I’m back with another head scratcher. I have three tracks running on a small seasonal table(4’ X 6’) and the middle track is giving me a headache. Last evening I was running all the tracks at the same time just to be sure all was well for when the grandson came over today. The middle track will work just fine for about 2 or 3 circuits and then the loco will just stop, always in the same spot. I checked the voltage at that spot and 11V is present when the train stops. I have tried other locos and the same thing happens. Could the problem be the controller? It is an MRC dual controller I purchased off ebay last holiday season. It controls the inside track and the middle track. Inside track works with no problem, the trolley runs continuously without fail. As I write this a few ideas come to mind to see if it is the track, or the controller. If I switch the wires on the controller and run the inside track using what was running the middle track I should be able to see if the problem moves to the inside track. Also, the indicator lamp on the controller stays lit when the problem occurs. Anyone had this problem before? Thanks for any help, DaveC.[%-)]
Had I built your layout, I would have isolated each loop and fed it with a reasonable number of feeder wires directly. And you could still do this easily.
HOwever, you are almost certainly seeing a problem at a joiner, or perhaps at a point rail on a power-routing turnout that is not getting wiped properly under the throwbar or it isn’t lying tightly and cleanly against its stock rail.
Next time you have this stoppage, take a pointed and hard implement, preferrably non-metal, and press up or down on the several nearby joiners. You very likely will find the power restored during one lift or depression, and you will have found the loose or dirty joiner.
-Crandell
I have owned an MRC dual control throttle for the past 20 years and the same problem you are having still happens to mine. One of the two throttles always overheats quickly and trips the circuit breaker on one of the throttles. (An the light comes on.) I would suggest that you do as crandell suggested first in case it is a rail joiner problem and if you don’t find the problem it may be time to hook up the middle rail to an entirely different throttle. I use my dual power pack for accessory equipment these days and don’t use the throttle that trips all the time when i do use it…chuck
First add a feeder wire near the stop point, and second, solder the railjoints. If those dont work, Im stumped.
My thinking is that you have a hypersensitive circuit breaker. As electricity flows through these things they heat up a bi-metal trigger. The more current the more heat. When the trigger gets hot enough, it pulls away from the contact and thus opens the circuit (and it routes power to a light filament, so the light comes on). If the loco draws enough current, it will heat up the trigger and the circuit will break at about the same time, every time you operate.
So…
You could open the controler and take out the circuit breaker (it looks like a BIG grain of wheat bulb) and take it to Radio Shack for a replacement.
Or…
You could go to Radio Shack and get a resistor to wire in series with the track and thus reduce the current. This gets complicated because you don’t want to reduce it too much (train will run too slow), and you’ll need a resistor rated for the amount of current you’ll push through it (very important).
If it were me, I’d go for option #1 (it requires no math).
Good luck!