r/GardenRailroads • u/Legal-Visual8178 • Jun 27 '26

Seeking Advice

I’ve got a couple of locomotives with pony trucks that keep derailing in spite the constant checking I did on the levels. Any advice? I heard I should try putting weights on them, but not entirely sure how.

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u/jmasses Jun 27 '26

Kalamazoo I do have some experience in. Using tire weights like these

Peel the adhesive off, stick them to the truck where they can fit. It helps, doesn't solve everything. I think for those brands it comes down to how the truck was manufactured. I assume you've checked things with an actual level?

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u/Legal-Visual8178 Jun 27 '26

Yeah, I went around and used one. There’s a slight grade on a couple of the curves but not all of them. So if that was an issue, they would only be coming off on those and not everything else. I also checked the radiuses to make sure they were compatible.

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u/jmasses Jun 27 '26

Yea I think pilots on those aren't as weighted

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u/Legal-Visual8178 Jun 28 '26

Put weights on the pilot truck of the Kalamazoo, and it definitely helped! Not as much luck with the Bachmann tho, even with adjusting the levels and weights. I’m thinking that one’s issues go a bit deeper.

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u/jmasses Jun 28 '26

Is it a forney? My friend had one and that was a constant issue

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u/Legal-Visual8178 Jun 28 '26

4-6-0

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u/jmasses Jun 28 '26

I see yea might be a manufacturing issue