Train friends,

Thanks to all of you for your advice and willingness to answer my millions of questions.  I think we are closer to diagnosing my track issues.  Please bear with me, because all of this diagnosing has brought forth more questions.

Ok, so I have  Bachmann Big Haulers starter set.  I laid Bachmann brass sectional track on a bed of crushed stone.  I have been working with JUST the engine to try to get performance issues ironed out.  The engine moves jerkily when it moves and most of the time just sits there.  There is a light on the engine and a steam feature.  I am using the starter power supply pack that came with it, a 1 amp box. 

So, tonight, after receiving great advice from all of you, hubby and I took the voltage meter out and checked the voltage all across the track (about 60 feet).  There are no breaks in voltage, it is consistently 26 volts all over.  I cleaned the rails til they were shiny.  Cleaned the train wheels too.  It ran around the entire length of track once with just a few slow downs and jerky movements and then came to a dead stop.  Coaxing it by giving it a push makes it power forward a bit and then it stops again.  The fact that it did go around the track once makes me think that while the 1 amp power isn't fantastic, it is at least enough to make it work.

The track is level...I have checked it all with my torpedo level.

Forgive me for not knowing all of the proper terminology, but when the front four wheels are on the track and we hold the back of the engine up, the back 4 wheels spin like nobody's business.  But it seems that the front wheels just don't make good contact when the engine is placed on the track like it is supposed to be.

So, my question is this......does anyone else have this set and is it REALLY designed to be used outside?  It just seems that the engine isn't heavy enough to have the wheels make good contact.  The wheels are metal, but just about everything else is plastic and very lightweight. 

Also, the crushed stone that I used as ballast is very dusty.  Is there something else that works better?  Has anyone else tried using concrete pavers or something similar under the track, with better results?

Thanks in advance for reading my rambling message and any help that you can provide! 

Sign me,

Frustrated Newbie Train Gal that is about ready to hang up her engineer's hat and put the darn set on Ebay

Hello fellow train lovers. 

I'm a newbie and finally have my G scale brass track laid and have been having fun playing with my train.  I think I read once about some type of oil that can be used to help the train glide across the track more smoothly?  I have a Bachmann Big Haulers starter set (I substituted with Bachmann brass track since it is being used outside).  Does anyone know what kind of oil, if any, should/could be used?

Thank you in advance!

Chris

Hello train friends!

Wondering if any of you have ever visited EnterTrainment Junction in West Chester, OH?  Would it be a worthwhile trip for someone building their first railroad garden? 
I understand that they also sell trains and accessories, does anyone know if they have a large selection of G scale items?

Thanks in advance to anyone with knowledge. 

CRB

Please be kind, I have become obsessed with the concept of garden railroading and have purchased my first ever train.  I have ordered some brass track and am waiting for more pieces to arrive.  My question is this.....what type of screwdriver/wrench do I need to screw the track pieces together?  Is there a special one that is sold somewhere?  Remember....be kind....I'm new and a total novice.