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Skipping Like a Little School Girl.

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  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Norfolk Southern Lafayette District
  • 1,642 posts
Skipping Like a Little School Girl.
Posted by bubbajustin on Saturday, March 7, 2009 9:23 PM

I have a 2-6-2 prarie steam loco that i've had for about a year now. Whenever I run it it will "skip" it will stop and start stop and start stop and start. Over and over again. Any tips from the experts?

The road to to success is always under construction. _____________________________________________________________________________ When the going gets tough, the tough use duct tape.

  • Member since
    June 2006
  • From: Maryville IL
  • 9,577 posts
Posted by cudaken on Saturday, March 7, 2009 10:12 PM

Wheels clean? Does it happen on ever section of track or just some sections?  Steam engines do not like dips on the rails, will lose power pick up.

 Justin, who made the engine? Do the tender wheels pick up power as well as the engine? If you have power pick up from the tender, have you pulled the wheels from the tender at any point?

        Cuda Ken

I hate Rust

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • 3,312 posts
Posted by locoi1sa on Sunday, March 8, 2009 9:05 AM

 Ken is right in the clean wheels department. Also fi the loco has pickup wipers that contact the wheels check them also. Sometimes they get clogged with dust and dirt and sometimes they get bent away from the wheels and lose contact.

    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!

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: Southeast Texas
  • 5,449 posts
Posted by mobilman44 on Sunday, March 8, 2009 9:21 AM

Hi!

While the problem is probably dirty wheels/contacts/track, I would also check the wire connections as well - especially if the tender plays a part in electrical pick-up.  I had a couple of AHM locos years ago that had a similar problem, and it was all due to lousy wire connections.

FWIW,

Mobilman44

ENJOY  !

 

Mobilman44

 

Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central 

  • Member since
    September 2007
  • From: Charlotte, NC
  • 6,099 posts
Posted by Phoebe Vet on Sunday, March 8, 2009 9:59 AM

Make sure the rods on the drive wheels are adjusted so that they don't bind.

Dave

Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow

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