When I run my 2 pickup roller MTH E-8's on the club layout I experience hesitation on the 2 inner loops which have crossovers. It was so bad on the most inner loop that I pulled my trains from the layout and gave my one hour run time slot to another club member. I believe this is caused by my engines only having one pickup roller per truck? Does anyone else experience this with their engines with only one pickup roller per truck?
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Chas,
What you've typed in your post doesn't match your topic for the thread.
Do you have both problems, with sound and with motion too?
You're probably right, the pickups can have a big effect, and it could easily be for both.
To answer the question posed in the topic, No. The batteries and/or super capacitors found in MTH products are not there to keep the sound or lighting from dropping out when there's a temporary loss of contact on the track. Yet they may do so in spite of this. They are actually there to keep the microprocessor properly powered, and to control how it powers up and down so that memory doesn't get scrambled.
On the other hand if they were Lionel a battery would indeed keep the sound going if power drops temporarily.
Mike
Well, that's not 100% true Mike, the caps or batteries in MTH locomotives do keep the sound running. However, as you say, they also have the function of maintaining the uP to stay in the existing operating mode for a few seconds.
OTOH, the batteries in Lionel stuff are strictly for the maintenance of sound through a power interruption.
@Mellow Hudson Mike posted:Chas,
What you've typed in your post doesn't match your topic for the thread.
Do you have both problems, with sound and with motion too?
You're probably right, the pickups can have a big effect, and it could easily be for both.
To answer the question posed in the topic, No. The batteries and/or super capacitors found in MTH products are not there to keep the sound or lighting from dropping out when there's a temporary loss of contact on the track. Yet they may do so in spite of this. They are actually there to keep the microprocessor properly powered, and to control how it powers up and down so that memory doesn't get scrambled.
On the other hand if they were Lionel a battery would indeed keep the sound going if power drops temporarily.
Mike
Hi Mike,
I just have a problem with motion going through the crossovers. I believe the spacing of the rollers happens to be equidistant to the dead spots on the crossovers.
Beside an actual pickup issue, cleanliness of the outside wheels for a good ground come into play also. If it is spacing, limited options. But I would make sure both have good continuity. Pickups can be deceiving. They may look ok, but corrosion and poor conductivity can still be present. G
I'm a fan of products like DeoxIT D5 to treat contact surfaces, I use it on pickup rollers to insure the axles have good contact to the rollers.
I have had rollers that looked good and would not pickup well. For the rollers attached with a riveted pin through the center, get the cleaner inside the roller.
Exactly, I drip it on the axle, then I use the Dremel wire brush to spin the roller to work it into the axle.
Thanks you all for the replies. I will also clean the crossover sections of track where I am having the problem and see if that helps. 
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