I have a straight track 9inch that's a week old. I tried to run an engine on it and now it has no power it seems. I've tried 4 different throttles and nothing. Is it possible to short the track so it doesn't work. I also hooked up without the straight piece and it worked fine.
Gidday, if I'm following you correctly the only thing that doesn't work is your week old nine inch straight, (which I am presuming is something like Bachmann EZ track), which would indicate to me that it is faulty from manufacture. As I take it that you don't have a multimeter or circuit tester probe to verify the fault, then I would return the offending piece of track to the vendor so they can sort out the problem and replace the track if required.
Cheers, the Bear.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Hi,
If that track is attached to other tracks and a loco runs on them, but not the subject track, then the problem is that subject track is not getting power (rather than a short).
The solution is to tighten the track connectors (pieces connecting the subject track to the others, and/or to add power feeder wires to that piece of track.
Now, if nothing runs on any connected tracks (when that subject track is connected to others), then that subject track does have a short - which in my 60 years of MR experience is very much a rarity. If it is shorted, and you can't find/fix it, return it or throw it away or save for parts.
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
If you're using DCC and have a sound engine, plus another, here's an easy way to tell the difference between a short and an "open" or loss of power on any piece of trackwork.
Make sure both locos are in the same electrical block/power district.
With the sound loco idling, run the other "test" loco into the questionable area.
When "test" loco stops, does the sound continue?
If no, it's a short.
If yes, it's an "open" or lack of power.
An open prevents power getting to the trackwork in question, so could be a loose connecter, borken feed wire, no feed at all, relaying on rail joiners that are corroded, etc. This is especially useful when dealing with turnout issues, but works for any piece of track.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
Get yourself a cheapo Automotive test lite. Looks like a fat pencil with a lite in the barrel, test point at one end lite in center wire coming out of top with alligator clip at end. Clip it to one of the tracks, use end with probe to touch other track, if it lights you got power, if it don't you don't, simple not pricy.
Frank
A short circuit should trip the circuit breaker on the power pack or DCC base station. The fact that your loco runs elsewhere om the layout, seems to point to a problem with that particular piece of track or no connectivity between that track and connecting tracks. Bad rail joiners?
As mentioned before, a multimeter is a good and necessary tool for maintaning your layout. You probably can get one for less than $20 at Radio Shack, Lowes, Home Depot, maybe even WallMart. Get a digital one - easier for a beginner to read than an analog/dial readout
It would help if we know who manufactured the track and what kind of power pack or DCC system you are using
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch