# Train barely lights up. Doesn't really run.



## Area57 (Nov 8, 2015)

I bought a table pre made. Or at least it is the table and track, wiring and controller. When I put my locomotive down and crank up the controller it either does nothing or the headlight briefly lights up before it maybe acts like it tries to move for a second and then shuts off completely. 

It has moved about an inch once. The controller power indicator is lighting up. 

What should I check? This is my first train set so I would think dirty track but it just got clean. Other than that I would guess wiring but they look good. Any ideas?


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## Florida RR (Oct 8, 2015)

Is this the Minitrix N scale stuff you mentioned in another post? What locomotive and power pack?

-Florida RR-


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## Area57 (Nov 8, 2015)

I ended up going 360 and bought a table with track and terrain pre set up. I ended up going HO as well. The train did start magically running. But sometimes it stops and won't restart uncles I move it around and try different places. It also sometimes lights up but doesn't move.


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## ErnestHouse (Sep 6, 2015)

Area57 said:


> ...The train did start magically running. But sometimes it stops and won't restart uncles I move it around and try different places. It also sometimes lights up but doesn't move.


Think about it. If it always stops in the same place and restarts in the same place, it's probably the track. If it randomly stops and starts, it's probably an electrical problem with the engine.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Try cleaning your wheels real good.

When I acquired a lot of N scale most of the locomotives did the same thing.
After I cleaned the wheels 90% of them took off running, the others need work.

Real clean track helps too, you might have a bad electrical connection to the track like mentioned.

You only have the one locomotive right now?


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## 400E Blue Comet (Jul 11, 2014)

Could be dirty track or a transformer. Make sure you clean it off with something. I wouldn't recommend sandpaper for HO or smaller, it only works on the bigger tracks. I've managed to clean my Standard Gauge track with 70% Isopropyl Alcohol, but unfortunately it just needs to be replaced by some track in better condition. Iso Alcohol might work on your train track, though be careful as it's messy, and I've only used it to clean Standard Gauge track so I don't know what it does to HO or N either.


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## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

Sounds like you may have inconsistent power to the track due to a poor connection(s) somewhere. Buy a multimeter crank up the controller and check for voltage consistency around the layout, it will soon tell you where power is going/not going. Its then a case of checking all the power feeds to the track. If the track checks out ok then the problem is with the locos. Dirty/non functioning power pick ups or dirty wheels.


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## DavefromMD (Jul 25, 2013)

Do the simple things first.

1. Clean the track. Rub the rails with an ink eraser then rub the track isopropyl alcohol on a soft cloth. If you can't find an ink eraser, just do the isopropyl alcohol.

2. Clean the locomotive wheels by rubbing with isopropyl alcohol on a soft cloth or Q-tip. It takes some firm rubbing. A trick technique if the locomotive has all wheel power pickup is to lift up one end of the locomotive and put a soft cloth with isopropyl alcohol under the wheels and let it run while holding it in place.

3. Check the track connections. Make sure the ril joiners are snug and not corroded.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

And make sure you're not trying to run a DCC loco on a DC layout.


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## Area57 (Nov 8, 2015)

Great suggestions all. Speaking of the train. The train is DCC ready according to the package. I have a DC track. The train I assume can run on both tracks. Is this wrong?


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## DavefromMD (Jul 25, 2013)

DCC ready means it can be converted to DCC by adding a decoder. Most have a plug that you can plug the decoder into, but until you do that, they are DC.


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*Decoders*



Area57 said:


> Great suggestions all. Speaking of the train. The train is DCC ready according to the package. I have a DC track. The train I assume can run on both tracks. Is this wrong?


Area57; There are a few decoders(mostly in new and expensive locos) which can run on either DC or DCC. These are the exception, not the rule. As Dave already mentioned,"DCC ready" means that this DC loco, can be converted(usually easily) to a DCC loco by buying and installing a DCC decoder. It does not mean that this loco can run on DCC right out of the box. It is still a DC only loco until you install a decoder and thereby make it a DCC only loco. Nearly all locos are one or the other, not both: with the exception of those mentioned in my first sentance.

Traction Fan


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## Area57 (Nov 8, 2015)

Like those in the athearn Genesis line?


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Area57 said:


> Both look in the athearn Genesis line?


Not sure I understand. If they say DCC ready, that means they're ready for you to install it, but they're not DCC. That term is generic to all manufactureres (though some are more ready than others).

