I would leave it alone. The spring is for electrical contact. If you are truly opposed to the spring, you can easily obtain the proper 1110-11 part (say from forum sponsor @S AND W). Understand that your locomotive was probably upgraded for the enhanced electrical contact, or it was all that was on hand after the toy suffered an accident damaging the trailing truck.
As for backing up and such over your complex track - I would suggest you are expecting too much from the budget scout line.