and error kind of situations. I would recommend going to a well stocked hobby shop and try and match the spring. This has happened to me on several occasions over the years and this is what I had to do.
   One caveat: You don't want to get the springs too stiff or your problem won't be solved! Good luck.

[altterrain]

How about just clipping a coil or two out of the spring? Remove a coil or two at a time until you get it to where it tracks well.

-Brian

[Jon D. Miller]

grumpy,
You make reference to a Roger 2-4-2 locomotive. By chance are you talking about and Aristo-Craft Rogers, the proper name for that particular locomotive.

If so, then Aristo-Craft sells packages of coil springs that work in their trucks and are also used for the Rogers.  If you don't have access to these springs then the spring used in their hook and loop coupler will also work as a suspension spring for trucks and the Rogers pilot truck journal boxes.

You tracking situation goes beyond the journal box springs.  The pilot truck pivot screw must be slightly loose  so that the truck can move up and down and rock side to side.  The journal box springs are not totally intended to take care of uneven track.  Adjust the pilot truck pivot screw so that the pilot truck can move up and down.

If, what you have is the 2-4-2 Bachmann Columbia or the Lynn then the truck pivot screw should be loosened slightly to allow the truck the move up and down and rock slightly.

Should the locomotive be one of the Aristo Rogers locomotives you might want to ask your question on the Aristo-Craft site.  That's probably the best place to obtain answers relating to their products.

JD

[jsmvmd]

Dear Grumpy & Jon,

I believe the answer to your question will be found here, in George Schreyer's tips:

http://trainweb.org/girr/tips/tips4/rogers_tips.html

George is an EE and has a lot of information on his website.

I would suspect your problem is not the pony truck springs but binding of the truck as it moves side to side, or a loose screw as Jon suggested.

Best Wishes,

Jack