Dead spots

[Anonymous]

whenever i run my train, there are certain spots a;long the track where iit just stopsive cleaned the track and the train which helped a lottle. but i still get dead spots. HELP!

[IRONROOSTER]

It would help if you told us what type of track and trains you are using. A couple of possibilities are:

If you're having the problem on the track furtherest from where you have the wires attached, you need to run some extra wires to the where the problem(s) is occuring. You usually lose a little for each rail joiner between the train and the hookup.

If the problem occurs on the switches, your loco is probably picking up from one set of wheels. Since most switches have an insulated/plastic frog to prevent shorts, locos with one wheel pickup tend to stall on the dead spot. Best solution is to add pickup to the other wheels. Most of your better locomotives have this.

Good luck
Paul

[Anonymous]

ADD MORE FEEDER WIRES .

[Anonymous]

It could be lots of factors. Check your rail joiners, make sure they are tight.
Are the rails seated in the joiners? or under them?
Forums are helpful but nothing is better than a book from Kalmbach or Atlas to give you the basics on Track laying or Wiring.
Those are 2 separate factors but in the world of good running layouts they go together like Laurel & Hardy. Some of thier basic layout books are a tell all and cover ALL the fundamentals from the track to scenery and even a little about your engine and cars. This is a hobby, so I'm told, but there are elements you HAVE to get RIGHT. Don't try to invent new methods of tracklaying first time out, save that creativity for your model building skills or operating scenarios. Visit your local hobby shop or model RR club.[8D]

[Anonymous]

I could that your trains dont run that type of trak. possibly you have lionel trains on k-line tack ,could be the problem

[waltersrails]

add feeders or replace the track.

[Anonymous]

Are you using Lionel? I had that exact same problem a while back with my Lionel 0 guage track (especially the switches), I rubbed them with sand paper and it cleaned it right up. Also, if you still have problems, you might wanna try speeding up a little when you are are nearing a dead spot, this sometimes helps you get through (if you have RailSounds/TrainSounds, ProtoSounds etc you may have a pause in the sounds causing them to start over, which sounds really funky).

[Anonymous]

 I may be wrong but it has to be bad connections to power ... dirty or loose pins . I've seen cleaning the top of the track not helping because the connection at the pins on one or more sections was the culprit especially in the older tubular track. Or loose connections there that a cleaning will not help . Even certain brands of newer track do not stay tight at the connections or get dirty/rusty/or corroded. The pins can lose conductivity even where they are crimped/clamped in . One place most overlooked.

[Anonymous]

i would clean the wheels me and my daughter had the same problem as you........lol so thats what we did and clean the tracks did you clean the tracks were it was dead?

[railroadboy]

simple. buy new track

[Anonymous]

it depends what scale to you use O, or HO????

[CTValleyRR]

I'll add my vote for dirty track or dirty loco wheels.  There's clean, and then there's CLEAN!

I find that a Q-tip and denatured alcohol on both the wheels and the track works wonders.  Keep rubbing until no more black gunk shows up on the Q-tip.  Run the train around a few times, and repeat.  This is especially true if you run trains infrequently.

 If you have inadvertantly gotten paint or glue on your track, a bright boy, a #10 hobby knife, or 600 grit sandpaper will clean it right up.

Also, do all your engines stick at the same spot, or just some of them?

[Phoebe Vet]

I would not sand the track or use any other abrasive (steel wool, emery, etc).  When you rough up the surface it will help initially but the rough surface will get dirty faster.  Use a cloth and cleaning solution.

Clean the track.  Clean ALL the wheels, not just the powered or engine wheels.  Check all connections to the track and between sections of track. 

Use power connections to the track every 6 feet or so.

 If your layout is permanently installed, consider soldering the joints in each powered section.

[CTValleyRR]

I would not sand the track or use any other abrasive (steel wool, emery, etc).  When you rough up the surface it will help initially but the rough surface will get dirty faster.  Use a cloth and cleaning solution.

I agree.  But 600 grit sand paper isn't sanding, it's polishing.  And I'm not advocating it as a routine track cleaning method, only as a way to remove glue, paint, soldering flux and other gunk which would otherwise be a permanent addition to your track.

And I have to stress the prohibition against steel wool.  NEVER, EVER, EVER use steel wool.  Little fragments of it get up into the workings of your locos -- even into the motor -- and cause shorts.

[challenger3980]

I could that your trains dont run that type of trak. possibly you have lionel trains on k-line tack ,could be the problem

Doesn't matter, Lionel ( or K-Line, or any other brand of train) will run on K-Line or any other brand of track that is the right gauge and type. In O 3-Rail Lionel and K-Line track of the same types (O, or O-27) will mix together without any trouble. But to mix O or O-27 track from any manufacturer with each other requires special pins, O and O-27 track have different rail heights and pin sizes.

                                                                      Doug