Shay Faltering...

[Anubis]

Hello all, 

I have just finished the conversion of my Bachmann HO Shay into an On30 version, using the Boulder Valley Gilpin Kit. It looks great, and runs well, now that I have ironed out a few initial gremlins.

My concern however, is that as it traverses one of my Peco Electrofrog tunouts, it momentarily loses speed, and supplies current to any locomotive that is standing on that branch line. This causes the stationary loco to move forward a few (actual) inches, and then stop, as the Shay picks up speed again. 

It is the only loco in my On30 fleet to cause this anomaly, so I would assume that the problem lies within the Shay wiring.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this? 

Many thanks.

[Joe Satnik]

Shot-gunning here. 

Could be a few things.

1.) Mechanical dimensions. 

a.) Wheel profile too wide.
b.) Loco out of gauge.
c.) Turnout out of gage/guard rails out of spec.
d.) Bottom of shay truck touching frog or frog rail.

Do you own an NMRA track and wheel gauge?  HO dimensions apply to On30.

2.) Peco frog external electrical switch miswired.  Check unpowered with ohm-meter.

3.) Gap closed between frog and frog rails.  Check unpowered with ohm-meter.

4. Bad wiring/ bad pickups inside shay.  Check unpowered with ohm-meter.

If you find something wrong, fix it.   

If not, set up with power pack and locos again.  I assume shay traveling points end to main route end. 

Measure the DC voltage on the stock rails (points end) before and during the slow down. 

Measure the voltage on the branch as the loco goes by. 

Measure the voltage on the main line end before, during, and after  the slow down.

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik