New steam engine barely runs

[BenDBQ]

The grandparents just bought my son the pacific flyer train set. My son LOVES it but after a couple hours of use, the steam engine barely runs. It will move a couple inches and then stops. We tested it again today with the smallest circle track you can make and it still barely moves. 

We are new to this so I am not sure where to start. Do we need to lube the gears?  Could that be an issue already?

Thanks for any insight.

Ben

[Doneldon]

Ben-

Ordinarily I would ask about whether the rails and wheels are clean but it sounds like your locomotive was working okay but went downhill too fast for it to be explained by dirty track. However, I'm wondering where your son set the train up. If it was on the floor there's a pretty good chance that enough fibers and lint got wrapped around the axles to impair performance in the way you describe. It's unlikely that the problem is lubrication because, if anything, locos come from the manufacturers with too much lube, not too much. I suppose it's possible that your son's loco sat in a warehouse for a long time (Bachmann has been making the 0-6-0 for very long while) and the lube ran out of it but that's really quite unlikely. The same is true about the condition of the power pack. Like other train set makers, Bachmann doesn't put a super-duper power pack in their sets but, given that, they do seem to perform at their designed level quite reliably.

I find myself coming back to the possibility of fibers around axles and in journals. Take a good look at the axles and rods on your loco to see if there is anything tying up the works. Also look at the ends of the axles on your rolling stock. Fibers and lint can get in there and put a drag on things. Frankly, I doubt if your problem is with your rolling stock but won't hurt to spend 30 seconds making sure.

I'm guessing that fibers in the loco wheels is the most likely problem but others on this board will also have some good ideas for you. Please give us some feedback and let us know how things turn out.

                                                                                                          -- D

[BaltoOhioRRfan]

From the sounds of it there could be two things,

Dirt on the tracks, take a paper towel with some rubbing alchoal and rub down the rails, if any paper towel gets suck in the rail jointers make sure to remove it. if you have heavy black lines, keep rubbing until they clear up. my low cost engines struggle with even the slightest dirt on the track.

Could also be a loose wire somewhere, but thats higihly unlikely

[BenDBQ]

D & BaltoOhioRRfan,

Thanks so much for the responses.  D, that is a good hunch, b/c we have been setting up the tracks on carpet floors until we can build a platform.  I do not see any noticeable fiber or lint in the axles or gear upon physical inspection.  I tried to take the housing off for further inspection of the gear, but was unsuccessful.  I watched the video in the FAQ's but need to look at it again. 

I will also clean the tracks but this is brand new track.  I am going to stop by the local hobby shop for lubricants since we will need this at some point. 

Thanks again for the advice and I will keep at it.

Ben

[BaltoOhioRRfan]

D & BaltoOhioRRfan,

Thanks so much for the responses.  D, that is a good hunch, b/c we have been setting up the tracks on carpet floors until we can build a platform.  I do not see any noticeable fiber or lint in the axles or gear upon physical inspection.  I tried to take the housing off for further inspection of the gear, but was unsuccessful.  I watched the video in the FAQ's but need to look at it again. 

I will also clean the tracks but this is brand new track.  I am going to stop by the local hobby shop for lubricants since we will need this at some point. 

Thanks again for the advice and I will keep at it.

Ben

Just a little tip. Just because a set was bought new, doesn't mean it hasn't been sitting around for a while. If you have the black road bed track(and I'm almost positive you do) i would switch to the grey road bed track. the black road bed is steel alloy track, and i had electrical problems with that. The grey is Nickle Silver track and is much better with electricity, at least thats my experiance.

[BenDBQ]

Yes, we have the black bed road track.  I will try cleaning and using the silver type.  Thanks.

[BenDBQ]

Update.  We decided to return the set and get a new one. However, we are having problems again.  Different problems this time.  Now, the train will work fine and then my son plays with it again and it doesn't move at all. This is a new steam engine from the pacific flyer set.  We are having major beginner trouble.

We have one of those end stops and the bulb does light but the train does not move. I've cleaned the track.  What is going on? Is there a way to check track voltage or do I have a defective train again?

[blwfish]

You can certainly check voltage with an inexpensive voltmeter.

[jonathan]

This may not be your problem, but...

If you are connecting the track to the accesory tabs, instead of the track tabs (on the power pack), the engine light will come on but the engine will not move.  If you attempt this too many times, you will burn out the motor in the locomotive. 

Check the connections from the power pack to the track.  Just a thought.

Regards,

Jonathan

[electrical whiz kid]

Clean off the track-AND the wheels.  Use a "bright boy" (available at most shops), or a very fine emery block, if one is available to you.  Track can be deceiving, and if you get enough crud buildup on either tracks or wheels, you may well see that same characteristic.  In all probability, you are using straight DC.  This component can be very responsive at low voltages to resistance due to crud build up on the  wheels/track.  Use a NON-FERROUS brush, like a brass brush designed for this use.  See your friendly hobby shop dealer.
Rich C.

[rogertra]

Clean off the track-AND the wheels.  Use a "bright boy" (available at most shops), or a very fine emery block,
Rich C.

No, no, no, no! 

Never, ever, use emery cloth on model railroad track!  It will score the surface of the rails making them much more prone to getting dirty, again.

The "Bright Boy" is a excellent suggestion but not, I fear, the emery cloth as most people will not have anything like 500 grit available and will use what they have at hand, which will scratch the heck out of the rails.