Hello everyone,

This is a bit of a plea for help really. I'm new to the model railway world and have just got a layout started for my young son on Kato Unitrack. It's pretty basic so far and about 5ft by 3ft with five points, some sidings and a passing loop.

It was running pretty fine until I stuck some of the track down onto the board as need to store it when not in use. Ever since both locos are running very badly and keep getting stuck, especially at slow speed. I did some drilling in the board and guess that created a fair bit of dust etc. I have cleaned the tracks using Track Magic and still no improvement.

I'm thinking of buying one of those wheel cleaning machines I've seen on the web. Not sure if that will help or not, but as both locos (a tender steam and small diesel) were running well before I hope it's something that can be rectified.

Any tips would be great as my son and I are gutted.

Thanks

Hi Ifan.

Is the alignment of the track OK after gluing down - no distorsion ?

Post a photo for expert advice from the Kato fans on the forum.

Best regards,


Joe

Quote from: Ifan on February 05, 2016, 06:46:19 PM
Hello everyone,

This is a bit of a plea for help really. I'm new to the model railway world and have just got a layout started for my young son on Kato Unitrack. It's pretty basic so far and about 5ft by 3ft with five points, some sidings and a passing loop.

It was running pretty fine until I stuck some of the track down onto the board as need to store it when not in use. Ever since both locos are running very badly and keep getting stuck, especially at slow speed. I did some drilling in the board and guess that created a fair bit of dust etc. I have cleaned the tracks using Track Magic and still no improvement.

I'm thinking of buying one of those wheel cleaning machines I've seen on the web. Not sure if that will help or not, but as both locos (a tender steam and small diesel) were running well before I hope it's something that can be rectified.

Any tips would be great as my son and I are gutted.

Thanks

Welcome to the forum
Check that the connections between the track sections are good. If you have a multimeter you can check the voltage is the same on every bit of track. If it isn't then there may be a connection problem.
You don't say what sort of track you're using but if you're using something like Peco electrofrog points then you need to make sure that the point blades are making proper contact with the main rails. Again use a multimeter to check the voltage is ok in the direction the point is set. If you are using point motors and switching the power when you change point direction then this won't be a problem, but I suspect you haven't got to that stage yet.
Hope that helps
Give us some more info about you track type and layout and maybe someone can give more advice
 

Sorry -  missed the Kato track bit - another senior moment!! 

Hi Ifan,

Am really, really no expert but do have Kato Unitrack. Few questions to ask.

When you say trains get stuck, do you mean on points or just going along?

How did you stick the track? (best not to stick the points down so best to let them be wedged as such between the three bits of track)

As I said no expert but as much info as poss will help others. If it is the points are they the #4 or the #6 (bigger ones)? I hate the #4 as have always had problems although others on here seem to have no problems at all.

Anyway, good luck. Hope it can all be remedied.

Cheers weave

try IPA (isopropyl alcohol) rather than track magic - it has a mixed reputation.

agree with suggestions so far

check unijoiner continuity with voltmeter / 12v bulb across tracks

clean loco wheels ( search on forum for the J cloth technique)

give it a once over with a hand held hoover - dust / dirt from storage

goto 1

Might be the locos or the controller?
Do you know any other N-gaugers near you who you could visit to test the locos on their layout or someone who could bring round a good runner or good controller to test on your track?

I would agree with the suggestion to check the wheels of the locos and the gears too, perhaps some of the dust from the drilling has got into the gears.

Hoovering the track might help too.

If you don't have a club nearby perhaps there is a local model shop that will test or look at them for you.

All of the best, I hope you sort things out.

Thanks so much for all your help and suggestions. Just to answer a few of the topics raised. The layout is Kato Unitrack with five points which are a mix of #4s and #6s.

The locos seem to struggle on numerous sections, often stopping completely then shooting off when given a tap/nudge. This happens on points and elsewhere. Before I stuck the layout onto the board - I used a few tiny screws popped through the part-drilled holes beneath the sections of track - both my locos ran very well and my Dad, a true railway buff, was impressed with the slow running capabilities. Now slow running is impossible but both will go pretty much ok at a decent speed.

My hunch is dirt on loco wheels/pick-ups etc. I only drilled maybe 10 holes into board and didn't change track alignment. I don't know any n-gauge modellers but there is a model shop nearby with a test track - it's actually where I got my diesel loco from. Will visit them this week and see what they suggest.

Really hope it gets sorted as my son was loving his first train set. He's only eight years old but is a really careful driver and seems to like realistic slow running while pulling into stations and shunting etc. He also loves the Kato controller with the 'driver's handle' on it.

Thanks again

Might also be worth checking the controller and the wires to the track, maybe there is a loose wire.

Did any of the glue get on the rail surfaces?

Perhaps you could get a short separate piece of track and test the locos on that, away from the layout, that way you might be able to nail down whether it is a problem with your recently fixed down track itself or whether something else is going on

Controller and wires seem fine and were working well before. No glue on tracks as used tiny screws. My Dad gave me the tip of running locos on separate piece of track. Have few spare bits of Kato Unitrack so gave it a go and problem was just the same.

Thanks again for advice and all your help. This is my first attempt at a layout and was chuffed at first. As a complete novice, if something suddenly stops working I'm in a bit of a pickle. Will try more cleaning and get locos to model shop to see what they reckon.

Cheers

So it sounds like you've narrowed down the problem to either the locos or the controller...

If you can get the locos running reasonably well at a medium speed then let them run round and round the loop for 20-30mins each maybe, give them a good running in, if they have some little bits of muck in them this might help clear it. Perhaps add a drop of oil to the gears (not any old oil, make sure it is the proper type and also only a small drop, don't overdo it)

What make are the locos?

Thanks again for getting back to me. I oiled the locos before running them when I bought them shortly after Christmas. They do go round the layout ok at a decent speed but before my handiwork they were also good slow runners. Will give them a good blast on the track and see if it helps.

Diesel is a Farish/Bachmann and steam loco a Dapol. So frustrating as were fine before. Pretty sure it's a dirt issue.

Thanks again mate, really appreciate it

That sounds about right Ifan... It is possibly oil contamination on the wheels or pickups. Have you tried very carefully cleaning around the wheels (tread and backs) with a little isopropyl alcohol on a cotton bud?

Cheers
Mark

Hi mate,

Gave them a little clean with that Track Magic stuff but will get the product you mentioned - most experienced modellers seem to use it from what I've already gathered on this forum. I've got a lot to learn and mine is just a simple little layout with a couple of stations for my son. Haven't really got an engineer's brain tbh but will hopefully pick it up as I go along (if only my locos would!)

Thanks