Troubleshooting reset tripping

[JasonVan]

So my wife bought a g guage holiday train set of off ebay. Its a box set so I have rolled out basic things like transform doesn't have enough power since I'm not adding more track or more cars. When set up and the second car that takes power from the track is on I can get lights and sound to all the cars and engine just fine. As soon as it start to move it shuts off and the reset light turns red.
I do not believe its a short in the car itself as I can hit the reset button and all the lights turn back on and the cars all jump back about 2 millimeters on the track. I run it again and it travels about 2 inches and reset light turns red again. Sometimes I can even get it to turn back on when I hit the reset button and have to physically push or pull the train and then it comes back on.
My last guess is could a mild amount of dirt or grime in the track cause thus sort of issue? Is it hitting a part that has to much build up and losing power or trying to draw to much and it trips? And last, since this is a track we only bring out for Christmas would a isopropyl be fine as im not to worried about the amount of dirt it will attract. I really have no idea what cleaning solution I should be using.
Thanks for any information you all can give. This is our first power track fed train. Others have just been battery powered locomotive.

 

[PhilP]

I am guessing you are putting more stock, than came with the starter set, on the track?

If the starter set has sat for any length of time, the grease may have dried out, causing the loco to need much more current to run?
You may be pulling too much current from a starter set controller?
You may have a wiring problem 'somewhere' in your consist?

SO>>>>>>>>>>>>
Break the problem down:

1. Remove everything from the track. - Can you turn the controller from zero to full (both forwards and reverse) without it tripping?

2. Loco ONLY. - Repeat the above..

3. Loco plus any stock that came in the starter set..

4. Extra stock. - One piece at a time..

Hopefully, you can run your train, with a limited amount of stock, but please report back, and we can provide further help..

PhilP.

 

[JimmyB]

I think Phil's fault finding is the correct approach, however listening to the problem, I believe it is one of two things.

1. A short circuit, i.e. current passing directly from across the curcuit, but I don't think it is that.
2. Circuit overload, i.e. more current is being drawn than the curcuit allows, but not a short curcuit, this is possibly something jambed in the loco mechanism, hard grease as Phil suggests, or something mechanical.

I do NOT think that it is dirt on the track that would not course the reset to pop.

You could try, with some assistance, turning the power on the controller 1/2 - 3/4 and touching the wires to the wheels, do they turn, are there sparks, does the reset pop as soon as there is a "twitch" of the wheels.

Oh and Jason welcome to the forum, and please report your findings so we can continue to assist.

 

[Paul M]

Welcome to the forum. I think most of the best advice has been given! Although I will add that before you start taking things apart check that there is nothing obvious shorting out.

 

[Greg Elmassian]

Phil's assumption in his first sentence is false in light of this statement from the OP:

Its a box set so I have rolled out basic things like transform doesn't have enough power since I'm not adding more track or more cars

So, I'm in the camp that something has changed to increase current draw, most likely the locomotive BUT it could be a lighted car.

Greg

 

[JasonVan]

So as far as something being added, that is a definite no. Its still in the original box with the styrofoam cut out sections all filled correctly. This is not a custom build set. It is "The Holiday Express animated train set, 2004 edition".

 

[Greg Elmassian]

If it was me, I would first look at the transformer's rating and see what the output capability is, should be clearly marked.

Then I would test the current draw of the loco and the individual cars....

Here's where you have a problem, there's no specifications for the current draw of the loco and cars, so all you can do is total your measurements and see how that stacks up against the transformer rating.

The next step would depend on the results, so no reason going further here unless you want to try this path out.

Greg

 

[PhilP]

Ah!
I see this is a New Bright set.. - I had assumed it was a LGB Christmas set.

 

[Greg Elmassian]

When he said lights and sound to all the cars, all it could be is one of the New Blight sets or one of the clones... They look neat, but do not hold up unfortunately.

Having some fun with names:
Bachmann > Botchmann (does "botch" mean the same in the UK?)
New Bright > New Blight
Big Hauler > Bug Mauler
Aristocraft > Aristocrap

That's all I can think of for now...

Greg

 

[JimmyB]

Bachmann > Botchmann (does "botch" mean the same in the UK?)


Greg

I think so, in the UK a botch job is one where, the incorrect items are used to "make and do", a fixed botch job will often work, but only for a short time, i.e. gaffer tape over a leaking hole. So is this your definition.
Checking a few dictionaries the term seems to differ slightly from one to another, but generally they say a botch job is a job done badly.

 

[JasonVan]

Ok, after checking transformer, cars and testing a few things I have discovered it is the track. I took the 2nd car that is the power distributor and only used it. Lights where on and I pushed it around the track. Their is a whole 3ft section that is getting no power at all and the rest of the track the lights dim or shut off just for a second. Im going to try and clean the tracks and the pickups on the second car and see if it helps keep a better current. They look copper so they do oxidize, they are a bit green tinted in some areas.

 

[JimmyB]

Jason I suggest it is the track connection that is the issue, rather than the track itself, if you have whole sections out.

 

[JasonVan]

Jason I suggest it is the track connection that is the issue, rather than the track itself, if you have whole sections out.

Its a combination. I just used 2000grit sandpaper on a few ft section and got it all clean. It is brass by the way, I had said copper, I was wrong. Either way, cleaned the one section and it ran without any issues at all. The person we bought it from must have neglected the general maintenance over the past 15 year. Im so happy cause it was a few hundred dollars. Glad it was not a waist. Just a bit of elbow grease.

 

[JimmyB]

Its a combination. I just used 2000grit sandpaper on a few ft section and got it all clean. It is brass by the way, I had said copper, I was wrong. Either way, cleaned the one section and it ran without any issues at all. The person we bought it from must have neglected the general maintenance over the past 15 year. Im so happy cause it was a few hundred dollars. Glad it was not a waist. Just a bit of elbow grease.

Jason, can i assume that the issue is now solved and you are up and running

 

[dunnyrail]

Its a combination. I just used 2000grit sandpaper on a few ft section and got it all clean. It is brass by the way, I had said copper, I was wrong. Either way, cleaned the one section and it ran without any issues at all. The person we bought it from must have neglected the general maintenance over the past 15 year. Im so happy cause it was a few hundred dollars. Glad it was not a waist. Just a bit of elbow grease.

If you can get an LGB cleaning block ref 50040, nice and easy to hold and will clean the rails to perfection. Another thing may be to just pinch the rail joiners a little in the centre at the point where the rails meet, this will make the rails a little harder to push together but will certainly help with current passing between rails.

 

[JasonVan]

Jason, can i assume that the issue is now solved and you are up and running

Yes. Just going to take a few days of scrubbing and fine grit sanding the track. I got it running no problems in the first 4 ft of track I have cleaned. Just 26 more feet to go lol. So if anyone asks, track maintenance is very important.

 

[JasonVan]

If you can get an LGB cleaning block ref 50040, nice and easy to hold and will clean the rails to perfection. Another thing may be to just pinch the rail joiners a little in the centre at the point where the rails meet, this will make the rails a little harder to push together but will certainly help with current passing between rails.

If you can get an LGB cleaning block ref 50040, nice and easy to hold and will clean the rails to perfection. Another thing may be to just pinch the rail joiners a little in the centre at the point where the rails meet, this will make the rails a little harder to push together but will certainly help with current passing between rails.

I got it working. I had to dip a 2000grit sandpaper into alcohol and sand the tracks. Their was areas that where black from so much oil and dirt build up. Before I put it away for the year I will coat the tracks in some kind of anti corrosion oil that will protect and still allow electric current to run through.