I need help with a Walthers wellcar

[AJMX-Railroad]

Hello i have been having some trouble with my Walthers 53ft well. so i use 18in radius curves (small room) and my car has been derailing so much i punched it off the tracks and threw it at a wall so hard there's a faint imprint. anyway i need to find a way to fix it so it can go around my layout, also it keeps shorting out the track, i'm confused because my Kato 53' wells can go around my 15' radius spur line so can anyone help?

 

[kjd]

It sounds like you need to work on your anger management and to adjust expectations. I think the car is nearly 11 inches long in HO. You are asking a nearly 80' car to go around a curve that is 110' radius. It is shorting your track because the wheels are turned so sharp they are touching the frame. To "fix" it, maybe put smaller wheels on the car and grind off the parts that are touching the wheels. You may need to find offset couplers to adjust their height.

Maybe this article will help clarify the situation.

Powerful new curve radius insights for any scale

📷 Please post any comments or questions you have about this article here.

model-railroad-hobbyist.com

 

[D&J RailRoad]

Try shorter cars.

 

[Iron Horseman]

Hello i have been having some trouble with my Walthers 53ft well. so i use 18in radius curves (small room) and my car has been derailing so much i punched it off the tracks and threw it at a wall so hard there's a faint imprint. anyway i need to find a way to fix it so it can go around my layout, also it keeps shorting out the track, i'm confused because my Kato 53' wells can go around my 15' radius spur line so can anyone help?

Could try plastic wheels. That wouldn't help the derailing but it would probably fix the short circuits.

For the derailing issue first make certain the trucks are pivoting properly (3 point suspension), and that the wheel sets are in gauge. Failing that, I believe some prototype well cars have 38" wheels. As someone prior mentioned reducing them to 36", 33" or even the old AHM 30" with the huge wheel flanges might help.

 

[trailrider]

For those unfamiliar with the term "three-point suspension" in regards model railroad car trucks, you tighten one truck screw/attach method so that the truck pivots freely, but with a minimum of wobble or side-tipping. The other truck is then allowed to wobble slightly.
In addition to the recommendation to change to plastic wheels and reducing their diameter, check that there is no interference with the underside of the car (brake cylinders, air lines, etc.), The other question is what are the lengths of the cars on either end of the problem car? I run 85' passenger cars around 18-inch radius curves, but alternate them with shorter 72' cars. If the couplers are body-mounted, you might need to install longer drawbars, such as the ones Kaydee sells. Let us know how you make out.