I just fiished putting shelves up around my son's room for a thomas o guage train. WHen I run the train, it only starts at the track where the energy box is connected and only runs a track or two before stopping. ANy idea what would cause this? It goes in reverse and forward and stops after one or two tracks where the power box is at.
Thank you.
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quick edit to the above post.. the train will run on the track where the power box/transformer connects to and then to the two tracks connected to the right and left side. This train ran on the ground. I didn't try it on the ground after i bought all the new tracks to run it around the room.
thank you in advance.
So, any chance that your track arrangement on the shelves contains either an insulated/missing track pin (tubular track) or a 5" section of block track (FasTrack with a gap in one rail) on either side of the area it operates normally??
We (LHS) occasionally run into this with our customers running trains seasonally, especially if they had those gapped pieces of FasTrack that are included in Accessory Activation, Crossing Flashers, Crossing Gates/Flashers, etc. sets. When these seasonal layouts are taken down, and the gapped pieces thrown into a box with other track, they often end up causing 'Electric Hystericosis' on the part of the customer. In many....not all...cases, having them search for and replace these elusive pieces in their new track arrangement solves the mystery. We suggest visibly marking these special pieces in some way if they are to be used seasonally.
Alternatively, you might try adding additional feed wires...keeping them oriented to be assured that the power and common leads are wired to the same rail, respectively, throughout the loop. This has the additional advantage of ensuring balanced power to the entire loop....reducing the train's tendency to slow down in areas opposite the primary feed point.
If it turns out to not be that simple, I suggest inviting a local O3R club member over to help sleuth the problem.
FWIW, always...
KD
I do have 2 pieces of 5 inch track. Let me ask this, there are some sections of the track that aren't connecting correctly. When I push one side in, it pulls out another side. Would this affect the portions of the track that are connected correctly? if it would, I'm not sure why two sections connecting to the track with the power supply cord are working.
Without photos or a drawing, I'm making some broad assumptions here....
The first is that this is an around-the-room loop, where opposite walls are equal and straight (without closet, window, door, etc. obstructions). If this is NOT the case, photos or a drawing would help.
But if the first assumption is correct, then you should have equal lengths of straight track on opposite walls, and the corner radii must be the same, 90-degrees for each one. lOW, those two 5" pieces?....either you have one on each opposite wall, or you have them both on one wall with a compensating 10" piece on the opposite wall.
The 'push here...pops out there' comment strikes me as an imbalance in track lengths....trying to force-fit a connection that is not mathematically correct. Here, again, knowing the exact track arrangement, dimensions, etc., would help.
Meanwhile, did you happen to check those 5" pieces for a gapped rail?
And we are talking Lionel FasTrack, aren't we?
KD
I would gladly invite a member over if anyonne is in the columbia, sc area. I have little knowledge of this.
I do have it running in one direction about 1/4 around the room now. it still is't all the way connected with parts un connected.
If anyone is in or near columbia, sc. Please let me know. i would gladly pay someone to help me finish this thing up.
THis is Lionel.
ARound the room loop opposite equl walls. Two walls at 11.5 feet and 2 at 10. Track is going above window structures and door molding.
Yo! Columbia, SC O3R-loving denizens! The man needs help!
I'm in Meeeeshigan. I'd be there in a phone call and arranged time, but.....!
...............
Take heart. I'm confident a forumite will come to your aid!
i'm not sure what you mean by a gap in the 5 inch pieces, but i dont see anything unusual about those pieces.
A picture (or two) is worth a thousand words.....
thank you for those pictures. I will take a double check. I am going to try to add a couple 10 inch pieces tomorrow to the long walls. we will see.
Check the 5 inch pieces first and ensure all pieces of Fastrack are snug. From what you described, it sounds like you have your transformer plugged into the track at one spot and that's it right?
If that's the case, you may need to run a bus wire around and have one feeder connection on each wall section. The electricity will only travel so far on the rails and if you're using a stock 35 or 40 watt Lionel transformer, it's probably not pushing enough power to feed all of your track.
If running a bus wire isn't something you want to mess with, try running another set of wires from your transformer to the opposite side of wall from where your original connection point is. This way you have power running to most of the track.
I'm new at this, but also built a shelf train in my 15X15 office and ran into this same problem. Once I ran the bus wire, my issue was solved.
