I did end up picking up the Canadian National #4722 - GP38-2 it's a Diesel Loco. Wow it does have a lot more pulling power and I can clean my track while improving my 2-6-0 to see if can get that one pulling better.

I will have a look at all the other cleaning options thanks for all the posts.

Mark

Your so right Jeff. I was on the verge of just packing the whole set up as no one at the store could help me out. I was ready to give up on my dream of having a train hobby. I was so lucky to come across this posting and have people like Jerry comment a great fix. Now just in the past few weeks have continued to grow my layout and even bought a new Engine so I can pull my cleaning car.

Lol nice reply D. I like your thought process. Funny I have already started that process.

Jbrock I am running a 2-6-0 steam locomotive and tender from the Bachmann HO 00711 Liberty Bell Special Starter Set.

I was looking at the Canadian National #4722 - GP38-2 it's a Diesel Loco.

Mark

Great Topic guys.

Since i am fairly new to the train hobby. I just purchased my first cleaning car. It is a light box car with the replaceable pad on the bottom. It sits under the carwith springs so it ca move with the track. What I am noticing is that my engine has trouble pulling it. Even just the engine and tender with the cleaning car. The engine seems to spin out and is having a lot of trouble pulling this cleaning car at all.

Do you think my Engine is just not powerfull enough? I have been looking at buying a new engine to test. Before i spent more money I though I would ask.

Mark

Trainz

I had a similar problem with a new set I just recieved for Christmas. I had another post and got a great Idea from Jerry. Check to see if you have a hump on your gear cover. Once I filed this down a little I got instant results. Here is what Jerry said to me:

Myran

I believe your loco is hovering on the frog because the hump on the wheel cover is dragging on the frog. See this next post and scroll down to Jonathans pic.

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,26153.0.html
Although this is for the 0-6-0 the 2-6-0 is the same .

Look closely at the pilot wheels and make sure they are not jumping the rails also, you may have to add a little weight to them.


Jerry

I hope this is a fix for you too. I know It was a real pain with a new Train not working.

Mark

Wow I came home and filed that hump a little and perfect. My train now continues arround the track and in both turn outs perfectly. Thank you so much Jerry I would never thought that the hump on the train was doing it. I was focused on the turnouts.

Mark

Thanks Jerrys HO that sounds like it is something to check. That wheel cover is something I never looked at. I have checked for burs on the switch and don't feel anything. It just looks like the engine is lifting and that could be that cover. I will test that tonight.

Thanks for the comments Doneldon. Defiantly areas to have a look at. I don't believe it's a dirty track issue. I have a cleaning car and checked with my finger if I have any build up yet. The train and track is only 2 weeks old.

I will let you know!

I am new to the whole model train hobby. I just got a new Bachmann Liberty Bell Special train set. It worked great out of the box. I decided to add a few things to my track layout. I bought some more EZ track and also bought a Left and Right turn out. I set this up on a piece of 4 x 8 plywood and had an oval and now with the turn outs a circle inside the oval. As soon as I started going around the tracks and playing with the switches on the turn outs I started to get derailments. I tested with cars attached, just engine and tender and Engine by it self. It seemed to be the worse with just the engine and not the tender. On closer inspection and a really slow speed I noticed that the Engine would hover over the tracks and with more speed it would finally continue. Sometimes the engine would even stop and loose power other times it would hover and with more power it would finally move again. I would have to power off and manually back it up then power back on. Once past the new turnouts the train does not seem to have any issues.


Mark