richhotrain Paul_in_GA Exactly. I used a bright light and a magnifying glass to look at it while it does it. Like I said, I set it to 0 and keep an eye on the light. If I wiggle the FORWARD truck, the one NOT on the insulated part of the frog the light comes on and goes off AS I wiggle it. Paul, I'm not sure what you mean by the bright light. Was is it you are referring to? Rich
Paul_in_GA Exactly. I used a bright light and a magnifying glass to look at it while it does it. Like I said, I set it to 0 and keep an eye on the light. If I wiggle the FORWARD truck, the one NOT on the insulated part of the frog the light comes on and goes off AS I wiggle it.
Exactly. I used a bright light and a magnifying glass to look at it while it does it. Like I said, I set it to 0 and keep an eye on the light. If I wiggle the FORWARD truck, the one NOT on the insulated part of the frog the light comes on and goes off AS I wiggle it.
Paul, I'm not sure what you mean by the bright light. Was is it you are referring to?
Rich
Flashlight so bright it will literally blind a person.
Paul_in_GA richhotrain Paul_in_GA Exactly. I used a bright light and a magnifying glass to look at it while it does it. Like I said, I set it to 0 and keep an eye on the light. If I wiggle the FORWARD truck, the one NOT on the insulated part of the frog the light comes on and goes off AS I wiggle it. Paul, I'm not sure what you mean by the bright light. Was is it you are referring to? Rich Flashlight so bright it will literally blind a person.
LOL
Oh, that kind of bright light.
Alton Junction
Paul_in_GA OK, I'm in the process of running it through every turnout and it stuck again on another Walthers #5 RH going straight! So it's NOT the track it HAS to be that #$%^&*#@ loco! Just gotta run it at 2 or higher. This is the second Bachmann I have had problems with.
OK, I'm in the process of running it through every turnout and it stuck again on another Walthers #5 RH going straight! So it's NOT the track it HAS to be that #$%^&*#@ loco!
Just gotta run it at 2 or higher.
This is the second Bachmann I have had problems with.
Before you give up on speed step #1, lube the gears and see if that solves the problem.
richhotrain Paul_in_GA OK, I'm in the process of running it through every turnout and it stuck again on another Walthers #5 RH going straight! So it's NOT the track it HAS to be that #$%^&*#@ loco! Just gotta run it at 2 or higher. This is the second Bachmann I have had problems with. Before you give up on speed step #1, lube the gears and see if that solves the problem. Rich
Stuck at THIRD Walthers frog on the straight!
I'd LIKE to lube it but I don't have any lube and have never done it before.
You can also mess with the CV settings to kick start the motor at lower speeds.
richhotrain You can also mess with the CV settings to kick start the motor at lower speeds. Rich
Now it even hiccups at that original point at a setting of 10! So maybe it IS the track but then again the other locos are fine there.
ARGH!!
Ready for sledgehammer!
Paul_in_GA richhotrain Paul_in_GA OK, I'm in the process of running it through every turnout and it stuck again on another Walthers #5 RH going straight! So it's NOT the track it HAS to be that #$%^&*#@ loco! Just gotta run it at 2 or higher. This is the second Bachmann I have had problems with. Before you give up on speed step #1, lube the gears and see if that solves the problem. Rich Stuck at THIRD Walthers frog on the straight! I'd LIKE to lube it but I don't have any lube and have never done it before.
Your LHS will have the appropriate gear lube.
Put a light coat of petroleum jelly on the frogs. Just use a stick of lip balm.
The other locos are 'other' locos. Different. Apparently/possibly better at pickup and getting across spots that have iffy connectivity. Longer steamers do better than your little 2-8-0.
I take it that you have metered the rails at the point of stall? Ahead of the loco, under it, under the tender, and behind the tender. If you find a dead spot, press down somewhere on the rails ahead, under, and behind the loco/tender. If you get power, then it is in the turnout or on either end of it.
The suggestion to figgle with 'dither' or BEMF settings is a good one. Maybe your motor stalls at a point where the voltage is low when you only run it at very slow speeds across this one turnout. You'll have to get into the CV manual for the decoder to figure out how to get the motor to draw more current than it does at speed step 'one'.
