Len, thanks for your help.  Everything looks good.  The train was running great, I turned it off and unplugged the controller.  About an hour later a friend stopped by and when we went to run the train, it was back to barely moving and only the light coming on.  Nothing had been touched except for unplugging and plugging back in the power.

I'm sorry to be such a pest but I am stuck.  I have cleaned everything again but am still not getting anything except a quarter of an inch movement in both directions.  Light still comes on.  I am afraid to take anything apart.  I live in a very rural area so a local train store isn't an option.  Should I just contact Bachmann and send it in for repair?  Do you have anything else I should try.  Thanks again.

Thanks again.  I'll keep at it!

I got the spring back in place and the train ran great, both directions.  I added the rest of the cars and ran it around the track several times.  I went back after about an hour and now I'm back to a small lurch forward and backward again.  I cleaned the track and the wheels, no joy.  What would be the next thing to try?  By the way, how did you know you had a dead spot in your track?  Thank you so much for your time and expertise.

I think part of the problem is a metal tab that is hanging up on the track. It is T shaped and is attached at the same place as the front wheels, You cannot view this attachment. I hope you can pick it out in the attached photo.  It appears to be bent.  I'm not sure where it should be.  Thanks again.

Thank you so much!  I will try everything and let you know what happens.  I'm so happy to get it moving even if it is backwards!

Thank you!  That helped quite a bit.  Now the train will go around the track in reverse but if I run it forward, it stops.  What could possibly cause that to happen?  I turned the train around on the track to see if that helped.  It still runs backward and hangs up on forward.

I am brand new to model trains.  I received a Durango Silverton set today and set it up.  The train ran about 2 feet and quit.  I cleaned the track, checked all the connections and tried again.  Now the train will only move about a quarter of an inch, forward and reverse.  The headlight comes on.  Any ideas of what to try next?  Thank you.