Took Redwood Valley Express train set (1980’s) from attic after 15 years. Set up approx. 30’ of track and am having trouble getting them to work. Used old track cleaner, no luck. Sandpapered middle rails, no luck. Made a small oval and engine ran, so I know engine is okay and transformer is okay. Put back on 30’ layout and no luck. Would you say too much old track is defusing power? (Engine sometimes barely moves or not at all) Could it be the old connectors? Or should I thoroughly clean all 3 rails of all the track with a metal cleaner? Or am I wasting my time with this old track? I really do not want to buy any new track as I will probably try to sell this set in a year or two. At least I know the engine and transformer work. Any help with this problem will be greatly appreciated!
You either have a short, or an open connection somewhere.
Is this track the same stuff you used for the small loop? Or different?
You need a voltmeter or other device that will tell you if there is power on the track. Then put the loco on and measure the track power again. If the voltage has dropped, then there is a large resistance somewhere in the circuit. If no voltage in either case, you have a short or an open somewhere between the track and the power source. Or a short somewhere in the track.
It sounds to me like the pins that connect track sections together on your old layout have corroded so badly that no electrical current is getting through from one section of track to the next. The only cure might be to remove and clean or replace all of the track connector pins.
Give the track and connectors a good cleaning. Some mild abrasive to knock off the crud. Then wipe down the track with a cleaner. Goo Gone is a popular one. THen put that loco on the track and let er fly. You probably should put some light oil on the moving part of the train as well. Wheel axles and such.
If you have any more problems ask the pros over on the Classic Toy Trains forum.
May I suggest that if your track is a loop separate the section that connects to the section with the lockon where your transformer is connected to the track. Now place the loco on the section of track with the lockon and try running it down the track that is still connected. When the loco gets to a section of track and slows or stops, those pins connecting that section are not conducting power and they need cleaning (pins and also the inside of the track the pins go into) or check for rust or crude on the center rail where the isulation is in the tie of the bad section. That can cause trouble to. Also I would suggest useing a couple of pieces of your known good track, place your lock-on on it and connect these two pieces to your original track but don’t connect both ends of it. Run your loco until it stops or slows, indicateing the bad track pin connection. Not only rust and dirt can cause this but sometimes the tubular rail spreads causeing a loose pin connection. Hope this helps. Ken
Sounds like a short circuit to me. Based on your description, it sounds like you have the type of track with tube-shaped rails and stamped sheet metal ties. There should be a little piece of stiff paper between each tie and the middle rail insulating it. Are all of the ties properly insulated from the third rail?
I wouldn’t say your wasting your time with it being old track. I just pulled a bunch of nearly 70 year old American Flyer O gauge track (same design as Lionel) out of a box, got rid of all the rust I could, and it works great![:D]