Check Loose Couplings Before Blaming the Track

When wagons keep parting company or jumping on curves, check the couplings. A loose coupling can twist, dip or catch just enough to pull a wheel off the rail. It looks like a track fault, but the little rascal is often hanging underneath the wagon.

Compare the awkward wagon with one that runs well. Look at the height, the spring, and whether anything is bent. A small adjustment can turn a troublesome train into a well-behaved one. I wish all railway problems were that cheap.

See more practical fixes on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@petethetrainman, and join Pete's Railway Club for £4.99 a month if you want to ask me about your own rolling stock.