Need some help...

[grp318]

I am new to model trains after a 20 years break when I was a kid. Last year I built a HO scale layout on a 4x8 piece of wood. It worked for for my 5 year old. I was running a Bachman DCC controller with with an extra transmitter so my son and I could "play" together. I had a basic layout with ez-track.

Well....

I recently tore down the setup and started from scratch with a N scale layout. I used the same 4x8 bench, and invested in a lot of Kato track. I made the lay out and working on the scenery. I am running into an issue that I need help with. I do in-fact have a lot more railway then the last setup. I am still using the Bachman ez-controller that is only 1 amp. I like this because my son knows the controls in and out. I am running 3 Kato AC4400es with digitrax decoders, and one Bachman train with dcc pre installed. I have 4 power lines running to different locations on the track. The trains first started running great, but started lagging and stalling in certain areas. I noticed the track was VERY dirty and even kinda grimy. I cleaned the track very well, and scrubbed off the dirty areas. I found this strange since I have less than 30 min running time on the track. Well the stalling continued so I played with the rail joiners. I did not know this would be an issue with Kato track, but they were loose. I soldered the loose joints and it was a little better for a little while. Then the trains retired back to being sluggish in the same areas. Another strange thing happened. Every once in awhile I noticed the train was working great, but I would loose control of it. It was like it was running on its own, but would suddenly come back to life. Any ideas? Would a booster or new controller with more amps clear things up? Can a train run better on a dirty track with more power?

Thanks for any advise.

G

 

[Selector]

The small run of track you are using should not need a booster, and certainly not with four sets of feeders over the distance you describe.

You have problems with digital information packets from the controller or the paddle, or you have loose joiners, or poor connections between decoder and motor, or you have dirty wipers. Did you clean the metal tires of the locomotive? There are many things that can go wrong. The first thing is to check continuity all around the track, and to suspect solders or joiners. Next, look for dirty tires, dirty wipers, bent wipers, bad motors, intermittent contact between the wipers and the decoder, or between the decoder and motor.

 

[grp318]

I have not cleaned the engines since they are brand new. Could that be an issue? Is there a brake-in period for them?

 

[galaxy]

Hi
Since the Bachmann DCC unit is only 1 amp, that would mean your 4 locos would only have to be drawing 1/4 amp each. Are you SURE you are NOT overtaxing the system?

Second, a 4x8 in HO does not necessarily translate to a 4x8 in N scale...while 4 feeders may be adequate in HO, in Nscale you are requiring the DCC signal to travel further, so I would add more feeders. About another 4 more.

Third, dirty track is the bane of model RRers. But you have to clean the wheels of the loco as well,and the wheels of the RR cars too. If they have plastic wheels on the RR cars, they tend to attract/distribute Dirt. Clean the wheels of the RR cars too, and change to all metal wheels, as they are less likely to attract dirt. Try the gleam method: Clean the track with a cleaner, sand with 600 grit paper, then using a washer, slide it over the rails several times to burnish them thoroughly. If you go to the Model Railraoder Magazine site at trains.com and do a "search our community" for the key word "gleam" you will get several threads on the topic and explaining the topic.

Fourth, many will solder almost all their rail joints. Leave a few unsoldered and "separated" by millimeters to allow for heat expansion and contraction of the rails. If you solder them all and the rails heat up and expand, they will buckle. It doesn't matter what brand of track you buy or the track type, you will loose continuity at the rail joiners.

Oh, and there IS a break in period for locos. Run them by themselves at a slow speed forward, then a fast speed in reverse , then a medium speed forward , then a slow speed reverse, then a fast speed forward , then a medium speed backwards, then run at slow medium and high speeds forward adn reverse with aobut 4 RR cars attached. Do each for about 15 mins each time. Then Clean and lubricate your loco. THis will likely entail taking it some or all apart to get to the gears for lubing with a plastic compatible, non dripping lube, like LaBelle's.

try these improvements and see what happens.

 

[Scordicus]

In an ideal world, although a bit of extra work, every separate piece of track should have droppers attached as rail joiners (fishplates) are not guaranteed to give good electrical connection and will fail over time.. At the very least you should wire each section of track to each other if not to the track buss.. And notice I said wire to each other, not simply soldering the track joints, as has been previously mentioned, if the track contracts & expands it can buckle & lift, but if the track is wired together, it allows for expansion and still keeps good electrical continuity...