Crandell
Paul_in_GA richhotrain You can also mess with the CV settings to kick start the motor at lower speeds. Rich Now it even hiccups at that original point at a setting of 10! So maybe it IS the track but then again the other locos are fine there. ARGH!! Ready for sledgehammer!
Head for the beer cooler or wine cellar or wherever you store your best scotch.
selector The other locos are 'other' locos. Different. Apparently/possibly better at pickup and getting across spots that have iffy connectivity. Longer steamers do better than your little 2-8-0. I take it that you have metered the rails at the point of stall? Ahead of the loco, under it, under the tender, and behind the tender. If you find a dead spot, press down somewhere on the rails ahead, under, and behind the loco/tender. If you get power, then it is in the turnout or on either end of it. The suggestion to figgle with 'dither' or BEMF settings is a good one. Maybe your motor stalls at a point where the voltage is low when you only run it at very slow speeds across this one turnout. You'll have to get into the CV manual for the decoder to figure out how to get the motor to draw more current than it does at speed step 'one'. Crandell
Thanks Crandell, will try that too.
Or put a helper loco behind that 2-8-0.
richhotrain Paul_in_GA richhotrain Paul_in_GA OK, I'm in the process of running it through every turnout and it stuck again on another Walthers #5 RH going straight! So it's NOT the track it HAS to be that #$%^&*#@ loco! Just gotta run it at 2 or higher. This is the second Bachmann I have had problems with. Before you give up on speed step #1, lube the gears and see if that solves the problem. Rich Stuck at THIRD Walthers frog on the straight! I'd LIKE to lube it but I don't have any lube and have never done it before. Put a light coat of petroleum jelly on the frogs. Just use a stick of lip balm.
How will that help? Won't that impede current flow? Do I put it on the rails or on the base of the frog?
I would like some scotch but I stopped drinking a long time ago. But I can have a virtual beer.
If you just put the petroleum jelly on the dead parts of the frog, it won't affect conductivity but might be enough to overcome any physical resistance by the loco at slow speeds.
Paul_in_GASo maybe it IS the track but then again the other locos are fine there. ...Ready for sledgehammer!
...Ready for sledgehammer!
As has already been mentioned, the turnout in question (I have a few Walthers 83 turnouts also) has a large dead frog area. Any loco with finicky power pickup can stall on the frog, despite being able to apparently run just fine elsewhere. My money is on the locomotive losing contact being the problem due to an intermittent open circuit in its power pickup, but this isn't necessarily something you have to correct.
Nobody so far has suggested this possible solution that I could see, so here goes...
My suggestion is to power the frog using a Tam Valley "Frog Juicer." http://www.tamvalleydepot.com/products/dccpowerfrogjuicers.html Solder a feeder to one side of the frog, being careful to not melt any plastic, and run the feeder to the juicer, which takes input current from the track bus. Installation is that simple. The juicer is an auto-reversing curcuit that powers the frog for the appropriate polarity depending on which direction you're running through the turnout. I have juicers on some turnouts with larger isolated frogs and they cured the few instances of stalling I had. Follow the link - the mono-juicer (for one turnout) is on sale through Monday for $9.95. I just about guarantee it will solve your problem.
Rob Spangler
wp8thsub Nobody so far has suggested this possible solution that I could see, so here goes... My suggestion is to power the frog using a Tam Valley "Frog Juicer."
My suggestion is to power the frog using a Tam Valley "Frog Juicer."
Rob, I hate you, LOL, just kidding. Darn, I wanted to suggest that but didn't.
If there really is just a tad of resistance at the frog, and not of the electrical kind, then the CV-fiddling for the motor would probably help. However, I would not entertain the thought of putting a grease or vaseline anywhere on my tracks, not even the flange face, for scale trains.
