# Hesitant loco



## Claybrooker (Apr 8, 2012)

have a 4-6-0 ‘Lord Nelson’ class loco which I purchased some time ago. It has been running well pulling five SR coaches. Two or three months ago I replaced it at the head of the SR train with a 4-6-2 Spamcan ‘ Fighter Command’. The Lord Nelson has been stationary since then under the coaling tower. Yesterday I decided I would like to run it again so I moved it onto the main line. What has happened since then has me completely baffled……..

The loco will travel aound the circuit but stops for a fraction of a second at three points on the circuit. At each stop it restarts and continues at the set speed. It has done a complete circuit at a crawl WITHOUT STOPPING. It will travel the circuit in reverse. with just one stop. The forward stops are just as it is commencing a left hand curve. Thinking it might be pick-up problems. I have removed the wheel set and cleaned the bearings. (this loco has no brass contact pick-ups- pickup is via the divided axles

I have cleaned the track thoroughly at the points where it stops.

Other locos run satisfactorily around the circuit.

My main controller is a Zephyr but the loco behaves exactly the same using other controllers. So it’s not the power system.

Has anyone got any suggestions as to what the problem might be?.
The odd thing is that it stops for a fraction of a second – no short indicated - and then continues ALWAYS AT THE SAME LOCATIONS!!!
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## gc53dfgc (Apr 13, 2010)

You need to clean the actual wheels of the engine with something like isypropl alcohol of at least 71 percent or higher.


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

When was the last time the track was cleaned? I run all metal wheelsets on my nickel silver track and I am continually amazed at how dirty it gets. (guess I should have read your post better.)

When my engines run spotty, it's almost always that the wheels are dirty.


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

Clean all the loco and tender wheels!


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

...and the track. Think of the wheels as being one side of a connection and the track is the other side, like two wires you're going to hold together to complete a circuit. It's pointless to only clean 1/2 of the connection and assume that will resolve it. Clean the wheels (all of 'em, not just the pickup wheels) and park the locomotive on a clean cloth or paper towel. Clear the tracks and clean them with your cleaner of choice. Finally, do not put any cars back onto the tracks until their wheels have been cleaned, too. The last thing you want, after all that work, is to use a car to transfer grease or oil back onto your clean track. If that doesn't solve your problem, it's "lets look at the brushes and armature" time.

Best wishes,


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