Tim Murphy says:

I agree with the above comments and would add that you need to have power to the rails every 30-60 inches (another lock-on with wires from the transformer). Make sure the loco is properly lubricated too.

Dennis says:

I agree with all the comments and would add AVOID emery cloth. You run the danger of scoring the track. Rather use a track cleaning fluid or one of those track cleaning blocks that you can get at your favourite store.
for future use take a freight car drill a hole in the underside in the middle. Take a small piece of masonite and insert a screw in the middle. the screw must be long enough to fit through the hole in the car and pull the freight car around your track. the masonite will clean the track. make the piece of masonite as wide as the freight car.

Matt Jackson says:

You likely have two issues and possibly a third and fourth.

First, your track is likely dirty. Clean it with a soft cloth soaked in Denatured Alcohol or 91% isopropyl alcohol (the 70% stuff contains too much water). If you have rust, more aggressive measures will be required — a ScotchBrite scouring pad as they’re non-metalic and won’t gouge your track.

Second, older tinplate track pins may be fitting loosely within the rails. You’ll need to crimp the track rail ends with needle-nose pliers to ensure the pins fit tightly.

Third, if your loop is large, you’re going to get voltage drops through the track. First, I’d recommend using nothing smaller than 18 gauge wire, but 16 may be called for for long runs. Another thing you should do is put a second feed drop at the halfway point of the layout. This will provide a more even power source.

Fourth, if the locomotive hasn’t been used in quite a while or hasn’t been cleaned, you may have a carbon buildup between the armature coils (the gap in between windings). This comes from the brushes as the motor operates. Two things will clean this and both should be used. Get a toothpick and clean out the slots between the armature windings where they contact the brushes. Next, get some contact cleaner spray and spray the contact area. It’s non-conductive, but loosens up any contaminants that may be present.

Hope this helps.

Matt Jackson
Angels Gate Hi-Railers Model Railroad Club

Newman Atkinson says:

I agree with the above. You are probably loosing power the farther away you go from your power supply. with every connection you loose some power. If there are a lot of switches it tends to loose power. I have had to install power leads between my switches to ensure no power loss. In O 27 I remember lack od power in the turns where the load is more and you can check that by powering at a curve and if that is the case then your other curves will have less power than that one. When you put power leads up to the rails make sure you do the same with all the rails and not just the center rail. Each connection of track affects the power drain. from Newman