I have a Lionel 0-6-0 dockside switcher than will stop or change direction when it passes over a switch. This has happened on both O27 and Fastrack 36 switches. I have also placed some masking tape on the center rail of a straight section of track with the same result. I think the cutoff or reverse happens when the front pickup recontacts with the live rail. This is my first Lionel train so I am not sure if this is a common problem with this type of engine or if my wiring is to blame. I appreciate any suggestions to trouble shoot this problem.
Could be a few things. Since there is a short space between rollers, it may not be enough to maintain contact through the turnout, but given it is happening on 027 and 036 switches, I doubt that is it as it usually occurs on the bigger switches. Could also be that one of the wires to one of the rollers is not making contact? Make sure that the wires to the rollers are in tact and not loose. If nothing obvious, may have to open up and check the wires inside. Perhaps a loose wire inside is causing the reversing unit to activate with the slight jarring of the engine while traversing the turnout. Beyond that, not sure. Please report back with your findings.
Dennis
How long is your masking tape? If it is shorter than the spacing between the pickups, yet the locomotive still stops (at fairly low speeds), then one of your pickups is disconnected.
A couple issues ago, there was a photo with an article about the Docksider in CTT. The article was about wiring up the Dockside with another car with a pickup roller to prevent stalling. The photo though concerned me, as the pickups are the sprung long arm type, facing opposite directions with space between the two pickups… similar to the RMT BEEP. And my BEEP was not stalling on 027 switches, but shorting out. No question, not stalling but shorting. I’ve never had this trouble with any of the short locos I own.
But one thing I’ve noticed with my Lionel Industrial Switchers (which have the short arm pickups that slip into a copper strip) is that they would sometimes stall on 027 switches. The immediate assumption is for many, the short length of the loco with not enough space between the pickups. BUT there’s also a traction tire which CAN insulate one wheel when running over a switch slowly. I removed the traction tire off the loco and pingo, no more stalling. And this was long before I converted to DC power operation - which does greatly help to elimate these problems.
I have a few MPC plastic bodied Dockside switchers. One made in the early 1970’s did not have a traction tire nor a grooved wheel for one. I’ve never had any trouble with this loco stalling, even with it being shorter in length that the new 0-6-0 Dockside. On a new plastic bidied Dockside, it has a modern DC can motor with a grooved wheel for a traction tire. There were some stalling issues until I removed the traction tire, and then they went away.
To make for loss of traction due to tire removal, I do add weight to all of my locomotives.
Thank you everyone for the suggestions and insight.
I decided to take off the tractions wheels first…no success. The engine was still stalling/reversing.
I opened up the engine to verify that both contact wires for the pickups were attched and not loose. Everything seems to be in order. I tried to run the engine after checking the wires, still no improvement.
I took off the back pickup roller and ran the engine with just the front pickup attached. The engine ran fine. But when I changed out the front pickup for the back pickup the engine was not receiving consistant power and it would stop or reverse direction randomly. So my assumption is that I have some type of short in the back pickup wiring. Anyone have any suggestions on how to find the short or popular places that tend to short?
Thanks again!
Nick
Do not assume a short circuit. It is very likely that it is an open circuit. Do you see any flickering of the transformer pilot light or of any other load connected at the same time, like a lighted car?
My transformer light stays a solid green. I have a lighted caboose that also stays lit regardless of the locomotive activity. When the locomotive stops its directional lights stay lit. It seems as though the speed/direction is what is affected.
Okay. Then we’re looking for an open circuit in the rear pickup. That could be several things: Weak or broken spring not pushing it firmly to the track. Dirty roller. Pickup somehow located too high. Sticking pivot on a trailing-arm-type pickup. You might get a clue by using the front pickup as an example of how the rear pickup should behave.
The rear pickup seems to be able to lift higher off the track than the front. I cleaned of the rear pickup roller and tried to tighten the spring. That seems to have taken care of the problem as the locomotive now clears switches at a low speed. Thanks for all the help!
Nick
Perhaps Bob can move this thread to the helpfull hints at the top.
Dennis