THE SOLUTION!  Its the power pack that's messed up. I bought a whole new set and put it on the table with my old one. After i run the new one for a little bit i got curious.  I put the old engine on the new track ... taa-daa!  So then i started trying different things. I finally tested the power pack. Ac works dc does not

Aww....       Jonathan you may be right. I looked at the power pack and i did have them on the accessories post. So i changed it over to the variable dc side. Now nothing at all happens.  I guess i have killed it   

Im really starting to think thats the problem.  I have messed with it for days now. It wants to go so badly, but seems that it just doesnt have enough strength .   It cant be that hard to change the moter ... right? i havent taken it out yet but Its magnetic so im guessing it sticks to the walls and floor of the car. And  the only other things i can see holding it are the 2 drive shafts and the tiny wires that power it . I looked the moter up . Does $20.00 sound about right? I have never tried to fix a model locomotive before so i really dont have a clue what im doing lol  thank you guys for helping me out

Ok... i tried that. I  cleaned the track earlier today trying to make it work. I think its something within the moter maybe. The wheels only turn when i spin the flywheel whit my finger. Do you think its possible that the moter is just weak and cant spin the wheels?  I havent run this train but a few times in fear of messing it up. But it seems that keeping it in the box for so long has done the same   

hey....i am new to this site. I have been looking for answers everywhere but keep hitting dead ends. Hopefully someone here can help me. I have a bachmann silver series e-z track system pioneer HO scale train set. it has been in the box for sometime now and when i set it up, the engine isnt working like it should. I dont know too much about model trains, but i have set this one up before and had no problems with it. Now when i put the engine on the track and turn the power on, the engine budges forward a tiny bit but then stops. i can hear the moter humming like it wants to go but cant. my busband took the plastic shell off and everything inside LOOKS ok. when i put the engine on the track with out the shell on it and turn it on, i can see the (forgive me for this... i dont know what the parts are called) little brass weight looking things trying to turn. i cant figure out why it wont keep going. the brass piece turns easily when i spin it with my finger, so its not stuck on anything. the light on the front shines bright too.  im sure most everyone here knows more about this than i do. i reallly love this set and would love to see it running. ANY AND ALL help and advice is genuinely appreciated