No power to engine

[Anonymous]

I bring my son's train out once a year - Christmas. I know, I know.....maybe this time we will do something permament. Nothing works, no power.
I checked the engine at a hobby shop today, works fine. Hobby shop said I had a defective 12 year old transformer. I purchased a CW-80 Lionel transformer. It came with no instructions, as if I would know. When I hooked the wires to the snap connector on the track, the green light is on. When I increase the power to the track the green light on the transformer starts blinking. I get no power to the locomotive. The transformer sounds as though it is lugging down when I make the connection. Wrong connection, bad track or relay problem, wires connected improperly. ????

Can someone give me a hint as to what I am doing wrong.
Thanks, a 52 yr old trying to get an 12 year old train going for Christmas for an 18 yr old. Thanks for your time in advance. Tom

[mcattardo]

Sounds like you have a short somewhere. Here's a link to the instruction manual
http://www.lionel.com/products/productnavigator/InstructionManuals/71-4198-250.pdf

[Big_Boy_4005]

One wire should be connected to the center rail, the other wire to either outside rail. The transformer posts in use should be A and U. If that is how you have it connected, then that part is OK.

Depending on the type of track you have, there can be a very sneaky problem. O and 027 style tubular track use fiber insulators to keep the center rail from coming in contact with the ties. It is possible that during the manufacturing process, or subsequent handling that an insulator has become damaged, resulting in a direct short. The trick is to find the bad section.

If you have a multi meter turn it to ohms, and start searching. First disconnect the wires from the transformer, and touch one probe to the center rail, and the other to either of the remaining rails. If the needle moves, there is a short on the track. Break the layout in half, and check both halves. Always remember there may be more than one bad section. Repeat this process until the meter's needle doesn't move when you touch the probes to the track. It can be a long process if you have a lot of track.

If and when you find a bad section of track, take a screwdriver, and loosen the tabs. Sometimes the machine that makes the track presses the tabs down too hard, piercing the insulator, and creates this problem. To fix it, you can repair or replace the insulator. A layer of electrical tape over the insulator, and gentle reassembly usually does the job.

I once bought a whole batch of bad track. It's no fun. Good luck!!

[daan]

I agree, probably a short somewhere.. If you don't have an Ohm meter, and connections are as described above you can easily find the short if it's in you tracks by starting with one piece of track and your engine. The best way is to set the e-unit in the stop position and turn the power on. Lights will come up. You keep power added while you add tracks to that signle trackpiece. If you added a section and the light dims or power fails, you found a bad section.
Do that until you eventually laid your layout, and if you have any bad tracks in it, you'll find it that way. The method above also works fine and you don't have to dismantle everything.

[spankybird]

HI Big_Boy

Good to see you back. WE MISSED YOU
tom

[railfanespee4449]

Touch the wires from A&U to the pickup roller & a wheel.If it runs, the track is the problem

[lionelsoni]

We're assuming that this is 3-rail track. Any chance it's 2-rail (American Flyer) with a reversing loop?

To replace or make track insulators, I use pressboard, which is a stiff, tough material used for binder covers. It looks a lot like the original insulator material. Plastic electrical tape doesn't hold up well to continuous pressure. For pressboard, see http://www.officedepot.com/ddMain.do?level=SC&id=4208006&location_info=SG_1_DV_42_SC_4208006

[Big_Boy_4005]

QUOTE: Originally posted by spankybird

HI Big_Boy

Good to see you back. WE MISSED YOU
tom

Hey Tom, I've been reading all week, I just haven't had anything to say.[swg]

[spankybird]

Big_Boy, stop by the coffee pot and say HI.

[Big_Boy_4005]

QUOTE: Originally posted by lionelsoni

We're assuming that this is 3-rail track. Any chance it's 2-rail (American Flyer) with a reversing loop?

To replace or make track insulators, I use pressboard, which is a stiff, tough material used for binder covers. It looks a lot like the original insulator material. Plastic electrical tape doesn't hold up well to continuous pressure. For pressboard, see http://www.officedepot.com/ddMain.do?level=SC&id=4208006&location_info=SG_1_DV_42_SC_4208006

Good point about the Flyer track Bob, but given the age of the train stated in the original question, odds are we are dealing with 3 rail here. I like your idea of pressboard for making replacements. I tried making some myself, but getting them to bend and fit the rail was very hard. I must have been using material that was too thick or something.

You're right, electrical tape alone is not a is not a good solution, as it is easy to puncture. The way I did that was to place the tape on the rail, then put the old insulator back over the tape. It seemed to work, as a quick and dirty solution. Of course old rusty track is a good source of insulators too.[;)]