Train is a no go. Symptoms change constantly

That’s a CW 80

Which version is this?  Lionchief?  Conventional?  

Sorry to hear of your problem.

Disconnect the transformer from the track. Unplug it from the wall output, wait a few seconds, and plug it back in. If the light still blinks on the transformer, it is bad.

If the light does not blink, hook it back up to your track. Remove all trains from the track. If the light blinks, there is a short in the track. Remove one section of track at a time until the light stops blinking. The last section of track removed is bad.

If the transformer and track check good, put the trains on the track one at a time. If the light starts to blink, the last car you put on is bad.

Larry

That’s just it. Sometimes the transformer blinks when it’s not connected to track and sometimes it’s a good steady green light. I will however follow your procedure and let you know. Also the transformer rattled a little when you plug it in but then stops after a while. I do realize this is the fan but the fan does work.  Here’s what happens sometimes. Plug in the transformer.  Fan rattles a bit then stops. Green light is blinking. I try the train an hour later, still no go and blinking. 3 hours later the train runs perfect, green light stops blinking and whistle blows perfect????   

Okay Larry I did just as you said and here’s my results. Unpluged transformer from both track and wall. Waited a few minutes then plug the transformer into wall but not connected to track. The green light was blinking. Decided to test the amps on the transformer again (train & track hook up NOT accessories. With lever push up it read 14.6.  (All cars and engine were off the track). I first hooked back up to the track, green light still blinking. Put just the engine on and it started moving the engine and the green light stopped blinking. Added one car at a time with no major disturbances. The green light did slightly flicker a couple times but the train never lost any power. 
Now I guarantee tomorrow, after it’s been unplugged all night, it will not run for the first couple hours after it’s plugged back in. Then I fidget with everything again and finally it will go. I do know that the smoke unit could possibly be shorting something out so I turned it off. Every time I try to turn the smoke on it does cause shorting. I have ordered a new smoke piece. Judy