1655 -- Why Does it Do This?

[Dampfmann]

I am attempting to troubleshoot a problem with my nephew's 1655 locomotive.  When it is placed on the track and power is added, the locomotive runs forward approximately 12" and then it reverses on its own.  Then it reverses, runs forward, and the process repeats.  What is going on here and how do I fix it?  Locomotive schizophrenia?

Thanks,

Martin

[rtraincollector]

could be a lot of things

1 you have a short

2 you have a break in power on your track

3 the E-unit is not opperating correctly in other words its has a short ( see item 1) it could be not grounded correctly ect some of these other guys are better on shorts and E-units

basicly I would remove cover and try running just the engine and if you can in a darken room so you can see any sparks that will give you an idea where to start looking if you do see some sparks if not then I would bet either # 2 or # 3 above.

[ADCX Rob]

Check that both sliders are making good contact with the center rail, try a test run with the e-unit lever "off" and locked in forward.

 

[Dampfmann]

Thanks for the advice so far. 

I did a little more troubleshooting.  I stripped down everything and ran the chasis on the track-- no pilot, trailing truck, and boiler shell-- bare bones.  The "locomotive" will run around the large oval of track, but not all the way around before stopping.  I noticed blue sparks between the wheels and the inside rail.  I turned the loco around and the sparks still come from the same rail, but now the other wheel set since I turned the loco around.  Does this make any sense?  If so, what is the problem and what remedy to you propose?  For what it's worth, I'm using FastTrack and a ZW transformer. 

Thanks again,

Martin

[Dampfmann]

Deleted duplicate response.  Not sure why this happened...

[TrainLarry]

Martin,

  Have you cleaned and lubricated the chassis and motor? Also, have you locked the e-unit in forward and the loco still stops? Do the motor brushes look like they are sparking excessively? Does the motor get very hot after your tests?

  Let us know what you find.

Larry

[servoguy]

Have you cleaned the track with a ScotchBrite pad?  Ditto the wheels and pickups?  This sounds like dirty track and/or wheels.  After you clean with the ScotchBrite pad, you might also want to clean the track, wheels, and pickkups with some denatured alcohol.  The sparks you are seeing are indicative of dirt and/or rust.

[Dampfmann]

An update:

I cleaned the track and the drivers really well.  I thought the track was pretty cleaned, but that was before I had the oil stained cloth to prove otherwise.

The 1655 now runs really well.  The locomotive is well-lubed and all wheels and gears turn freely.

The E-unit now works as it should.  I found a suspect copper "finger" and carefully bent it back into the correct position.  I also replaced the wire from the pick-ups to the motor.  It was badly cracked and missing insulation in spots.

Thanks again for your help.  I love bringing these 60+-year-old trains back into proper running order.  

Happy New Year,

Martin