Here is a Lionel video about a LionChief set at 3 minutes is the track assembly demo. Then, at 25 minutes the trouble shooting begins.
I would suggest what TrainguyMcgee is telling you. The wall pack power supply included is not intended for use with more than the track that is included with the set.
On page 35 of the (linked here )Track & Power catalog, there is the optional 4 amp wall pack LionChief power supply. You should consider one of these before going crazy. it would be the simplest option.
There are other transformers that you can use and wiring workarounds, but I understand that you just want the train run around the shelf layout.
So, make sure that you have all of the track connected tightly. Any location where Thomas isn't making steam sounds may not have power. if the red light is not on at the terminal track, then something is shorted.
perhaps this shop in West Columbia will have the 4 amp wall pack
would the fact that the power supply is too weak have anything to do with the train not running past the first couple tracks? Even with a weak amp, shouldnt it run a ways before stopping.
Thank you for all the help. I will go to that shop.. i just got my 5 inch tracks from that shop.
stupid question, but does the 4 amp wall pack plug into the orgiginal tranformer somewhere? I just looked at the orginal transformer and didnt see where it hooks in at.
Brendan posted:Gaps in middle
Bottom
Brendan
Hi Brendan, where did you get the ends to the jumper wires in your picture; what gauge wire did you use?
Thanks,
The ends that fit fastrack lugs are from Digi-Key part no A100914CT-ND. The picture above is how it comes from Lionel - already wired. I think it is 22 ga wire
Brendan
Brendan posted:The ends that fit fastrack lugs are from Digi-Key part no A100914CT-ND. The picture above is how it comes from Lionel - already wired. I think it is 22 ga wire
Brendan
Thanks a bunch Brendan!
Chiper777 posted:would the fact that the power supply is too weak have anything to do with the train not running past the first couple tracks? Even with a weak amp, shouldnt it run a ways before stopping.
Thank you for all the help. I will go to that shop.. i just got my 5 inch tracks from that shop.
I am sorry, has family stuff goin on - I should have asked you which set that you have - what is the set part number? or - how are you powering the track?
the LionChief terminal track has a female jack with a red indicator light.
I assumed that you had the LionChief set -
i have the transformer with the green light. I have tried some bus lines and I'm not having much success getting that to work. The guy told me the lines would save me money but he could sell me a 120 volt transfromer that would work. I'm about to just pay the money for the other transformer and give that a try.
i have taken the track down and I'm testing the tracks on the floor/carpet. It will occasionallly not run, but when I push the tracks down with my hand, that helps the engine to run. Any idea what would cause this? I have now run two bus lines to the track along with the original transformer for more power.
adding to the above post, when I run a lower number of tracks and the original transformer, it works fine on the carpet.
Fastrack is notorious for the center pin not carrying electrical load between sections.
You've got loose connections in the pins. Squeeze the open nonpin track ends just enough so the other track pins slide in snug.
If this will be a permanent layout then it's best to solder each section.
Obviously a chore if you have all 10 inch straights and shorter.
Also do yourself a huge favor and pick up an inexpensive digital multimeter from lowes, home depot, etc. This is integral for checking good electrical conductivity.
i have it up on teh shelf and am having to push down some of the tracks to keep it going. Also, sometimes, when I start pushing the track down, the engine starts going in the opposite direction. wow wow wow.
Chiper777 posted:i have it up on teh shelf and am having to push down some of the tracks to keep it going. Also, sometimes, when I start pushing the track down, the engine starts going in the opposite direction. wow wow wow.
it goes in the opposite direction because it is supposed too. because when power is removed and reapplied it goes into reverse. you need get it going in the forward direction and push the switch under the roof to the opposite position
thank you. good to know the train isn't messed up.
i ran a line to one wall and it was working a little better, when i ran a second line (from the original transformer) to the other wall, the green light starting blinking when I tried to run the engine and the transformer began by making an odd sound. Could that be too many wires running to the original transformer? What is a transformer I could by that would give me enough power for the entire room.. 10x10x11x11 room.
Maybe.
A wall wart is also a transformer, just a small one.
Some transformers are larger in size but may or may not have a greater output.
The output is actually on the wall wart if you read it closely.
They may contain a variety of terms (ac,dc, amp, watt, volt amp(va), etc) but as a group let you know "how powerful" it is, and ac or dc output.
