Need help with power loc track

Starman

New Member
I need some help and i hope someone can help me out,i have power loc track on my layout and the problem is that i can't get my loco to move on it.I have check it out with a voltage meter and i am getting power to the whole track and i also have a bumper at the end of a turnout and the light is on so i know that i am getting power to the track.I have taken it apart and i have useed cleaner on it but i still can not get my loco to run.I have another track which is bachman ez track and it will run fine on it but when i go back to the power loc track it just will not run.I have cleaned the loco and did what i could with it and still it will not run on that track.Please help me if you can i am new to this and i am getting very angry and don't know what else to do.:cry:
 

cidchase

Active Member
Hiya Starman,
Not to miss the obvious, are you measuring DC voltage on the track and not AC?
Possibly connected to the wrong terminals on the power pack.

What brand and type is it? Did this loco run before? Are you able to put it on a
test track at the LHS?

Is this loco maybe set up for DCC? Or have a DCC socket with no jumper plug
installed?

If it's not something simple like these, then you may have a pickup problem
(very common) between wheels and motor. Look for the little bronze wipers
which should be touching the back of some of the wheels, or otherwise picking
up power from wheels or axles.
 

Starman

New Member
Yes i think i was measuring dc instead of ac.What should the meter be set at to measure ac,i am not to good with the meter.the loco is not Dcc it is a life like loco.I did take the terminals off the power pac and they are on dc and i also took the entire track apart but i will try what you said.i also tried another loco on the same track and it just did a lot of jerking it would go a little ways then stop.Thank you for your help cid.
 

cidchase

Active Member
I guess I did not read your first post completely because you said it would run
OK on a different layout. That must indicate a track problem. Measuring DC on
your meter the selector should point to VDC or the flat line symbol(maybe a dashed
line under it). Measuring AC the selector should point to VAC or the sine wave symbol.

Sounds like it's just poor connections between the sections or at the point your
wire connects to the track. Is that track terminal a Life-Like component? Does
wiggling the wires or the track get any response? How much DC voltage can you
measure on the track? It's a puzzlement, alright:)
 

Starman

New Member
yes if i wiggle the wires it will act like it wants to move but if i take the loco and hold it up so the back trucks touch the track it will run but as soon as i put it on the track it does nothing.If i push the loco it will jump and then if i push the trucks on the back it will run.
 

Russ Bellinis

Active Member
The fact that another loco runs very jerky on the same track indicates that you are getting bad connections between the track sections.
 
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