electrical contact

[Anonymous]

Have a 4-6-0 that won't make it through any turnout without stalling. Some manufacturer used to make a fix for this problem. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Eriediamond]

You don't say what brand loco this is but you may have to purchase new trucks for the tender for added electrical pick up and wire those into the locomotive.

[sparkingbolt]

Another possability in addition to Eriediamond's is to see if the loco has all plastic wheels on the 4 wheel lead truck and see if metal ones can be substituted and used for electrical pick up. I did this on a Mantua 4-6-0. Dan

[Anonymous]

Of course the more pickups the better but I suggest you check that the wheels that you do have picking up current stay in contact with the rail through the turnout. Sometimes the plastic frog and rail guide will lift a heavily flanged wheel clear of the track and the electricity.

[cacole]

It sounds like a locomotive with European deep wheel flanges that cause the wheels to be lifted off of the rail as the locomotive goes through the turnout frog, causing it to lose electrical currrent. This is especially a problem on Atlas turnout frogs. Peco turnouts have deeper flangeways for European flanges, and don't have this problem.

[Don Gibson]

ARE you using turnouts (Switches) with an isolated (no-powered) frog?

[Anonymous]

I'd check that the wheel treads aren't shorting against the other rail at the frog - I have this happen with my Athearn locos on Peco code 100 switches on a fairly regular basis.

On the subject of pickups, so long as the track is clean and the loco is picking up from all 6 drivers this should not be a problem. I have a Bachmann "Jubilee" class 4-6-0 that never stalls, even though it only picks up from the drivers. I also have an old Mainline "43xx" class 2-6-0 that has 2 traction tyres, only picks up from the drivers, and also never causes trouble. I agree that more pickups are always a good thing though - Hornby are now trying to put a pickup on every wheel of their locos, partly to meet planned regulations on electrical interference,and also because it results in much-improved running.