Any idea why after just a few times around my track my engines start to sputter (sp?)? I just tok them to the hobbu shop and they oiled them. I bought a track cleaner eraser, and cleaned the wheels (trucks) on them, This is really frustrating! Me thinks I need to ship them off to the engine laundry : ) Also how do you add a pic here? Thanks!
In2, when you took your engines to the Hobby shop, did they clean the old hardened grease and gunk out of the gears and off the pickup brushes, or did they just re-oil the engine? Did they also check for loose wires? Did they test run the engines on their track there? If they did all that, and the engines ran fine at the hobby shop, then your track is at fault. It is still dirty, corroded, or there may be a loose connection along the track or wires to the power supply. It is rare, but I found a rehostat brush was worn out once, but was an old well used controller.
In2, what make and type are your problem locomotives, also which track and control equipment are you using? This could shed some light on the problem.
Most are Life-Like. I'll have to actually look at this plastic cases to see the types, (not very engine savy yet : ). Also the track is the Atlas track they sell in every hobby shop in existance, not sure about the code thingie, that is, 83,100, etc... I did notice tonight that just maybe a small part of the problem is the number of trucks/wheels on the engine, and they may be touching the track just a tiny bit in some sections. Not sure though! Sometimes they run great, next time I want to get out of the hobby : ) How do you post a pic here?
Posting Pictures The photo must be already posted somewhere on the Internet -- at a photo site like PhotoPoint, Webshots, Yahoo, etc. or on your homepage. It won't work if it is just on your local hard drive. TrainBoard can read a photo off the Internet, but cannot reach in and read it off your hard drive (thank goodness). Then at the bottom of the posting page click on IMAGE and it will open a box on the upper left of your screen -- insert the URL there and presto. Welcome to TrainBoard Don B
In2, you say above that the wheels might be touching the rail a little; the wheels are SUPPOSED to touch the rails A LOT! If you nailed the track down, you may have accidentally driven a few of those nails too tight against the tie strip. That causes the strip to bow and bring the rails closer together. That makes the gauge too narrow, so the wheels ride up off the rails on the flanges, see? That may be one reason you are seeing light under some wheels. It can cause your engine to rock on the flanges so is not getting all the "juice" it needs to keep running. You are doing a good job of investigating. Keep it up, we'll whup the problems yet!
In2, you say that most of your locomotives are Lifelike. These can be the worst at poor pick-up, they do seem to pick up dirt well, though!
It can depend a great deal on the type of Life-Like locos you bought. If they are the older plastic frame kind (GP18 / GP38 / E8, etc.) they have a tendancy to break-off the lead wires to the trucks. To find out, you will have to remove the body shell. Trace the pick-up wires from the motor to the trucks. They solder to two bronze strips that fit behind the wheels. Make sure all four wires are making solid connections. If only one wire breaks off, you've just lost all power pick-up from that truck. I ended up re-wiring all my GP38's. Now they run fine. If you have the newer GP20's with the much-improved split metal frame, try taking off the bronze wipers on each side of the frame, and bending them down slightly at the ends. This will increase pressure for better contact. Look on the boxes thay came in, and let us know aht you have... MOPAC 1
In2: I have found continuity to be a major problem in N scale.For myself I've given up on any brand of loco except Kato:They perform most consistantly. The track and loco wheels have to be nearly surgically clean. All track connectors are soldered and has many points of connection to the power pack. Good luck!
Well I'd have to say like any type of machine/motor they all need some type of maintenance. I regualrly clean my track and I also stip the locomotives and clean the wheels and electrical contacts. A good electrical contact cleaner that doesn't leave any residue is best. Actually yesterday I cleaned all my Atlas locos some of which were running very rough, after I cleaned the wheels and contacts they all ran like a dream