BTW, I saw a picture of your layout in a different thread. You have brass track and some fairly nasty kinks in the trackwork. Kinks could cause a poor connection (and maybe other problems, depending on what you try to run). You bought this second hand, I understand. Here is what I would do:

1) Get a can of contact cleaner and spray all the track joints, unless they are soldered together. This will clean out any corrosion in the joiners.
2) THOROUGHLY clean all the track with a rag and a mild solvent (I like denatured alcohol). Rub until no more black gunk comes off on the rag.

Try to run your train again.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

I would bet it's that rickety looking track that you posted a pic of in your other thread. You're going to have to go over it inch by inch and check all the rail connectors....I'll bet there are loose ones, judging by that pic....


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## Area57 (Nov 8, 2015)

Thanks they are soldered fwiw. But I bought a second locomotive today and it runs amidst flawlessly. Except one section of track where it slows down. So I put the first loco on it and it ran poorly. Even tried running them one in from on the other and the one ran well and the other needed a push to get moving. 

So what can I do to fix the broken one? Once I got some momentum I had it running but it starts rough and sometimes stalls. It was brand new yesterday. I would return it but before I realized it was broken I painted it. Dang.


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## trains galore (Jul 22, 2013)

See if the problem happens on a certain part of the track. If it does, it's your track. Otherwise remove the motor/bogie with gearbox and check that there isn't anything obstructing the mechanism (bits of fluff etc.) The only time I have had a similar issue to this was with an old train where the motor windings were shorted out, it often refused to run or ran very poorly, I ended up replacing the whole motor.

You also mentioned you painted it, unlikely as it is maybe check that the paint hasn't somehow gotten into one of the wheels or inside the body near the motor.

If this is a new train it should be fine though, unless you put it (a dc train) on a dcc track, that will quickly ruin the motor, so hope you didn't!


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Area57 said:


> Thanks they are soldered fwiw. But I bought a second locomotive today and it runs amidst flawlessly. Except one section of track where it slows down. So I put the first loco on it and it ran poorly. Even tried running them one in from on the other and the one ran well and the other needed a push to get moving.
> 
> So what can I do to fix the broken one? Once I got some momentum I had it running but it starts rough and sometimes stalls. It was brand new yesterday. I would return it but before I realized it was broken I painted it. Dang.



It would have been nice to know that the locomotive *WAS NEW* at the start of the thread.hwell:


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## Area57 (Nov 8, 2015)

But it turns out it is the locomotive. Unless it being a different type it is more sensitive to the current in the track. 

I've true it on tens of different locations. It happened before and after painting it so it must be faulty. It has only been on this track. DC only.


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## trains galore (Jul 22, 2013)

Could you tell us what model it is? Might help too!


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## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

Area57 said:


> Like those in the athearn Genesis line?


I have a Genesis and they are DCC ready. You can convert them in one of three ways. Either by using the eight or nine plugs on the board or by replacing the board in its entirety. If you use the plugs be sure to remove the blanking plugs on both.


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## Area57 (Nov 8, 2015)

I'll take that back. I got another locomotive and it won't move at all. The only sign there is power is it lights up in reverse. 

You said from the picture it looks like rickety old track. I don't see it. What looks bad to you?

I will get a voltmeter to it and see what kind of power in getting.

Maybe it is because my wires only attach to the track at one point? But then agin when I try to set the locomotive up near the wire it still doesn't run.


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## trains galore (Jul 22, 2013)

Ideally you want to run feeder wires from the supply to each piece of track and not rely on the joiners, however you should at least be able to get a train moving with one set provided it is close to the supply point.

Check that the wires from the controller are secured tightly under the screw connections, and that the wires have a good, clean and preferably soldered connection to the track, as old, loose rail joiners don't always provide a very good electrical connection and will cause problems.

Also check for any short circuits between the rails or controller terminals. Disconnect the track connection to your controller and measure the voltage from the terminals under open load (nothing connected), then reconnect them and measure again. This well tell you whether the controller is faulty or if there is some issue with the track.

Lastly make sure the wires at the controller are connected to the terminals labelled ''track'' and not AC or accessories, as this provides 16v AC for operating lighting or other things on the layout and is not for powering trains, although I'm sure you already know this! :smilie_daumenpos:

What model of controller do you have? Sometimes the smaller ones included in starter train sets struggle to run much or power a sizable layout, or it could just be faulty.


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## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

Area57 said:


> I will get a voltmeter to it and see what kind of power in.


Well, that's a good place to start. If your loco runs on a piece of test track that eliminates it. It does seem to point to the track. If its an old layout you've bought then you cant be sure of its electrical integrity. The problems could be caused by being stored in a damp or cold place or being knocked about. It might prove too much work or too difficult to sort it out, the only solution might then be to replace with new track. Sorry but that's what happens when you buy an unknown quantity.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Area57 said:


> I'll take that back. I got another locomotive and it won't move at all. The only sign there is power is it lights up in reverse.
> 
> Maybe it is because my wires only attach to the track at one point? But then agin when I try to set the locomotive up near the wire it still doesn't run.


