Flanges hitting chairs ?

[Dave Cooper]

Hi All

Not sure if this should be under "Trackwork" or "Locos".

But, my Farish 08 diesel shunter seems to be hitting the trackwork at every sleeper. I think the problem is the flange /chair clearance as it doesn't happen on a different (tram) loco.

It's the earlier 08 chassis - is there an easy fix to either loco or trackwork ? As I currently have only a small amount of track (Code 80) I could 'relieve' the chairs slightly but am wary of doing this at pointwork...

The alternative would be to grind a bit off the 08's wheels - sounds a bit drastic this !

Any ideas welcome,
Dave   

[Hugh Norwood]

What make is the track?

[Stan Williams]

I have to say, I have never come across a problem as you describe with an early or latest version of an 08 Farish chassis.
Only ever used Peco track.

You mention about a tram loco, is it the wheels or bodywork rising up.

Is the track ballasted or not ?

Ballast can be a problem if you have not cleared away any high spots.

Have you checked the chassis that it is running correctly, secondhand ones can sometimes have problems.

Stan.

[Dave Cooper]

Hi both

The track is standard Peco 'N' gauge. It is ballasted with 4mm size grit. The 08 runs fine on my friends (unballasted) layout. The tram loco (A1 Models /Kato chassis) runs fine even though it has smaller wheels.

It seems that the whole loco jumps a little at each sleeper. The chassis is 'as new'. I'll try clearing a short stretch of track with no ballast and report back.
Thanks, Dave   

[JulienW]

Like Stan I've not had any issues with any of my Farish 08 chassis of various vintages, so my suspicion is that it is the ballast rather than the chairs on each sleeper.

As an aside I've felt that the ballast sold as 4 mm scale is somewhat coarse and have used N / 2 mm scale instead. I've also made sure that the ballast does not come over the tops of the sleepers between the rails.

Hope that helps Dave.

[Dave Cooper]

Hi Julien. Thanks for the tip on 2mm ballast - I'll bear that in mind next time I have some more ballasting to do !

Just run another test having first cleared the main 009 line of any ballast on top of sleepers and even ground down a few heads on protruding track pins a little for good measure....

However, there is still an audible "click" once per rotation of the driving wheels. I think this is (probably) spanning several sleepers on the 08 ? So, I'm now thinking it might be the loco...tried a little lube to no effect. Coupling rod slop maybe (although very little by feel) ?

I think I'll set up a test with the loco inverted in a cradle and run a pair of wires up to the driving wheels. Funny thing is this did not show up on my friends N gauge layout.

(Puzzled of Wiltshire !)

[JulienW]

I wonder if your friend's layout has some sound-deadening fitted (like foam underlay, or just lots of scenery) or more background noise that masked the click?

A click in time with the rotation of the wheels would be an issue with the chassis. First off try to watch the chassis as it runs to check that the motion (the rods and anything else added) isn't making the noise. If nothing is obvious then the click is likely to be a split drive gear.

If it is one of the 'old' style chassis (the one without the outside frames) then it is possible to replace the gear as BR Lines sell them.  I can't recall which size you'd need but they sell the 25 tooth (GF2502 -

[Dave Cooper]

Hi Julien - thanks for all the good info'. Ran a test on the loco inverted in a test cradle and the click is much quieter this way than when it is 'on track'. Just for my  benefit, is the drive gear the one that protrudes through the chassis base plate ?

As a next move, I was going to remove the body and have a closer inspection of the whole geartrain from the worm onwards....

My friends layout is on some form of fibre board and my track is laid on cork floor tiles /Contiboard. The little tram loco is almost silent on the same track (Kato chassis).

If I do find a split gear, I think I'll ship it off to an expert for repairs as it sounds like a job for a specialist from your description.
Dave 

[JulienW]

Hi Julien - thanks for all the good info'. Ran a test on the loco inverted in a test cradle and the click is much quieter this way than when it is 'on track'. Just for my  benefit, is the drive gear the one that protrudes through the chassis base plate ?

Yes, that's the one, and confirms that you have one of the older inside-frame chassis as the gear isn't visible on the newer ones.

As a next move, I was going to remove the body and have a closer inspection of the whole geartrain from the worm onwards....

If the click is synchronized with the wheel rotation then it must be either an issue with the coupling rods - though I suspect that any issue with these would probably lock the chassis up - or the final drive gear.  The other gears rotate at a different rate to the wheels and there is at least one intermediate gear between the worm and the final drive (I'm working from memory here so sorry not to be specific) so would 'click' at a different rate if split.

That being said it's probably worth a look, and you'd need to remove the chassis from the body for repair in any case.

And a good look may show up something else causing the click (like a bit of ballast in the wrong place)...

My friends layout is on some form of fibre board and my track is laid on cork floor tiles /Contiboard. The little tram loco is almost silent on the same track (Kato chassis).

That would explain why things are quieter on the friend's layout! :D

If I do find a split gear, I think I'll ship it off to an expert for repairs as it sounds like a job for a specialist from your description.
Dave 

I wouldn't say that it is a specialist job, just a bit more involved and needing more care and attention than some jobs.

It sounds like it might be worth dropping BR Lines an e-mail to see if they can carry out a repair.  If not then  the next easiest option is to see if they can supply a replacement middle wheelset (wheels & gears mounted on their axle along with the coupling rods which are pinned to the wheels) for you to fit yourself (needs the keeper plate removing to swap the wheelset with the split gear out - the kind of thing one might do for a really deep clean of the chassis). If the only option from BR Lines is a replacement gear then it might be worth buying the gear (they are not that expensive) so that someone could fit for you, though as these chassis are not too hard to get hold of you could look into getting a replacement for the loco and then having a go at the repair yourself or selling the clicking chassis on as 'spares or repair' (possibly with the gear too).

[Dave Cooper]

Thanks Julien - investigations will continue...

Will let you know how I get on.
Dave