# IHC Heavyweight passanger cars



## Bywater Railroad (Jan 7, 2011)

I am having a problem keeping IHC heavyweight 6 wheel passanger trucks on the rails. I am running on 24" r, code 100 rail. I have changed to body mounted couplers, I have replaced the plastic wheels with 36" metal ones, I weighted the cars 1 oz puls 1/2 oz per inch of lenght and I attached the trucks with #6-32 screws and #2 brass washers between the trucks and the body. All that said and done the leading wheels of the truck lift ever so slightly up off of the rail in curves and guides the whole wheel truck from between the rails. Any ideas on what I am missing?


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## aionta (Apr 9, 2010)

*Hello Bywater*

I am no expert, but is the weight in the car balanced front to back?

If you run the cars backwards does the same thing happen?

Good Luck


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

Check the spacing between the wheels, also check the spacing of the track rails - maybe something is slightly out of gage. Also make sure that one of the two trucks is allows to rock a little side to side (have the other one just swivel.)


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

You said you switched from truck mounted to body mounted coupling,
Is there any binding of the couplings?
Is it doing it from a strait to a curve transition?
Is it happening in the same place same direction or everywhere?
Sean


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## mr_x_ite_ment (Jun 22, 2009)

I would just re-emphasize to make sure the screws that hold the trucks and couplers on are not overly tight. I assume it did not derail when you had truck-mounted couplers? Derailing problems are always a little tricky to troubleshoot. Best of luck!

Chad


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## x_doug_x (Jun 21, 2010)

i never had any issues with these type of passenger cars with the truck mounted couplers. i'd think the body mounted couplers are binding. he may have them too tight or too short.

which has been stated.


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## glgraphix (Dec 21, 2008)

I would almost bet the problem is the body mounted couplers. I have 5 sets of Rivarossi/IHC passenger cars and all have the McHenry truck mounted knuckle couplers and I can speed around 18" radius curves with no prob.

Kevin


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## x_doug_x (Jun 21, 2010)

glgraphix said:


> I would almost bet the problem is the body mounted couplers. I have 5 sets of Rivarossi/IHC passenger cars and all have the McHenry truck mounted knuckle couplers and I can speed around 18" radius curves with no prob.
> 
> Kevin


same here.


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## tkruger (Jan 18, 2009)

I have a set of Athearns and a set of unknowns. Both can only take my 22r curves with truck mounted couplers. I had a different set converted to body mounted and I could no longer run them. The body mounting causes the car to need a greater turning radius.


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## jzrouterman (Nov 27, 2010)

I agree totally with Tkruger and all the others, as I too think that it sounds like the body mounting is the problem here. I would switch back to truck mounting, but keep the new metal wheels. 

Routerman


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## Bywater Railroad (Jan 7, 2011)

Thanks for the help with this. I think that I will try with the truck mounted couplers to see if that changes things.


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## jzrouterman (Nov 27, 2010)

Bywater Railroad said:


> Thanks for the help with this. I think that I will try with the truck mounted couplers to see if that changes things.


Changing back to truck mounting should do the trick. However, if they still continue over riding the rails, then check that the trucks are not fastened too tightly to the under carriage. They should be able to move freely every which way without hinderance of any kind. If they are moving freely, then flip the car over and spin the wheels. They should spin freely. If they don't, then check the little holes in the trucks that the axcles fit into.

Sometimes these holes are either slightly too small or debree builds up in them over time from the constant spinning axcles. You see, the points on each end of the axcles cut into the trucks when they're spinning. This causes a build up of dust from the holes over a long period of time causing a drag on the spinning axcles. If it gets to be too much drag, then this will cause the wheels to jump the rails, especially in curves and the car to derail. 

An outfit called Micro Mart sells an inexpensive little tool that will re-tune the trucks, and get rid of the dust. The car will then be totally free wheeling. Doing this will also increase the number of cars an engine can pull because of less friction, therefore less work on the engine. The results of this operation, especially on older cars is amazing.

I really don't think that this is the answer to your problem, as I previously stated I think the answer to your problem is simply to change the location of your couplers. However, I put all of this in here just on the unlikely, outside chance that it is. Anyway, I hope this helps. Good luck.

This is the linc for this little tool if need be.

http://www.micromark.com/HO-TRUCK-TUNER,8241.html

Routerman


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## Bywater Railroad (Jan 7, 2011)

I am going to have to see if I can restore the truck mounted couplers. I cut them off at the base of the stem, but I only did this to 4 of them. Thanks for the help. I will post what happens next.


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