It might be that an internal wire to the motor has broken or 
come unsoldered. Take off the shell and check. Check the front
headlight, if the rear one lights.

A DC loco wiring is very simple. You should have a wire from the right
side wheel wipers of each truck and another wire from the left side
wheel wipers of each truck. The two right side wires should be connected
together and to one wire to the motor. The same on the left side wires.
There will be a diode in one wire to each light from one side. There should
be a second wire to each light from the other side.

However, some locos have no wires at all, my Bachmann Spectrum GP30 uses
springs to transfer wheel wiper power to a metal frame that is split in half. The motor
has spring contacts to the halves, the light board does also. No
wires at all, yet it is one of my best.

Don


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## Area57 (Nov 8, 2015)

If this helps at all. On the steam loco if I push down and to the side of the coal tender, which is where the power is it tries to move but once I release my finger just the rear light. I'm so new I'm not sure. Part of me wonders if the locos just aren't making good contact. Because the one new diesel Bachmann I have runs all day on all parts of the track. 

I'm heading to the store now. Are there any track fixing supplies I should get?


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## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

Some new flex track and turnouts might be an idea.


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## Area57 (Nov 8, 2015)

For the parts that don't get a good reading on the voltmeter?


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Any parts that aren't right, really. Cycleops is right about the pitfalls of buying a used layout -- now you're stuck with someone else's mistakes.

It looks like you have a lot of brass track pieces. I would replace those. Especially if you want to go DCC, which is much more sensitive to dirty track.

You have at least two places where the track is (or appears to be, in the photos) kinked, as well as some (to my mind) unacceptably large gaps between rail pieces. I'd work those over.

And I'd replace those old snap switches with something better (which, because better switches have different geometry, will require changes to the adjacent track as well).

I know it kind of sounds like I'm saying, "Chuck it and start over". Not necessary, but something to consider. While your loco problems sound like they may be the locos, not the track as I first suspected, that trackwork will give you problems down the road. My belief is that problems with shoddy trackwork, which causes operational issues, is the biggest reason why people get frustrated and leave the hobby.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

On some steamers one side of the power is conducted
through the draw bar connection between the loco and
the tender. The other side of the circuit comes from
the loco wheels. This may be what you have. You
might check the draw bar for corrosion or dirt that
is preventing good electrical conductivity. If there
is not a good mechanical connection that also could
affect power conductivity. There usually is a brass
wiper rubbing against the back of the wheels that
picks up power from the track. This should be clean
also. A wire from it
goes to the motor and the lights as I mention in
an earlier post.

Check also, the tender and loco wheel treads and
make sure they a clean of gunk. Use a q-tip or 
rag with alcohol to clean them.

Clean the top of the track rails with it also.

If this doesn't help we can lead you through a
series of tests to find where you are losing
power.

Don


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Also, one other point -- you want to solve the locomotive issues, your absolute best bet is to sit down and eliminate possible causes one at a time. Check the track voltage, clean the track, check the pickups, etc. Do the easy ones first. Don't just spitball around things that might be wrong.

And BTW, I have a good friend named Murphy, who assures me that the one thing you assume can't be the cause will end up being the cause. My cousin had my train stuff for a while when I was in college and the Navy. Over the course of a couple of days, he kept calling me and asking for help trying to get things to run. The first thing I told him to do was clean the track. Several days later, it became apparent that he hadn't actually cleaned the track. I said, "just humor me and give the track a good cleaning." Want to guess what the problem was?


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## Area57 (Nov 8, 2015)

Maybe it's a dirty track train number three is now having trouble running. 

It is also possible my controller doesn't put out enough power and that it only connected to one point. But wouldn't the trains run when hooked right where the wires connect?

If it makes any difference, the loco that runs best isn't DCC ready like the others. It has DCC on board. Hmm. 

I'll try to do more than run an eraser over the whole track. This is getting frustrating because otherwise I am having fun modeling.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Just running an eraser (Bright Boy) over the track is not really cleaning it. That will get rid of real crud, like paint, glue, maybe big hunks of corrosion, but to really get it clean, you need a mild solvent. Plus, if you have brass track, cleaning it will need to be done every couple of days to keep trains running.

I know you're getting frustrated -- that's the number one barrier to entry into this hobby: frustration with poor operations.

