# My DC loco is stopping but the wheels are turning



## bdock (Sep 26, 2021)

My Locomotive has started stopping on a slight incline, The wheels are spinning to beat the band, but it cannot seem to get traction. I have tried cleaning tracks, It worked fine before, any ideas?


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## Magic (Jan 28, 2014)

Need some more info.
What scale, loco and how many cars you're pulling etc.

Magic


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## prrfan (Dec 19, 2014)

Without more info we’re just guessing, but if it worked ok before you may have lost a traction tire off a wheel. Look to see if one or more of the wheels has a deep groove in the surface. That’s where a rubber traction tire was seated. That would cause wheel spinning. 

Adding weight to locos can increase traction. 
Also, check to see if all wheels on your rolling stock or idler (unpowered) wheels on your loco are rolling freely. Sometimes lint or gunk gets built up in the axle pockets and causes a lot of resistance.


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## bdock (Sep 26, 2021)

prrfan said:


> Without more info we’re just guessing, but if it worked ok before you may have lost a traction tire off a wheel. Look to see if one or more of the wheels has a deep groove in the surface. That’s where a rubber traction tire was seated. That would cause wheel spinning.
> 
> Adding weight to locos can increase traction.
> Also, check to see if all wheels on your rolling stock or idler (unpowered) wheels on your loco are rolling freely. Sometimes lint or gunk gets built up in the axle pockets and causes a lot of resistance.


It is an N scale Bachmann. Durango Silverton pulling the 3 cars is came with. I will look into the solution. How would one add weight to the loco. I also have a Co Cor Galloping Goose, which is too light to grab traction.


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## prrfan (Dec 19, 2014)

How steep is your incline? We usually recommend keeping them to 1.5-2% max. Any steeper might cause problems.
Adding weight to steamers is problematic because of space issues under the shell. Im unfamiliar with that model but maybe another member who has that loco might have some ideas.
Also check to make sure a car isn’t getting hung up at the base of the incline.


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## bdock (Sep 26, 2021)

prrfan said:


> How steep is your incline? We usually recommend keeping them to 1.5-2% max. Any steeper might cause problems.
> Adding weight to steamers is problematic because of space issues under the shell. Im unfamiliar with that model but maybe another member who has that loco might have some ideas.
> Also check to make sure a car isn’t getting hung up at the base of the incline.


The incline is barely noticeable, just the ground level trestle


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## Dennis461 (Jan 5, 2018)

Check your cars, maybe a wheel or two is stuck


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## JeffHurl (Apr 22, 2021)

Dennis may be onto something. Could your train be getting caught on something, or is it truly just the incline causing the train to stay put?


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## OilValleyRy (Oct 3, 2021)

Coupler “hose” hitting the track where the incline begins? Droopy couplers are the bane of us all.


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## bdock (Sep 26, 2021)

Great Ideas everyone, I have my work cut out for me


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## GTW son (12 mo ago)

I had a loco doing that, in my case the tab that holds the loco's body to the deck had popped out forcing the deck onto the wheels on one side.
Re-aligned and snapped the tab back into the deck, smooth sailing ever since.


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## mesenteria (Oct 29, 2015)

Believe it or not, track geometry changes over time. It might be that there is a significant sag there and the truck(s) take enough of the loco's weight to help the drivers to spin. If I don't watch, especially when I'm first laying the track, and leave long spans unsupported by risers, then the tracks can sag atop the sagging sub-roadbed, usually 1/2" ply in my case. Or, the tracks can sometimes roll and raise one rail a bit too much, say by adhesive letting go on one side. Or the plywood is under torsion a bit screwed hard to a riser, and the result over time is that the sub-roadbed develops a torsion roll which the well-adhered tracks adopt as well.

Look at track joints. Maybe one rail end is slightly out of line now and snags a flange on a slightly wide axle. 

Does the loco stop abruptly, like it has come up against something that snags it firmly? Coupler trip pins can get in the way suddenly, as has been mentioned. The reveal is if you keep slight pressure on the locomotive and attempt to 'help' it advance, but it firmly resists even your help. There's definitely a catch if that is the case.

Contaminants on either the driver tires, the rails, or both.

So, there are several things to rule out.


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## pmcgurin (Sep 7, 2010)

This sometimes happens to me when the track needs cleaning.


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