Hello,
I have a lifelike sw 1200 b&O switcher, and i have like a t crossing and every time it goes across the cross, or any switch that i have on the layout it stops, then if i give it a nudge it will then go again, could this be that im just running it too slow and considering its size it gets stuck inside the insulators, im not sure, anyone know?
the lifelike sw’s are supposed to be good runners. i have a similar problem with any of my loco’s which tells me it’s time to take the trucks apart and clean the power pickups from the wheels. it happens when one truck or wheel is losing contact due to dirt or in my case cat hair that wraps itself around the axles or the wipers. i also have a wood stove in the train room and when i open the door to add more wood a little dust escapes and settles on the rails and i have to clean them too. i use atlas switches and the insulated frog will isolate one truck. operating at slow speed as is done when switching can’t be helped but things have to be cleaned in n scale more than in ho to maintain good operation.
p.s. what does struttt! mean.
nscaleboy,
Are your crossings Atlas? Do they make a lot of noise when your switcher crosses over them?
I had trouble with Atlas crossings and switched to Walther/Shinoharas. That took care of the problem. On the Atlas, the plastic insulator tends to stick up above the track. I even peared it down with a chisel but it didn’t really help.
I don’t know if W/S makes crossings in N-gauge. Peco would be a more than suitable substitute.
Tom
strut, to walk in a strange way, the loco is pretty new, and im currently runnign it on my main line, with no problems the only problem that i run into is over that x crossingand ive noticed that it happens right once the front wheels hit the insulator! but my bigger engines dont have this problem!
bigger engines have a bigger footprint to pickup power. Most power problems can only be seen with small engines.
The above would cause your problem.MY GUESS is you have ATLAS track and a short- wheelbase engine.
Cean your track AND wheels
i have several sw1500’s by rivirossi- kato-atlas that have a short wheel base and are not very heavy. they also don’t have flywheels so when the motor loses power and stalls the engine will stop. one solution is to hookup two of them permanently back to back with a drawbar and connect the motors together with thin wire to represent mu cables.
I have a similar LL switcher and it is a truly fine runner. It sholuld be in a hall of fame for the first N scale switcher I can run at slow speeds. I have similar problems with a couple of Atlas turnouts. My sloution was to get the stock rails VERY VERY clean, and to clean th4e wheels of the locomotive. I even try to get the switch rails as clean as I can. This cleaning, for the most part, worked well. If I still get the same problems, I reclean the rails, and it has (at least for me) always worked. Hope this helps.