Hi.
What might be causing trouble in the following: Engine moves for a while, then stops. While it’s not moving it makes a little noise, like there is some power going in. Happens with two engines. Problem is not tied to a specific place on the track. After some waiting things may return to normal.
Problem in the throttle?
Thanks in advance!
I hope I don’t pee you off with this perhaps over obvious suggestion, but I think you may need to have a close look at the electrics. First, start with the rails…are they clean and are they well laid so that your loco is not having needed wheel contact interrupted while it traverses uneven spots with slight dips and such? Are your wheels clean? Are the wipers clean and secure? Are the areas they wipe clean? Is there a broken wire or solder between the wipers and the motor/decoder? Failing that…?
I have assumed that you are using DCC with sound…perhaps not the case. If you are straight DC, then you may have an intermittent short, or perhaps a broken gear in the drive.
Thanks Selector! Not peed off [:)]
Trackwork should be ok. System is DC. It happens on two different blocks I’ve so far wired. You can move the loco by hand to another spot and still no movement. The sound I referred to is a weak electrical whining, high pitch.
I just tried with my other throttle (more amps), and completely trouble free.
Sounds like its ready to melt. i would disscontinue the use of the throttle.
Definately sounds like a throttle problem. I’ve had this problem with some of the larger Athearn diesels, such as the PA2, on cheap Bachmann power packs. They run flawlessly with my Tech4 280, but have problems every time with the small packs. They even run well on my Bachmann EZ comand DCC system.
Hmm. I read the problem as a non-functioning locomotive that also emitted a whiney sound, and did not understand that the throttle (DC, it turns out) was making the sounds. So, I will happily defer to my DC-literate friends and agree that what they suggest makes perfect sense.
You don’t say what type or brand the loco in question is, so the problem may be in the loco itself. One of the drive gears can become loose on the shaft and the shaft spin without driving the wheels (a high pitched whine you may hear). It could also be the curvature of the track being too tight for the loco and causing the drive system to separate.