A bit disappointed with N gauge.

[Trev]

I must admit to being a bit disappointed with the N gauge stuff I've bought.

Peco Setrack points don't seem to work very well. My Dapol Class 73 will only negotiate a facing point without derailing 50% of the time, coaches almost always derail, either on trailing or facing points, and stock seems to uncouple from the locomotive randomly.

Does anyone have any tips?

Because of my recent redundancy, it's going to be difficult to afford any new stuff, so I would like to be able to use the large amount of Setrack that I bought earlier this year to build a small layout to kill the time between now and another job.

Even the Farish Class 33 that I bought with the money my ex-colleagues sent me on my way with is tempremental.

[swisstrains]

Originally Posted by Trev

.............Peco Setrack points don't seem to work very well. My Dapol Class 73 will only negotiate a facing point without derailing 50% of the time, coaches almost always derail, either on trailing or facing points........

Trev,
Can you give more details of the derailment problems you are having? If laid properly, Setrack points are usually pretty reliable and most derailment problems can be traced to the wheels of the locos and rolling stock. Does the derailment occur at the "point blade" or on the "frog"?

Originally Posted by Trev

..........and stock seems to uncouple from the locomotive randomly.

This unfortunately is a common problem with some British N Gauge. The original standard spring-loaded Arnold "Rapido" coupling, although not very nice looking, is quite reliable but over the years various manufacturers have brought out their own versions of it. Peco have a version on their wagons that uses gravity to hold it coupled and some Grafar vehicles used a "bendy" shank to give some degree of "springyness" Other versions still have a proper spring but sometimes it is very weak and still allows the coupling to "flop" The couplings on vehicles from different makers sometimes don't even line up properly so as you can see it often requires a bit of fiddling to get reliable coupling.
Most American N Gauge modellers have abandoned Rapido couplers and use Microtrains couplers instead. They look like miniature buckeyes but are fiddly to fit and quite expensive if you have a lot of stock.
John.

[Trev]

Originally Posted by swisstrains

Trev,
Can you give more details of the derailment problems you are having? If laid properly, Setrack points are usually pretty reliable and most derailment problems can be traced to the wheels of the locos and rolling stock. Does the derailment occur at the "point blade" or on the "frog"?

It's difficult to say. The front bogie goes through okay, but the rear one tries to divert over to the other route. And the same thing happens if I turn the locomotive around so that the trailing bogie becomes the leading one. I'm thinking that it's possibly a defective point 'cos coaches sometimes have the same problem.

Originally Posted by swisstrains

This unfortunately is a common problem with some British N Gauge. The original standard spring-loaded Arnold "Rapido" coupling, although not very nice looking, is quite reliable but over the years various manufacturers have brought out their own versions of it.

Way back in the early 70's, a schoolfriend used to have a fairly large N layout in a garden shed. All of his stock was Minitrix and I don't recall him having any problems with couplings so I reckon you're right. Trying to couple a locomotive up to wagons is something of a nightmare, and once I manage it, watching an open mineral wagon doing its version of a slip coach is almost guaranteed. What would you suggest? Weights?

[swisstrains]

Trev,
On Peco points (and most others probably ) there is a very slight "step" at the point where the moveable blade makes contact with the fixed rail. Some wheel profiles (Older Arnold models and some Grafars are examples) have flanges that "hit" this "step" and either "split" the point blade or ride up over it. Either way it results in a derailment This problem is often worse when the set of points is placed immediately after a long curve. You can reduce this "step" by chamfering the end of the blade with a very fine needle file but this makes the blade very thin at the end and easily damaged. What I tend to do is bend the very end of the blade slightly towards the fixed rail with a small pair of long-nosed pliers(see photo). This makes the blade "tuck into" the fixed rail better and therefore reduces the "step"
point2.JPG
This obviously won't address your derailment problems in the trailing direction. That has got me baffled
I can't really offer any advice for your coupling problems either. Adding extra weight might make coupling a little easier but I doubt it. If the couplings aren't coming together smoothly then the fault lies with the design. If you have spring-loaded couplings and they are "drooping" this can be improved by removing the springs and stretching them but the job is fiddly and I guarantee that sooner or later one of the springs will shoot over your shoulder never to be seen again
I sincerely hope that your modelling experiences take a turn for the better. You deserve some luck.
John.

[Trev]

Thanks for the advice John.

I'm beginning to realise why it is that a lot of N gauge layouts I've seen tend to be large 'tail chasers' with little emphasis on shunting.

I'm sure that it must be something to do with the point blade. One bogie of a locomotive will pass through correctly, but not the other one. And the two 0-6-0's that I have will often fall over at the same turnout as well.

I'll get the pliers out!

[DSY011]

Trev,
The only set of points I had a problem with was the 'Y' turn out at the station on my layout. I did the same as John advised you to do and it worked. I also had a problem with the trailing direction. I found that it was due to a uneven joint between the rails. I fixed it on my layout by pinning both the track and the points as close to the joint as I could. No more problem. Hope you get it fixed and things start to turn around for you soon.
Syd

[Trev]

Cheers for that Syd.

Do you have similar problems with couplings as well?

[swisstrains]

Originally Posted by DSY011

...........I fixed it on my layout by pinning both the track and the points as close to the joint as I could. No more problem. ............

Although Peco imply in their literature that "Setrack" does not have to be permanently attached it is, in my opinion, always best to pin it down. The individual pieces are sometimes "bowed" and need to be encouraged to lie flat.
If you want a track system that can be used for temporary layouts I think the stronger "ready ballasted" systems from the likes of Fleischmann and Kato are much better. The Kato Unitrack range was designed with temporary layouts in mind as the Japanese have very little space for permanent layouts and often "play trains" on the floor
John.

[FHRG]

I have also had problems over time with assorted rolling stock that insisted on uncoupling when not wanted, but obstinately refusing over an uncoupler !!
Solutions seem to have been suggested already. I just wanted to say that at an exhibition I went to in Hungary there were full, and I mean full, length trains running without any untoward incident whatever. The answer appeared to be meticulous care in laying the track in the first place. The owner of the layout is a superb modeller and pays attention to the tiniest of detail.

[swisstrains]

Originally Posted by FHRG

.................... The answer appeared to be meticulous care in laying the track in the first place..................

Yes, I agree, there's no substitute for well laid track.
However, if all else fails there's always the old exhibition trick of joining your rakes of wagons and coaches semi-permanently together with a tiny dab of "Copydex" on each coupler.
John.