Help with power pac size

[zotzgotz]

I am new to trains and need help. I received the Hawthorne village NFL theme train and ez track complete with power pac. It has 18 cars the loco appears to be strong enough to pull them but as it gets to the opposite side of the layout it comes to a crawl. Do i need a bigger power pac. Are 18 too muck for one loco, can I use two loco's at once on same train. Sorry for all the questions I am a novice who wants to show off for his kids. thanks for any help or advice

[ABC]

I am not familiar with what you bought, but first you can double head your engines (that is if you have 2 or more), or if you only have one you may have to shorten the train. The power pack cannot supply more "juice" for 1 individual locomotive, but can supply enough amps to allow you to safely run more locos which equals more pulling power. Who make the locomotive is it Life-Like or Bachmann or someone else?

[jward]

two things come to mind that may be causing the slowdown.
1. is your train table perfectly level? even a slight tilt to the table will affect how much your locomotive can pull. it will obviously pull more downhill than uphill. and will tend to bog down on the uphill parts.

2. i am assuming you only have one set of wires (feeders) connected to the track. running a second set of feeder wires to the back part of the layout will help resolve any voltage drop issues you may have. just be sure to connect the wires in the back the same way as in the front, or else you will get a short and trip the power pack's circuit breaker. if this happens, simply swap the two wires to the back section and everything should work.

[Michigan Railfan]

Well, where the train starts to slow down, run your finger over both of the rails, and make sure thay are level. Next, make sure the rail joiners (the little gold things that connect the rails) are slipped into the rails like they should be. If all else fails, shorten the train, or get another engine. It probably shouldn't be any problems with the power pack though.

[Jim Banner]

Before buying wire and connectors for another power feed, why not try running the same train around the tracks in the opposite direction?  If it no longer slows down, or maybe even speeds up at the other side, then it is most likely going up hill there now and down hill there when running in the opposite direction.  Solution - level the track.

But if the train still slows down at the same place when running in the opposite direction, then you are losing power as the electricity travels through the rails.  This can be caused by loose rail joiners, a bit of corrosion inside a rail joiner or on the end bits of rail or ??  Solution - add the second feed wire as suggested above.

Jim

[Joe Satnik]

Dear ZG,

Having good rail connections and adding power feeds to the opposite side of the oval are good, but:

Dragging cars around a curve is tougher than down a straight.   

This might be sending your small power pack into current limiting mode. (Bigger power supply needed.)   


Which statement seems more true to you:

1.  When my train is mostly on the curves, it slows way down.  Both curved ends of oval have about the same effect. 

2.  When my engine is far away from the power pack/terminal-rerailer, it slows down.  Nearby it speeds up again.

Do you - own/know how to use - a Volt Meter?

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik       

[kokoracer]

A ehilr bsvk, I took the on the bear and upgraded.  I have a Railpower 1370 which will handle just about anything I can throw at it.  I have run up to five locos and have a 14x25 layout.  Not an expensive pack either.