Problem with my trolley track

Classic Toy Trains Forum
1

Hi All,

I hope your all going to have a good New Years Day, I figured the best way to start New Years off is to work on my layout. Im running a trolley through the middle of town, and Im useing 55 inches of straight track(Lionel O gauge) with one bumper on each end of the track, the trolley is one of those bump & go types. I put the lockon on , and wired it to the track output of a Lionel C-80 transformer, but all that happens is that the green light on the C-80 flashes!! I tried the C-80 on one of the oval tracks and it works fine, but not on my straight track. I thought that mybe the staight track would’nt work, so I ran a wire from one end of the center rail, to the other center rail at the opposite end of the straight track section, I also ran a wire from the outside rail at one end to it’s corrisponding outside rail at the other end of the track section, I thought that by doing this it would make the straight track act an oval track, but this did’nt work either, I then hooked-up my MTH Z-1000 transformer to the straight track section, and it immedeatley poped the circut breaker!!?? So now I don’t know what else to try, Im at my witts end, if anybody out there can help, I would certainly appriciate it.

Thanks Much,

Paul

2

Check for a short. Check the center insulation fiber on the center rail. See if anything is laying in the track that can cause a short.

3

The easiest way to find the bad track is to hook up power to one section and test.If the trolley moves,hook up the next section and so on until you get a short again.then inspect the last piece added.

Ed

4

take the bumpers off of the track sections, then try power again. If its good you know one of the bumpers has a problem. If its still bad, there is a bad section of track, start eliminating them one at a time. Get rid off all that extra wire you added, the transformer doesnt know if the track is a straight section or a loop.

5

Man you guys are right on with this one it was a bad track, I have 5, ten inch straights, and a 5 1/2 inch straight, well the 5 1/2 inch straight was bad, I took that piece off and viola she worked perfectally!! I’ll tell ya you guys can solve any problem, thanks so much.

Paul