LGB point problem

[Eaglecliff]

Lovely day on the layout yesterday - first one of the year. Stainz and wagons chuffing round happily. Today, got out the Aristo C-16. Different story - LBG R3 point causing all manner of problems. Despite checking it was level, power to all areas, no bits of ballast anywhere they shouldn't be, the C-16 refused to pass over it from the toe; no problem from the heel end. Just stopped dead at same place every time. Fiddled some more, added some more ballast, levelled everything again, then the wagons started riding up on the check rail - plastic and Bachmann metal wheels alike, bogies and 4-wheel wagons ditto. For reasons related to the geography at that point, the trackbed changes its nature underneath and can't be altered easily. The track simply floats in ballast. The point is of a certain age, but the check rail is not obviously worn. Any suggestions?

 

[bobg]

Only one reason I can think of, for a wheel-set to ride the check-rail, and that is too narrow a back-to-back measurement. (That assumes that the point isn't damaged in any way.)

If you are losing power then pick-ups or faulty rail feed.

 

[Eaglecliff]

No, power to all areas. Back-to-backs haven't changed from last year (as far as I'm aware!) so I'll lift it, relay bed and see if that does the trick.

 

[bobg]

Hand roll one of the troublesome wagons through the point, watching the wheel-set through the checkrails, that might show what the cause is.

 

[stevedenver]

i agree also, check gauge of wheel sets
-or if there is a curved entry into the point , and the wheels, bogies etc are askew and not parallel to the track, im thinking of the types of cars like LGB starter cars with a pivoting platform that can run askew if not otherwise pulled striaght and into alignment, ???-(no solution for you if this cannot be altered)

sometimes there is a bit of slop between wheels and rail , and the check rail may need to be shimmed-ie a thin bit of brass strip wrapped around the check strip may pull the wheels where they need to be-or flanges are too deep and catching frog?

a wild guess given what youve explained
its slightly torqued -this does raise problems, even with all LGB stock
if its torqued, then the metal rails bits dont align properly with the plastic frogs , there is essentially a hump in the point at the frog
i was thinking about the longer wheel base of the C-16 .....

if you can, put a full length shim beyond two and heel -perhaps a hefty piece of wide styrene sheeting or the like, to make sure the point is entirely within a plane, try treated board, masonry sheeting, or my favorite , very large rectangular tiles, etc

my point on a curve and grade is the one that gave me the most fits, and these are the issues i identified and corrected, and things are very smooth now

 

[Eaglecliff]

After a month away, I have returned to my garden and re-addressed this problem. Taking the bull by the horns I reconstructed the stone wall under the offending area and installed a length of 1" thick tanalised timber as the immediate track base. Checking the lie of the point (and a another one as well) on the timber it became clear that the frog in each case is very slightly proud; in other words, the point is distorted. I have to say this confirmed the visual impression I had previously formed. Whether this slight (0.5-1mm?) distortion arose in manufacture or subsequent use I cannot say, but a couple of screws - not too tightly driven in through the sleepers - flattened the thing and the problem is solved - for the moment! So, Steve, it looks as though your"torqued" suggestion is the correct one.