Thinner Wheels for the Dapol 66's ?

[linuxyeti]

Hi All

I've finally started getting back to looking at my layout!!. And whilst I seemed to have sorted the majority of the final issues with the track, etc, there is 1 loco that is causing grief, the dapol 66 that I own. It's not the best of runners anyway, but if it goes over points too slowly, the layout shorts. On looking close, the fat wheels are what's causing the shorts, as they overlap the 'V' in the point, causing it to short.

I then had a closer look at the wheels, and it seem that they are fatter than on any other loco, or unit I own, that includes other dapol locos as well.

So, my question is, can you easily replace the wheels with less chunky ones?

Cheers

Tony

[EtchedPixels]

Simple answer would be no, and the Dapol 66 wheels I've seen (right from the first batch) are all 2.2mm which is the specification.

If they are shorting around the frog then check the back to back. It may not be the wheel size but the back to back being wrong.

Are your points electrofrog or insulfrog ?

Alan

[linuxyeti]

Hi

Standard peco set track, the issue only occurs with my dapol 66, if it goes over the points quick enough, it avoids the short, otherwise, boom !!

Of my other stock, no others suffer the same.

The wheels are so much thicker than any others on my other stock, whether it be farish or dapol.

Cheers

Tony

[EtchedPixels]

Odd - might be worth finding some wheels from another Dapol 66 in that case, as the ones on all the units I have are the correct 2.2mm

You can btw also fix the problem with set-track if you make sure you don't feed power from the non blade end of the point. So if you've got a loop put an insulated fishplate in some that power always reaches the track from the blades. When you do that the insulfrog means the other track from the point vee is not powered so won't short even with bad wheels or if the point is warped/twisted.

eg if you have a loop then put one insulated fishplate on each of the rails radiating from the frog of one of the points. You should then find the problem is gone. Likewise with a loop one fishplate so the point is only powered from one end. Its more wiring and hassle but it does fix that one and can be useful if running ancient or otherwise iffy models.


Electrofrog doesn't have this problem, but has others to replace it.



Alan

[Dr Al]

It may be the wheel backs touching the point blades - in this case if the BTB is ok the point needs adjusted (a fractional bend of the blade in its centre will work).

I've had this occasionally with code 55 points, and it's generally not the loco's fault.

Cheers,
Alan

[EtchedPixels]

If its shorting in the frog area on set-track its usually the back to back being out, the edge of the wheel then strays onto the other rail in the insulated frog which if it is powered can then cause a short.

[linuxyeti]

Hi All

The problem is, it's not just the 1 point, and I have 30 of the buggers !!, and so far it's only been the Dapol 66, with it's fat wideboy wheels .

Cheers

Tony

[FRED LEWIS]

Hello
I have 6 dapol class  66 locos early ones have wider wheels latest models have slimmer wheel sets .Dapol somtimes sell new slimmer sets on Dapol web site.You can ask Dapol iff they have eny for sale .
                                                                      Fred.