Union Pacific locomotive lights not coming on always

[arbasu]

Folks - I am new at these model trains.... I got a new Bachmann Union Pacific locomotive but the lights come on sometimes - rarely actually. What is wrong?

Thanks
A

[ABC]

Perhaps poor electrical contact.

[arbasu]

do you mean poor connection somewhere inside the locomotive? or on the tracks?

[FECfan]

im terrible at finding the problems (i usually cause the problems), but i think knowing a little more about the engine may be necessary to find the root of the problem

[ABC]

In other words your track could be dirty, the wheels may be dirty, etc. Sometimes, the track may not even appear that dirty, but especially with metals that are not as good of conductors, it can make a big difference.

[Jim Banner]

If the problem is dirty wheels or track, then the locomotive will be jerky as it moves along the track, on will not move at all.

If the light is incandescent, it could be a faulty filament - they sometimes break and tangle which can get them past testing.  But then vibration causes the broken ends to make and break contact.

If you are operating on DCC, you may have the decoder set for 14 speed steps and your DCC system set for 28 or 128 steps.  If this is the case, then the headlight goes on and off as you change speed.

Personally I would replace the bulb and go on from there.  Alternately, you might want to send it in on Warranty (if applicable) and let Bachmann do it for you.

Sometimes, the track may not even appear that dirty, but especially with metals that are not as good of conductors, it can make a big difference.

I assume you meant to say "... that are not as good conductors,..." or "...that do not conduct as well..."
But both would be wrong.  The conductivity of the metals involved has no bearing on how much the dirt affects performance as a simple analysis based on series resistances will quickly show.  Were you perhaps thinking that some metals get dirty faster than others, or perhaps that the surface finish of the metals  has a direct bearing on the effectiveness of a given amount of dirt?

Jim