Track power and sparking?

[Ray Dunakin]

While running a train after dark tonight, I noticed that there is quite a bit of sparking going on, mostly at the loco's pilot and trailing trucks. (It's a 2-6-2). Is this normal? If not, what can or should be done to correct it? I seem to recall reading somewhere that this will cause pitting on the rails and/or wheels.

[altterrain]

Hi Ray,

I noticed the same thing night running with my AristoClassic C-16's. On the advice of another post I tried CRC 2-26 (found in the electric aisle of my home box store) to clean the wheels (he was using it on his Bachmann ten wheeler) and I also use a bit on my track cleaner pad. Not only does it help in keeping the wheels cleaner, it significantly reduced the arcing I was seeing at night.

-Brian 

[kimbrit]

It's dirt guys, the power is jumping the dirt to make contact and hence the spark and yes it can cause pitting on wheels and the track. I'm pretty sure that depending where you live in the world a similar event could be caused by humidity and dampness on the track surface.

All the battery guys will jump in now and tell you that dirty track doesn't matter with battery power

Kim

[Capt Bob Johnson]

What a wonderful pre-emptive strike, I loved it!   Sure saves having to wade thru a mess of the same thing unnecessicarily said 33 ways!

[TonyWalsham]

It's dirt guys, the power is jumping the dirt to make contact and hence the spark and yes it can cause pitting on wheels and the track. I'm pretty sure that depending where you live in the world a similar event could be caused by humidity and dampness on the track surface.

All the battery guys will jump in now and tell you that dirty track doesn't matter with battery power

Kim

 

Kim,

We don't have to.  You just did it for us.

to battery R/C.

[kimbrit]

Long live track power and analogue control via train engineer. Saying that I have an LGB track cleaner so I'm ok!! or am I?? the track keeps getting lower and lower!! Now if the track cleaner ground rails like the real thing it would all be night runs!!

Cheers,

Kim

[Anonymous]

We on the CFR mainly use "Track power". However I do like to use a battery powered locomotive on occassions (I am waiting for the new Roundhouse Diesel locomotive to be delivered) and we do have various live steam locomotives visiting.

[Curmudgeon]

It's dirt guys, the power is jumping the dirt to make contact and hence the spark and yes it can cause pitting on wheels and the track. I'm pretty sure that depending where you live in the world a similar event could be caused by humidity and dampness on the track surface.

All the battery guys will jump in now and tell you that dirty track doesn't matter with battery power

Kim

 

Couldn't have said it better.