Got a bunch of soldering flux on the rail?
- Douglas
Is there a turnout on either end of the problem piece of track?
Rich
Alton Junction
It's not a short. A short affects everything right away and will continue to stop every function on the entire layout until the short is rectified. The only way this is not the case is with power districts that have their own short detection circuits that allow the other districts to keep functioning. I don't believe that is the case here...?
If a loco stops short on my layout, and if I nudge it or press down on it, or on the tender, and it starts up again, it's a continuity problem. Could be a loose/dirty joiner, bad solder or feeder connection to the rail, dirty pickups, dirty metal tires, weak solder inside the loco, broken wire inside insulation, or the rails dip unevenly and imperceptibly and the tires don't make sufficiently good contact at that spot to keep the locomotive moving.
You know, you get a multimeter and see what is going on. If you don't have one, get one. You'll need it over and over again in this hobby. And you don't need to spend a lot. I think I paid $20 for mine and it has lasted a couple decades.
Chip
Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.
If there is a short, does the controller trip? If it does not, then there is an open.
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
I cannot believe it is a short, or else I dont think that the locomotive would go ahead and run after it is given a nudge or two. Resoldering the feeder might make some sense but before you go through that hassle, I suggest checking if the track and wheels are clean, like someone else mentioned. Do the finger test...rub a clean finger just before and after the spot and if you see a black line, you have the amorphous black gunk.
Bear "It's all about having fun."
It's quite possible You do not have a short at all, but an open/dead spot......bad/cold solder joint at that feeder. I would redo that feeder and if it is a short, Your system should shut down until short is removed.
If it is indeed a dead spot......You may consider cleaning Your wheels on Your engine and make sure it is picking up current from all the pick-ups on the trucks.
You would be surprised to find out how many people Do Not clean their wheels and start claiming shorts, which is actually an open....no current to track or wheel pick-ups. Causing the engine to stutter all over their layouts.
Good Luck!
Frank
Sometimes it takes a lot of work to find the short.
And RAILROAD of LION has lots of places to introduce short circuits.
LION uses small NAILS as pinding post for soldering wires on the layout of him. Once upon a time one nail was touching another nail inside of the wood fascia. THAT was a hard one to find. I had to work my way back from the track to the power supply, removing each and every connection in turn until I discovered what the issue was. That took all day, but when the culprit was found and the nail reset it was wonderful.
Fortunately, I learned (or not) patience working on computers.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
One feeder does pass under the opposite rail, but both wires go down the same exit hole. I will check to see if there is a hump, as well as a stray strand. Thanks for the suggestions.
On a straight section of track
I'm thinking that's not a short, but maybe a dead spot - are there feeders in BOTH rails at this lcoation or just one rail? Is there maybe a hump or depression at the feeder site, that could cause the loco wheels to lose contact?
Does one of the feeders run under the opposite rail, or do they both go down through the layout surface next to where it is soldered on? If it passes under the opposite rail, the weight of the loco may be pressing the rail into contact with the wire. Or if there is a stray strand of wire, if the feeder wire is stranded, that could touch the loco.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
What do you have? DC or DCC? A ''short'' should shut down the system (no mention of this). You did say ''soldered to the track'' but any chance you soldered a feeder wire to the bottom of a track joiner and the joiner is loose on the track when the weight of a Loco. crosses that spot and just kills the loco? How far back is the next track joiner (loose connection)? When the Loco. stops (shorts out) the next time, check the track for current. Oh you said the loco will start to move if you push it forward, then your system must have kicked back in. I'll have to see how fast my system starts back up after a short. Maybe quicker then I thought. If your feeder wires are crossed up, the system should not even start up.
Stright or on a curve?
I plan on disconnecting the feeders to see what occurs, as that thought has crossed my mind. Thanks for your suggestions.
That is where an engine stops each time. Once I push it past it starts back up. I have expierenced this with sevral engines to verify the site of the short.
I would think such a thing would be fairly obvious, but did you leave a large chunk of metal on the track as a heat sink when soldering the feeder? The older kadee coupler gauges were metal, those were easy to miss. Or the small 3 point track gauges.
rrinker Wrong feeder on the wrong rail? Does your track arrangement form a reverse loop? --Randy
Wrong feeder on the wrong rail?
Does your track arrangement form a reverse loop?
Maybe the feeder is on the correct rail but, the feeder is connected to the wrong buss?
Cut the wire under the layout and see if the short is undone.
Look up and down the right of way. No tools laying over the rails?
Do you stagger both of the rail feeders on your buss wires by an inch or two?
Did you add a turnout/switch at the same time?
How do you know that is where the short is?
Paul D
N scale Washita and Santa Fe RailroadSouthern Oklahoma circa late 70's
No it does not.
What would cause a short where a feeder wire is soldered to the track?