train stopping

[rcastevens]

I have a n scale Bachman train that I only use at Christmas with our Christmas village.  I have Bachman EZ track.  Sometimes when I have the  train running it will stop at random places along the track.  Does anyone know if this would be the track or the engine.  I have checked and rechecked all of the track connections and they seem to be ok.  Any help would be appreciated.

[jward]

have you cleaned the track and wheels?

[rcastevens]

How and with what is the best way to clean the track and wheels?

[jbrock27]

You can use isopropyl alcohol, denatured alcohol, Wahl Clipper oil, track cleaning block or Scotch Brite (non metal) pad.
I have a suggestion/question: do you have a multimeter? Or simple continuity tester?  What you can do is run the loco, make note of where it stops, then take the meter leads or tester leads and put one probe to either side of the the dead spot (I am guessing this happens one side or the other of a section of track) so this could be on one side and the other of where a joiner is.  My guess is that it is loosing continuity at joiners but using these 2 tools will give a quick answer to that question. 

[jward]

to clean track, you can use a bright boy or similar rubber block. to clean wheels, soak a paper towel with alcohol, place over the rails, and place one truck of your locomotive on the towel. turn the power up all the way, and hold the loco in place, letting the wheels spin. repeat with the other truck.

[DougInCal]

I just unpacked my HO sets after about 5 years.  I cleaned the tracks with 70% isopropyl alcohol and started testing the two ovals.  My loco stops in generally the same spot/track.  I can push the loco until it gets power again.

What I don't understand is if there is a break in continuity, why does the train run on the rest of the track?

[rogertra]

I just unpacked my HO sets after about 5 years.  I cleaned the tracks with 70% isopropyl alcohol and started testing the two ovals.  My loco stops in generally the same spot/track.  I can push the loco until it gets power again.

What I don't understand is if there is a break in continuity, why does the train run on the rest of the track?

DC or DCC for power?  Either way, your loco stops where it stops because simply,  it's not picking up power like it does everywhere else.

First thing to do is to check your rail joiners are connected correctly either side of where the loco stops and they are tight and not sloppy.

Cheers

Roger T.

[jbrock27]

Dougy, can you describe the "spot" where it stops?

[Joe Satnik]

Dear All,

I assume N scale E-Z Track is built similar to HO.

HO E-Z Track is manufactured with joiners that are held captive by plastic molded "spikes" in the first tie.

The spikes fit in notches in the joiners, which replacement joiners do not have.  

See my reply in the link below, 3rd post down, which has a link to Narrow-Minded's post

with a video showing how to  pull off an old, loose, dirty (non-conductive) original notched joiner.  

This process is destructive to (shaves off) the plastic molded "spikes" on the tie,

but allows replacement with a new, tight joiner.

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,27088.0.html

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Edit: grammar  

[DougInCal]

I started swapping track with my other oval, and the problem has gone away, and did not show up in the other oval.

If there is no power to a piece of track, why does the rest of the oval have power?  Seems as though the circuit in total should be dead.

[Joe Satnik]

Electrons sneak around the oval in the other direction.

To troubleshoot ornery track joints, disconnect the track joint to the left of the terminal track and send your loco around to the right. 

When the loco stops, the pair of joints you just passed over has 1 or 2 dirty or loose rail joiners.

Sometimes, a careful and gentle squeeze of a pliers will tighten up the outer half of a joiner.

Sometimes, it is the captured end of the joiner that is loose, and is next to impossible to tighten up.

You will have to replace it.  (See NarrowMinded's video.)

Once one or both rail joiners are fixed, continue on with your loco finding other bad joints til they are all fixed.

Re-connect the joint to the left of the terminal track and disconnect the joint to the right, then send your loco around to the left, repeating the process.

This is mainly to troubleshoot that first joint to the left, as all the others should be repaired in the first process to the right.

Re-connect the joint to the right when finished.

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

[DougInCal]

Thanks, that is good trouble shooting info.  I turned to my left where my N scale figure 8 is next to my desk and pulled opened a connection.  I was surprised to see that the the train still operated. 

Clearly I am missing something, unless it is that the current returns to the controller via the loco to the opposite track(?).

[Joe Satnik]

Hi, Doug.

The current follows this path: (Broken loop)

Out one controller terminal to one rail, through the loco, back out to the other rail and then back to the return terminal on the controller.

If it is a connected track loop, the current from one controller terminal will split and go both directions (on one rail) away from

the "terminal re-railer" towards the loco. 

The return current coming back from the loco will go both directions away from the loco (on the other rail)

and meet up at the "terminal re-railer" then on to the return terminal on the controller. 

For broken loop troubleshooting on a Figure-8, disconnect the First and Third legs of the crossing.

Troubleshoot track in both directions away from the "terminal re-railer" connection point. 

When done, re-connect the First and Third legs, then disconnect Second and Fourth legs. 

Again, troubleshoot track in both directions away from the "terminal re-railer" connection point. 

When done, re-connect the Second and Fourth legs. 

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik