Troubleshooting
Everything on model trains, model railroads, model railways, locomotives, model train layouts, scenery, wiring, DCC and more. Enjoy the world's best hobby... model railroading!
Overcoming Derailments
Bill models OO gauge (similar to HO) and asks readers:
“I have a new system put up which runs very well, however now for some reason it’s starting to derail. Different types of locomotives run well for a certain amount of time, then they start derailing for no apparent reason. I am not a novice modeller, but I’m getting fed up with the continual derailment. Sometimes I can find a small problem which I put right, sometimes I find nothing, and I’m STILL getting problems. I have checked the back to back on all the locos and found that some were out and some were ok, which I soon put right with the back to back gauge. I’m thinking of giving the whole thing the heave-ho so if someone could come up with some suggestions, I would be much obliged. Thanks in advance.”
Derailing Problems
Brian models OO gauge and asks readers:
“I have just purchased a Dapol class 22 diesel and it derails on all points which are Hornby insulated points. All my other engines work ok on these points. Any help would be greatly appreciated.”
Problems on Switches and Turnouts
Steve used a link on this page to post this question:
“I am operating a 060 Tank locomotive but am having problems on turnouts. At slow speed it stops. When I run it faster it sometimes derails. The loco appears to rise a little as it goes through the points. Has anyone got any suggestions please?”
Add your comment if you can suggest a solution.
Jumper Wires
Dave asks readers:
“I understand a main wire runs under track and every 3 to 5 a jumper wire is attached to the on the inside rail. But is this just the + wire? or both the + wire to the inside rail and – to the outside rail? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Dave”
Front Wheels Jump Track
Timothy asks readers:
“I have several HO engines that the front wheels jump the track, even on straight sections. They act like there is a spring missing that may hold wheels to the track. I don’t see where there is any place to put them (springs). Not just one brand either.”
How to Wire Double-Throw (DPDT) Switch
Lester model N scale and asks readers:
“I like to know how to wire a DPDT switch. I own a DCC system NCS. I want to make a section on my main track as a program track. It is isolated from my main track. What I need is a diagram on how to wire it so that the program track becomes a main track when it is thrown on and the other way the program track has power and the main doesn’t.”
Cleaning Engines
Allan has a question for readers:
“Hi, I live in an area with high sulphur content and have a few engines that are getting slow and are showing signs of contamination around the brass copper etc and want to clean this off but not sure what to do or use? Any help please.”
Engine Does Not Run Anymore
Tom is new to O scale as asks readers:
“I have three engines which all stopped running after 10 to 15 minutes on the track. The lights come on. They just do not move. Three other engines have been working fine for days. Any ideas or suggestions?”
Train Restoration
David models S scale and sent in this question for readers:
“I am trying to locate a restorative service that provides the good quality. Also desire to replace incandescent with LED and install can motor, etc. Thank You.”
Fixing Problem Track Connections
Jordan asks readers:
“Most of my HO track seems okay except for 3 curved pieces that won’t join perfectly without a slight gap. I am worried about a derailment when cars cross the connections. How can I improve the connections please?”
How To Stop Bogies Derailing on a Turnout
Julian asks readers:
“I have a seemingly intractable problem. The front bogies on my new OO Hornby West Country jump off on the turnout when having to turn. The first of the outside bogies seems to fall out through the gap in the outside curve where the crossing is and before the check rail on the inside has a chance to hold the flange of the inside front bogey. I have tried widening the bogies but what little extra there is before the wheels come off does not help. I have put a piece of foam under the bogies and while that damps the jumping it does not cure it. Help please!”
Can I Install Decoders in My Old Locomotives Without Problems?
Club member Ian asks readers:
“I have 14 older HO pre DCC engines and want to convert them over. Simple question is – can I install decoders in these old style locos? What kind of problems should I expect, if any? Also, I would appreciate any further guidance so I don’t stuff things up. Thanks in advance to all who reply.”
Adjusting the Weight of Cars
Bill has a question for readers:
“If the cars were heavier, or some of them heavier, would it help the whole lot of them stay on the track better? Or is it generally going to take track cleaning or adjusting to solve most of these issues?”
How to Fix Sparking Under a Locomotive
Eddie asks readers:
“I was giving all my Marklin HO locos a run and one of the older ones started to spark from the slider. It ran a little bit, but not very good and then just stopped. Is it just a matter of changing the slider or something more serious? Thanks.”
Front Trucks Derail at Points
A reader asks:
“My HO Bachmann Climax front truck derails on Hornby and Peco point work. It is only the front one that derails. Any suggestions?”
How To Prevent Locomotive Wheel Slippage
Gary asks readers:
“I have an HO Athearn GP-40 (non-DCC, RTR) that went from running GREAT to running poorly basically overnight. It runs, but there’s a significant loss of pulling power. At first I thought it was the loco, but when I put another perfectly-running loco on the same track, it has the same problem. Then I thought the problem was in the electrical power to the track (such as reduced voltage?), but I can’t find any problem there either. I also tested the power pack; no problem there. The loco runs perfectly fine until I’ve added about 4 cars; then I start to notice it’s having trouble pulling them. But I still can’t figure out how a loco went from running GREAT to running poorly just like that (in other words, there was no gradual decline in performance). Have also cleaned the track and checked the wire connections; so that’s not the issue. Any thoughts?”
How to Remove Locomotive Body
Richie asks readers:
“Please how do you remove the body of an N Gauge Graham Farish MT4 2-6-4 to check if it is DCC ready.”
How to Fix Problem When Locomotive Passes Over Remote Switches
Kevin asks readers:
“I have an N-scale railroad which includes about a half-dozen Atlas remote switches. When the locomotive passes over a few of the switches, there is unevenness that causes a brief interruption in the motion of the locomotion. Is it possible to use a fine sandpaper to smooth out the track so that the locomotive passes over the switch smoothly? Or is there a better solution? Thanks in advance for any advice that is offered.”
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