wheel flange difference

[rustycoupler]

 Ihave a n  and w j that can make a 11 inch radius but my lt. mountain cannot, the reason is the wheel flange difference. just that little bit of difference , what happens is the front set of drivers pop off, is there a standard wheel flange height? 

[mhampton]

Is it definitely the flange height?  Is it possible that there is a slight difference in the wheelbase (the J being shorter)?

The NMRA does have published standards for flange depth, but they are not binding on the manufacturers.

[skipgear]

Unless your J is one of the older pre-Spectrum versions, the flanges on the two loco's should be the same.

[James in FL]

Hi rustycoupler,

I suspect your problem is related to wheel gauge rather than wheel flange.

Check the gauge.

Good luck.

[rustycoupler]

 I guess what i am trying to say is if they made the flange a little bigger it would be able to make my 11 radius curves , i checked the wheel gauge with the tool and all the wheels are in spec. Maybe even if it had more side play that might work also.

[skipgear]

Technically they J is rated for 19" radius but it will run down to aroun 12.5" pretty easy. Large, ridgid frame steam doesn't like small radius. I don't think larger flange wheels are an option because the flanges would start interfering with the pilot, steam chests and other things around them. Clearance is pretty tight.

[James in FL]

I don't know rustycoupler,

Your post made me go back and check mine.
It's been running about an hour and a half, in both directions, through the complete power range of my MRC 260.
No derailments.
It's running on a figure 8 with 11.25r EZtrack with a 60° xing.
I checked the gauge; all my wheels sit as close to dead on as possible in the NMRA gauge.
This includes the pony and trailing trucks as well as all the wheels on the tender.

When these were first released, some modelers complained of lack of pulling ability and remedied this by shimming the 3rd driver.
I didn't do this to mine; I didn't feel like it needed it.

Could it be possible that you have something going on, or in, your pony truck causing the first driver to climb the rail?
Have you shimmed yours?
If you put the lokie on a piece of glass, do all drivers touch it?
I'm wondering if maybe your frame  might be warped, but now I'm just guessing and throwing it out there for you.

I'm not seeing anything with mine that tells me another – ¼ in. r would hurt, but then again, I have no true 11r to try it on.
I have not heard any reports of the true minimum radius for this lokie, maybe 11.25r is it?
I do know that mine will not run on 9.75r. Not even close.

Hope you can figure it out.
Good luck.