BTW, is this a sound locomotive?
wp8thsub Paul_in_GASo maybe it IS the track but then again the other locos are fine there. ...Ready for sledgehammer! As has already been mentioned, the turnout in question (I have a few Walthers 83 turnouts also) has a large dead frog area. Any loco with finicky power pickup can stall on the frog, despite being able to apparently run just fine elsewhere. My money is on the locomotive losing contact being the problem due to an intermittent open circuit in its power pickup, but this isn't necessarily something you have to correct. Nobody so far has suggested this possible solution that I could see, so here goes... My suggestion is to power the frog using a Tam Valley "Frog Juicer." http://www.tamvalleydepot.com/products/dccpowerfrogjuicers.html Solder a feeder to one side of the frog, being careful to not melt any plastic, and run the feeder to the juicer, which takes input current from the track bus. Installation is that simple. The juicer is an auto-reversing curcuit that powers the frog for the appropriate polarity depending on which direction you're running through the turnout. I have juicers on some turnouts with larger isolated frogs and they cured the few instances of stalling I had. Follow the link - the mono-juicer (for one turnout) is on sale through Monday for $9.95. I just about guarantee it will solve your problem.
Thanks Rob, looking into it now. How do you wire it up? Just one wire to the frog? Does it come with installation instructions?
selector If there really is just a tad of resistance at the frog, and not of the electrical kind, then the CV-fiddling for the motor would probably help. However, I would not entertain the thought of putting a grease or vaseline anywhere on my tracks, not even the flange face, for scale trains. BTW, is this a sound locomotive? Crandell
Nope, no sound.
How about a light smear from a silicone stick?
It is just a test to see if you can eliminate the physical resistance.
Then wipe it off.
Or use some plastic compatible light oil - - - anything - - - just to see if you can reduce the resistance.
Paul_in_GA selector BTW, is this a sound locomotive? Crandell Nope, no sound.
selector BTW, is this a sound locomotive? Crandell
What did you have in mind there, Crandell?
richhotrain Or use some plastic compatible light oil - - - anything - - - just to see if you can reduce the resistance.
All I have is some old 3-In-One oil which I am loathe to use.
Paul_in_GA All I have is some old 3-In-One oil which I am loathe to use.
Remain loathe.
Use only plastic compatible light oil.
Although, as a test, I would not be reluctant to use a silicone stick or petroleum jelly. Then wipe it off.
We are just trying to determine if it will ease the resistance enough to prevent stalling at the slowest speeds.
richhotrain Paul_in_GA All I have is some old 3-In-One oil which I am loathe to use. Remain loathe. Use only plastic compatible light oil. Although, as a test, I would not be reluctant to use a silicone stick or petroleum jelly. Then wipe it off. We are just trying to determine if it will ease the resistance enough to prevent stalling at the slowest speeds. Rich
Well, I have no silicone, could use vaseline, BUT, it still stalls slightly even at higher power settings but only on that one switch. I guess it's a poor design of either the track or the loco, ESPECIALLY the loco. Two Bachmann's with problems. Sent in the 44 tonner and STILL haven't heard back from those people. I will never buy Bachmann again.
Paul_in_GA richhotrain Paul_in_GA All I have is some old 3-In-One oil which I am loathe to use. Remain loathe. Use only plastic compatible light oil. Although, as a test, I would not be reluctant to use a silicone stick or petroleum jelly. Then wipe it off. We are just trying to determine if it will ease the resistance enough to prevent stalling at the slowest speeds. Rich Well, I have no silicone, could use vaseline, BUT, it still stalls slightly even at higher power settings but only on that one switch.
Well, I have no silicone, could use vaseline, BUT, it still stalls slightly even at higher power settings but only on that one switch.
Hmm, I thought it only stalled at the slowest speed step?
Paul_in_GA I will never buy Bachmann again.
I will never buy Bachmann again.
While I feel the same way, others don't. Sheldon?
Incidentally, I checked and petroleum jelly is totally compatible with plastics and synthetic rubbers.
richhotrain Paul_in_GA richhotrain Paul_in_GA All I have is some old 3-In-One oil which I am loathe to use. Remain loathe. Use only plastic compatible light oil. Although, as a test, I would not be reluctant to use a silicone stick or petroleum jelly. Then wipe it off. We are just trying to determine if it will ease the resistance enough to prevent stalling at the slowest speeds. Rich Well, I have no silicone, could use vaseline, BUT, it still stalls slightly even at higher power settings but only on that one switch. Hmm, I thought it only stalled at the slowest speed step?
Nope, I posted earlier that at that same spot it now stalls for a second and the light goes out even at a setting of 10. I'm ready to use vaseline, should I still use it? I can apply a tiny amount with a toothpick.
Just smear it on lightly with your finger.