As I've said several times: start at the beginning and systematically eliminate possible causes. It sounds like you are just jumping around looking for a silver bullet. While you might get lucky, this isn't the best way to fix these kinds of problems. And prepare yourself emotionally for the fact that you may end up doing some fairly significant upgrades to that layout before it runs satisfactorily.


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## Area57 (Nov 8, 2015)

Ok thanks. I'll sit down tonight and go through the steps one at a time and report back. I will start with cleaning the track.


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## Area57 (Nov 8, 2015)

Well I said I would update. I did spend so much time painting buildings for downtown and making a couple apple trees that I didn't get in enough fixit time. It is definitely track related though. I tried to run the main loco and a second one, the main ran ok and the second poorly. So I started with step one which is taking a bright eraser thing and scrubbing all the track, which takes a surprisingly long time. Mthen trains ran maybe 30% better. Mthe second one did run but intermittently, which is better than not at all.

I will tomorrow clean the track with a solvent. It has been sitting for who knows how long. By the looks of it I would guess a year unused.

I hope it doesn't require replacing any track, while I could fix someone here or there and it would be good to learn. To you guys what looks like a rickety old track. I thought looked like a great job. I don't think beginner me could even do as good as this is, so that's a scary though if I am expected to improve it. To me it looked very pro!


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Well, I guess that proves that looks can be deceiving....to you it looked "pro", but the trains ran like crap....

But to us old guys that have been doing this for many years, that track did look rickety, and it's brass, and that's the big turn-off for us vets....


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Area57 -- the most important thing is to have fun. Of course, it's hard to have fun when your trains won't run...

I'm trying to stay upbeat and keep you moving forward, but I'm not real optimistic about the prospects for that layout. Yes, it got you into the hobby quickly... but I was going to say "up and running" but we're really not there, are we?

You yourself are already noticing many shortcomings on it; those of us who've been around the block a few times see a lot more. But you have to start somewhere. I would advise you to prepare yourself emotionally for having to redo major chunks of it if you are going to keep it for the long term. Most of us, though, start out with a small layout, and at some point, transition to a bigger, better planned, and better built layout. That's no shame.


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## Area57 (Nov 8, 2015)

What is wrong with brass tracks? Do they not conduct electricity as well?


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

As you are discovering, 
brass tracks require far more cleaning to preserve
electrical conductivity...from track section to track
section...as well as track to locomotive wheels.

Most of us use nickel Silver track now. It requires
far less maintenance since it doesn't tarnish as
does brass.

Don


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## Area57 (Nov 8, 2015)

What do you find best to clean brass?


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Brass is actually a better conductor than nickel silver is. The problem is that it rapidly oxidizes into a non-conductive mess. Nickel-silver oxidizes too, but the oxide is conductive.

As I said in my very first post, use a mild solvent (isopropyl or denatured alcohol). Metal polish (filtz, brasso, or never dull, and others) also work, but they are also non-conductive so you have to be sure you remove the residue. Plus you don't want residue gunking [late edit; stupid autocorrect) up your locos wheels and gears.


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## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

The problem might not be the cleanliness of the track but the conductivity between sections of the track which is rather more difficult to find and fix.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

True, but he said in an earlier post that the joints were soldered.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Which will mean more work to get the track in shape, should it be decided that sections need to be replaced.....I'd start over, or start from scratch, if it was me....but it's not......


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## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

One thing I think we can be certain of is this one will run and run!


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## Area57 (Nov 8, 2015)

One thing we can certain of is this one will run and run? 

I will use alcohol to give it a good cleaning and go from them. I've already used the track eraser. That should have gotten the main residue off. Now I'll work on the oxidation. 

Thanks. I forgot the first post where you told me what to use to clean the track. Thanks for writing it again.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

No worries. Ideally, you should use mild solvent every day or so. Once you have eliminated dirty track from the list of causes, clean and lube your locos. Once you've done all that, if the locos still won't run,THEN it's time to test track voltage and dig into the other potential causes.


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## trains galore (Jul 22, 2013)

I would be checking whether the problem is with poor electrical connections before you spend a lot of time replacing track, and just because it is soldered doesn't neccessarily mean the power is getting through, since ideally you want to run power to each section and not rely on the joiners anyway.

It would be worth replacing the track at some stage though and you don't have to start over from scratch, just pull it out, tack in the new sections and redo the scenery! 

Depending on how old the layout is it might be worth rewiring it too while your'e at it, since after years the connections in the screw terminals can become loose.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Granted, soldered joints doesn't guarantee connectivity, but it's much more likely. On my layout, each "section" with its own power feed is a bunch of track pieces soldered together, covering 6-8 linear feet. Joints between these sections are not soldered, but do have rail joiners.


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