Thanks to everyone for all your suggestions.
I brought it over to the kind folks at Charles Ro Supply Company in nearby Malden, and the repair guys (and a few customers) spent well over an hour taking the whole locomotive apart trying to figure out what the problem was.
A process of elimination led them to the conclusion that one of the wheels was stuck. They took the axle nut off, and in fact, found the wheel had been glued in place. They freed it, scraped off the glue, and it ran great!
They explained sometimes at the factory they take a few shortcuts and us glue to secure the hubs.
I got a "no charge" for repair and will go back there again!
I brought it over to the kind folks at Charles Ro Supply Company in nearby Malden, and the repair guys (and a few customers) spent well over an hour taking the whole locomotive apart trying to figure out what the problem was.
A process of elimination led them to the conclusion that one of the wheels was stuck. They took the axle nut off, and in fact, found the wheel had been glued in place. They freed it, scraped off the glue, and it ran great!
They explained sometimes at the factory they take a few shortcuts and us glue to secure the hubs.
I got a "no charge" for repair and will go back there again!