I installed a walthers shinohara dcc friendly crossover onto my layout. I have powered terminal joiners at all 4 track connection points where the track meets the crossover. However, I have 1 locomotive (Athearn SD70ACe) that will cut out, stop and then restart in the middle of the crossover. No other engine cuts out, just that one. I'm not talking about where it crosses over to the other track but it can be going straight through and cut out in the middle or the edges. It seems to occur more frequently when I hit the bell and or horn. I checked all the terminal joiners and they are secured and in good contact with the track. It only cuts out at this crossover, no where else on my layout. I don't have a digital multimeter to check power but does anyone know what could be wrong with the track or the engine?
Sounds like it might be shorting out on one of the frogs.
Place another loco on the layout the same time. Run the SD70 through the crossover. When the SD70 kicks out does the other loco also stop?
Springfield PA
I just ran and tried and the loco did not stop when the Athearn loco kicked out on the crossover.
I'm sure the Athearn is all wheel pick-up so it shouldn't be losing track power. Try running it through slowly to see where it's happening. Keep an eye on the frogs to see if it's happening when the wheels touch one of them. Also try running it through in reverse.
Ok I just tried that and it appears to be cutting out while some wheels are on the frogs. It happens in both directions
It's probably shorting out on the frogs.
watch when the loco passes. What happens is the flange can hit on the inside rail of the frog. Many turnouts require some tuning. Half of my past atlas turnouts needed some TLC.
The spot it happens is where the arrow points in the picutre. If it is shorting you can widen the gap with a file or even carefully prying the gap with a screw driver. It doesn't take much and you have to be careful.
Some people even coat the inside rail with fingernail polish to prevent flanges from shorting.
I tried that with no luck. One thing I do notice is if I take and manually push the loco accross those points it doesn't short out. I still hear the sound uninterrupted and the lights stay on. But when I actually accellerate and use the dcc controller to move the loco it stops the sounds and lights and then starts back up again. It doesn't actually show as a short on my system by the way.
It sounds to me that one of the trucks is not picking up power from the track. Place the loco on the track and start the bell ringing. Lift one truck from the track and hear if the bell stops ringing. Then lift the other and listen for the bell to stop ringing. If the bell stops ringing the truck that is on the track is not conducting power for the decoder.
Pete
I pray every day I break even, Cause I can really use the money!
I started with nothing and still have most of it left!
locoi1sa It sounds to me that one of the trucks is not picking up power from the track. Place the loco on the track and start the bell ringing. Lift one truck from the track and hear if the bell stops ringing. Then lift the other and listen for the bell to stop ringing. If the bell stops ringing the truck that is on the track is not conducting power for the decoder. Pete
Darn it, Pete, as I was reading through this thread, that was gonna be my answer but you beat me to it. From everything I have read, I bet that one of the trucks is not picking up power. As Pete says. with full power to the engine, raise one end of the engine completely off the tracks. The trucks on the other end of the engine should be turning like crazy. Then, put the engine back on the track and raise the other end off the track. If the trucks still on the track are not turning like crazy, that end of the engine is not receiving power.
Do this test on a straight piece of track not on the double crossover. If Pete and I are correct, then the stalls on the double crossover are not shorts but power loss when one set of trucks are on the dead frogs and the other set of trucks are not receiving power.
Rich
Alton Junction
Could it be possible that one set of wheels is not getting power because I did that test and all though it cuts out for a second it picks power back up again on both sets of trucks.
It would be unusual for an Athearn to not have power from a truck but a wire could have come off. Even with a dead truck the wheelbase of a single truck should still make contact.
As noted you can test it. Put a napkin or lint free cloth on the track and place one of the trucks on it with the other truck on the bare track. Run the loco. If the loco runs flip it around and place the other truck on the napkin. The loco should run with one truck.
Note when it comes time to clean the wheels you simply put alcohol on the cloth and hold the loco while it's running and slide back and forth over the alcohol. Cleans quickly.
Could it be that Athearn had gone back to the hot frame like the blue box super power locos? They relied on the pivot point on the truck to pick up power instead of running wires to the trucks. If a little oil or if it sat awhile the contacts would not transfer electrons to the frame and it would run intermittently. Ruff track work would also cause intermittent stops.
I haven't heard of that with Athearns but I did hear about a warped truck issue with the Ace's. don't know if that could cause it.
johngriffey18ca1 Could it be possible that one set of wheels is not getting power because I did that test and all though it cuts out for a second it picks power back up again on both sets of trucks.
Seems to me, that is your problem.
If "it cuts out for second", it is likely a loose wire or a poor solder connection.