Bottom line is, "people seldom complain about too large a power supply". The only down side of extra watts/amps is there might be enough juice to jump track a little easier. The solution is less throttle.
....except if it doesn't fit well on the control table then they complain, lol
So if you buy, buy with overkill for at least mild expansion in mind.
(I lined my ceiling shelf with lionel street lights for a very cool "nightlight effect". Those extra lamps use more transformer power (amps/watts.)
Find out what transformer model the store is pushin and list it here.
Part numbers are everything when it comes to help being fast and accurate.
You are just haveing connection problems. A little time and experience looking and the connections and this will pan out for you. A tab bent here, a line squeezed there and you will likely be fine. Some folks get luckier than others is all.
On the bus shorting out(light). You may have to reverse the wires on one of the feeds.
Your greatest tool right now is moving track around for achiving a proccess of elimination. In the end, you may have a piece or two of bad track too.
As you test, the loop need not be complete either.
You can run point to point, backwards and forwards to get "there and back" like real shortline RR might.
At 10x11 squared, Id think about going 80 watt AT LEAST with a bus line too. (a CW80? likely what the store is trying to sell) The more "drops" (extra feeds) from the bus to the track the better.
Many folk ad a drop every 3-4 track sections on permenant layouts (which on a shelf, is you) (you can tap into any track with the right effort). The more drops the less bad track connections matter.
A ten dollar meter for ohm, volts(ac&dc),and amps is a tool that you cant grow your knowledge with.
Don't be afraid to ask about ANYTHING....like fyi, " LHS" meant Dan is at a Local Hobby Shop.
(Sorry, but " energy box" gave your novice statús away more than anything. lol)
Heck, even a super cheapie beats nothing ($1-5 analog meter)
Or even a test light make it easier (12v or 18v bulb & scrap wire)
ok, let's begin again - so, do you have this Thomas set 6-31956 , and Thomas is a transformer controlled engine?
and you have this transformer - CW-40 PowerMax with only one set of terminals for the track?
You need to be able to strip wire and crimp connectors or solder wires to the tracks. Visit a home store or auto store and get
Make a loop all the way around the room of each color of wire and then finish by bringing enough off of the shelf to the location of the transformer.
Strip the wire ends at the transformer and connector the Red to the red and the Black to the black terminal.
Next, at the center of each wall cut a short length of each color wire and strip one end. Connect the other end to the big loop using the tap splice connector.
Now connect those ends to a track with a crimp terminal or solder.
This is a track power bus with pairs of track supply feeds.
moon, that is the transformer i have. Yes. I don't want to run any wires if possible. Can i buy one or two of the 4 amp power supply by Lionel to power this track?
Chiper777 posted:moon, that is the transformer i have. Yes. I don't want to run any wires if possible. Can i buy one or two of the 4 amp power supply by Lionel to power this track?
No.
The wall pack supplies are DC output for the LionChief remote operated engines. Do you have a LionChief Thomas?
Why not run wires? They are on top of the shelf near the wall and will not be seen.
The wire is the least expensive option for a solution.
Improving the power distribution is what helps solve or overcome troublesome rail connections or an undersized transformer.
Well, if you make a set of track power feeds from the transformer out of 16awg or 14awg wire you will see an improvement over the set included track power wires for the terminal track.
You have a transformer intended for use with 10 feet of track and there is possibly a shaky track connection or two.
You need power distribution wiring even with a CW-80 or a Z-1000 transformer. Those are double the wattage of the one that you have and still may not overcome other existing problems.
thank you for the responses. i'm going to a model train club meeting tomorrow night and try to see if anyone is interesting in doing this for some money. Half of this is a foreign language to me. I'd rather pay someone some money to do it after reading all of this. tap splice connector and all of this is foreign to me.
chipper,
I understood that you just wanted it to work. It is easy to understand why you would think that it should. I noticed there was a train club near you. Someone will help you.
pay attention and learn some basics. Playing with electric trains does require a few basic tools.
We all learned by getting stuck at some point.
I am sure that you'll be up and running soon. I didn't know anyone close to you. I will be in Surfside Beach next month, but still too far away from you.
Keep us posted how it all turns out.
I'll do it. Thank you for all your help.
im back trying this again. would using .157 female crimp disconnect connectors work instead of .110? Also, my primary wire doesn't say AWG, i am assuming that is ok.
Thanks
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