I think that the resistance created from oils put on the track is, to some, negligible. However, it is there, minute as it may be, it's there.
I believe the benefit to those who use these oils, is more so as an oxidation inhibitor.
Less oxidation = less cleaning.
Because the track may require less maintenance, some might perceive that the oil they applied is "conductive".
When, in fact this is not the case.

Will other oils work equally as well (supposed) as Wahl oil?
Some of my home tests show excellent promise, none of which is truly conductive oil.
As I stated earlier, I am not an advocate of putting anything on the rail head.
However, I must say, I am growing fond of a product I am currently experimenting with.
The manufacturer (Sanchem®) claims it to be conductive grease.
I am more so looking to use it at contact points internally in locomotives, rather than on the rails. Although it was recommended to apply it to the railhead.

My earlier comment about using bulb grease...
I am testing this type product in axle point cups.
IMO it's a bit on the heavy side but I will see how it works out over time.
The Sanchem product is too light for this application.

If you like Wahl oil, great.
If you are pleased with it, hey, that's all that counts.

On my next visit to the LHS, I will look for the Labelle 105 and give it an equally fair shake.

I live less than 2 miles from the Gulf.
I guess I must be lucky.
I have never had a cleaning issue with my rail.
If someone is having an issue, as Jim suggests, with cleaning over and over again, to them, I would suggest polishing the railhead.

Most of your assumptions are correct Jim.
I have, in fact, conducted some home tests as you correctly assumed.

Please enlighten me as to the specific "conductive oils" you use.

Brand name? Where to buy?

Thanks.

Not to worry Jim, I won't drink the water.

Conductive lubricants.

How many are truly?
Has anybody really tried to measure the resistance of these products with an ohm meter?
Or are we just accepting hearsay from a manufacturer's claim, or worse yet, internet chatter?

Wahl clipper oil?
Conductalube?
WD-40?
Etc.

I understand a micro coat of oil will inhibit oxidation, both on the wheels and the track. This does not make it conductive

The supposed conductive lubricants from Atlas, Aero-Car, Bachmann, etc.?
Has anybody confirmed these claims using an ohm meter?

How about if you own some of these supposed conductive lubricants, you put them in a glass vessel and measure the resistance with an ohm meter?

How about posting your readings here publically?

Yes, don't kid yourself; I am fully aware of the lead content in glass. I understand many don't own Pyrex, or even know what it is.

Commercial glass will do in this test, just use the same vessel.

Better yet, just put your probes in the factory container. 

Conductive?

FWIW  I'm not in any of these camps, however, a fellow modeler at the club advocates automotive bulb grease, and I will give it a fair trail.

I remain skeptical.

Any takers?

I don't have a diagram but do have some pictures.
These are N scale but I would guess the HO version is the same.
These are also both right hand.
Note the way B'mann wired each and the orientation of the pinion to the position of the rack.

It would be nice to see B'mann implement a consistent wiring program across their product lines.

I have no clue as to what that part number refers to.
Perhaps a brief description might enlighten us enough to offer help?

Look to the left on your monitor screen and click "Service Department".

Good Luck.

Your right skipgear, and thanks for pointing me back to Mark's excellent site.

I dug up my oldest version and it's as shown above, whereas the pin is molded to the front truck.
This version came in the black and clear pivot jewel case and is embossed "Hong Kong" on the bottom.

The latest version I have, was included with the new split frame loco. It was a replacement from B'mann for the old 4-8-4 which was returned when it finally went south after many years of service (fried motor).
The drawbar on it is connected to the forward truck bolster and is independent of the truck. It looks like, for lack of better words, a child's "bubble blow wand" in miniature, whereas it has a notched eye on the forward end to fit on a pin on the rear of the loco.
This newer version is packaged in the same case as are all the new spectrum locos.
This version is embossed "China" on the bottom.

Thanks for making me fish for it, as I found some other items I have which I haven't seen for years.
I have been looking for a bash I made several years ago, and still haven't found it.
It may well be in the bottom of that same box.

Bill,

Again first things first.
Welcome to the hobby.

Glad to hear your trouble shooting was effective in this case.
I kind of figured you had the loco railed properly, and it just wouldn't move.
My reply was based on my same experience with this loco. I too, lost a rear traction tire giving me the same symptoms.
Yes, one missing traction tire will cause this.

If you can find the missing tire, great.
If not, a call to Bachmann will get you back up and running.

Before you put the tire back on, clean the grove, on the driver, using isopropyl alcohol on a Q-tip.
Some would advocate "dry brushing" paint on the driver immediately before putting the tire in place. This helps to form a seal to the driver.
I'm not sure if this is necessary when replacing the tire with a new one, but might be helpful if putting the old one back on.

