Lionel ep5 problems

[jes324]

I have a lionel ep5 from the 50s that was my dads.  I got it out a week ago and it had been running fine until all of the sudden it will stop between tracks.  The engine still has power but the train will stop going forward.  If I nudge it back a little it will run forward again until the rollers cross onto the new track.  When I put another engine on the track it will run fine.  I have cleaned the wheels and it still does the same thing.  I checked all the wires inside and they seem fine.  Is there something I am overlooking or does anyone have any suggestions.  Thanks.

[TrainLarry]

  Hi, and welcome to the forum.

Does the locomotive stop at the same point on the layout? Do you notice if the headlight dims or gets brighter at different points on the layout? These symptoms indicate poor connections between track sections. Take the track apart and clean the pins, and make sure all connections are tight. You may also need to add multiple lockons around the layout to help insure even distibution of power. I would add a lockon at the point the loco stops to see if that helps. If you are using old track, make sure it is clean and not rusty.

 Clean the rollers also if you have not. If the e-unit is locked into forward, unlock it so that it can cycle. Run the loco, and if it hits a bad section of track, the e-unit will cycle at the bad spot.

 If you have not already, put a drop of oil on the axle bearings, and on the wick on the motor brushplate. A good thing to do after a stint in storage.

Larry

[jes324]

The track is all clean and when I place another engine on the track it will run just fine.  After looking at it again it seems like it will run on every other track.  Basically I will start the engine on one track and once the rollers are completely on the next it will stop moving but still has power.  If I push it to the next track I can than cycle the engine and it will move again to the next track where it will again stop.

Thanks for your reply,

Jon

 

[ADCX Rob]

Can you post a YouTube video to show us what's happening?

[TrainLarry]

 With the locomotive going forward, lock the e-unit to keep it from cycling and see what happens. Wire lockons to 4 consecutive tracks to insure proper power, and try again.

  If the problem still occurs, put the loco up on blocks keeping the wheels free, and remove the shell. Connect one transformer wire to the roller pickups and the other to the frame and see if the motor runs continuously. Unlock the e-unit and let it cycle by removing and reconnecting power. Check for proper operation this way to isolate the problem. No reason the loco should only work every other track.

Larry

[EIS2]

I am not familiar with the EP-5 but it sounds like one of the rollers may not have a good electrical connection.  The bad connection could either be due to a wiring issue or corrosion on the pin that prevents the roller from making a good connection.

You can see if a roller has a bad connections by connecting one electrical lead from the transformer to a chassis ground and then connect the other lead to one roller and then connect the lead to the other roller.  Be sure to connect to the roller surface and not the frame that holds the roller.  Watch the headlight and see if it is lit with one roller and not the other.  The wheels may or may not turn depending on whether the engine is in neutral.  Locking the engine in neutral may not work when you turn the engine over because gravity will move the pawl and rotate the drum.  Good luck...

Earl

[cwburfle]

When your write that it will stop between tracks, do you mean that the engine is moving onto a section of track powered by a different transformeer? Also, when this happens, do the lights inside the locomotive stay lit?
If the engine is moving onto a section of track powered by a different transformer, and you have fiber pins in all three rails, then you may have a grounding problem in your loco.  (lots of if's there)