expanding thoroughbred set, in trouble!!!

[Johnson Bar Jeff]

he is 5 but only runs it under his dad's supervision, he is maticulous about setting the train cars on the track properly and coupling them together.

Sounds like a real budding model railroader. 

I think it was really nice of you to do this for the little guy. I'm sorry you're having this frustrating experience. I think expanding to a second loop of track, with it's own power source, and more cars, will be your best bet. With two loops of track he can do what I did when I wasn't much older than he is now: race the engines against each other. ... 

[ct03si]

went back to the hobby shop today, bit the bullet and got another set, the same one actually.  brought it to the hospital and set up the old one to see what was wrong, it looks like the box is fried they run extremely slow and often need a push start, so i swapped the box and tried both of the original trains (one at a time and slow) they both semed to run fine. so now he has 2 full setups and 3 locomotives but only 1 working control box. atleast this way if something else goes there are extras and he has twice at much track now. it seemed logical, instead of $30+ for a box alone i got the whole set for $60