Unfortunately, there are no books that extensively cover troubleshooting for every locomotive. Most of my knowledge, about the hobby, is derived from the school of hard knocks.

Check to see that the wheels of all your rolling stock spin as free as possible.

Again welcome to the hobby.

QuoteThe N-scale 4-4-0 has a reputation of being pretty finicky.

I agree with Tim here on this one; however I'm going to go at it from another direction.

You say

QuoteAll of a sudden I cannot get all the wheels of the locomotive on the track, even using the rerailer.

From this, I am going to assume that at one point you could re-rail it properly and the loco would in fact move down the track. Now, that does not "seem" possible as when you rail the loco it does not move.
Correct me if I am wrong.

First things first.
I would caution against using a rerailer with ANY traction tire loco, steam or diesel, and here's why.
As you push/drag the loco down the rerailer and onto the tracks the traction tire turns on the stationary driver. This action breaks whatever little seal there may be and, in effect, loosens it from the driver. This action alone is enough to "throw the tire".
If it hasn't already fallen off from the sliding action down the rerailer, it will soon after, from sliding it onto the track.
Look to see that all the traction tires are still on the drivers. There should be one on each, for a total of 4.

Second,
The wheels on the tender do not use a conventional axle
There are 2 trucks under the tender. The forward and rear wheel of each truck is tied together via a contact strip/spring assembly.
The tender wheels float freely from the axle mounts.
As of yet, I have not had mine apart.
If it's possible to gauge the tender wheels at all, it will require surgery.

The driver wheels are isolated from the hubs via a press fit (metal on plastic).
They, and the pony truck wheels, can be gauged in the normal fashion by gentle prying.
Be careful if you decide to do this, so as you do not mess up the quartering of the drivers.

The motor is in the tender and picks power from its own axles. A drive shaft joins the loco and tender turning the geared drivers.

In summary, check to see that you have all 4 traction tires and that they are properly in place.
Then, check the drive shaft.
Cradle the loco and tender upside down and apply power to the tender wheels, one left, and one right.
Listen for the motor, and observe that the loco driver wheels are in fact turning.

Try this, see what you have or have not.

I will comment further after you report back.

P.S.  All this, assuming you meant to say 4-4-0.

They are worth what someone is willing to pay.

Look on eBay to get a general idea.

B'mann did in fact make the single dome version in N scale. I don't know if they still do.
I have the "Dow" single dome in green paint.
That one is the only Bachmann tank car I own, so I can't speak as to the other liveries.

IIRC, It was included in a train set,  the "Empire Builder", I received roughly10 years ago.

If one would choose to use both Steel and Nickel Silver rails, on the same layout, I would recommend they were connected with an isolating (plastic) joiner.
Even without soldering them together, and using regular joiner, there would still be an electrochemical reaction at the joint. In time, conductivity between the two types will fail.

Something appears to be amiss with the drawbar.

Have you modified it?
Perhaps it's broken off short?
Did you shorten it for more realistic close coupling?

It may well be my old tired eyes seeing something that isn't.

Quote[I just realized the new spell checker is bilingual - English and American.  Ya gotta love it.

Oh... that's good.

Thanks Jim, for putting a smile on my face today.

QuoteIf you're using dissimilar rail type, I would caution soldering them together at the rail joints, but that is for another thread.

Does this mean different code rails - 70 to 83  or does it mean nickel silver to brass for examples? In addition, do you advocate soldering them together or NOT soldering them together?
Gene

Quoteno, there is no problem soldering different sizes of rail together that are made of the same metal. just make sure that the tops and inner edges of the rails are aligned.

I agree with this.

You raised one of my eyebrows Gene.
You allege being a former educator.

Might I suggest researching "Electrochemical reaction between contacts of dissimilar metals"?

Research the works and theory's of Abraham Bennett, also Volta, and Cavallo.

As I have stated many times on forums, modeling toy trains is not rocket science as many make it up to be.

I don't wish to be one of them, but you asked...

It's pretty simple... place the loco on the tracks; apply voltage, increase current, and the loco moves.
If this does not happen, well, that's fodder for forums like this one.
They ask for advice.

This is all well beyond the scope of the neophyte just getting started in the hobby.

FWIW I am not in the soldering camp for every section of track. I'm not sure why you would ask what I advocate.
Regardless, I solder a feeder to each section of flex track.

I'm an N scaler and each section of Atlas code 80 is just over 29 inches. In case you haven't noticed, I live in Florida, where changes in humidity, and temperature, must be considered. Not so much for the thermal expansion of the track, but rather the expansion and contraction of the benchwork, due to relative humidity.

Three lengths of flex is my limit.

Do me a favor Gene, do your research at the library rather than on the internet.

It appears, to me, to be a 16 wheel tender included with Bachmann's Northern 4-8-4.