loco works on wheel cleaner but not on track

[bluedepot]

i have a loco (a bachmann-farish lass 47) that works on the wheel cleaner (runs on the sponges - gaugemaster wheel cleaner http://www.gaugemaster.com/item_details.asp?code=GM47)

it does not run on the track however. the track has been cleaned with ipa. another loco has run over it fine.

any ideas?


thanks

tim

[PLD]

Possibly deranged pickups... As you hold the loco on the cleaner it may be that the pressure you put on it pushes the wheels in one direction (either upwards or to one side) such that they make contact with the pickups, but on the track without that external pressure the pickups aren't touching the wheels.

With the loco on the cleaner push it gently from side to side and see if it cuts out at any point.

[scruff]

Have you tried cleaning the wheel backs and pickups with ipa? Also check that all pickups are making contact with the wheels. Where is Dr Al when you need him??

Mark

[edwin_m]

Dr Al and others have just posted on this exact subject in another topic. 

[Newportnobby]

http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=5898.msg67604;topicseen#msg67604

[EtchedPixels]

Another bizarre but possible candidate for this is if its been disassembled and put together wrong in the past.

See if it runs with one bogie on the track only. I had a minitrix loco where the bogies were put together wrong and one bogie was fine, two bogies shorted - because they power pickup was crossed over.

[bluedepot]

many many thanks for the tips

i will check the pick ups and clean the wheel backs / contacts later on today and see if that fixes it


cheers


tim