I have a 2-6-2 prarie steam loco that i’ve had for about a year now. Whenever I run it it will “skip” it will stop and start stop and start stop and start. Over and over again. Any tips from the experts?
Wheels clean? Does it happen on ever section of track or just some sections? Steam engines do not like dips on the rails, will lose power pick up.
Justin, who made the engine? Do the tender wheels pick up power as well as the engine? If you have power pick up from the tender, have you pulled the wheels from the tender at any point?
Cuda Ken
Ken is right in the clean wheels department. Also fi the loco has pickup wipers that contact the wheels check them also. Sometimes they get clogged with dust and dirt and sometimes they get bent away from the wheels and lose contact.
Pete
Hi!
While the problem is probably dirty wheels/contacts/track, I would also check the wire connections as well - especially if the tender plays a part in electrical pick-up. I had a couple of AHM locos years ago that had a similar problem, and it was all due to lousy wire connections.
FWIW,
Mobilman44
Make sure the rods on the drive wheels are adjusted so that they don’t bind.