Loco stopping at intersections

[Lon2020]

Stopping at intersection. I have R8221 Track pack A. Only Intersection on this track. Tried track continuity, alignment....any more tips please

[2e0dtoeric]

You don't say what the loco is!

I presume an 0 - 6 - 0 tank engine, in which case the probability is it is losing connection with the track as the wheels go onto the plastic frog of the points.

Check that the pick-ups that rub on the back of the sheels are really in contact on all wheels. As there are so few collectors on the short engines, it only needs one wheel to be not collecting volts, and the other on the plastic frog, and it all comes to a stop.

[Lon2020]

 Thank you for helping. What are pickups and sheels. me new to all this :(

[Rog RJ]

Sheels is a typo, it should be wheels.

 

The pickups are small metal contacts that are a brassy colour that touch the backs of the wheels to collect power.

[Lon2020]

 Sound where are the pickups....not sure I have these

[LCDR]

 All locomotives should (and I do mean 'should') pick up current from at least two points on the wheelbase, usually the leading and trailing driving wheels. The current picked up then travels to the motor to make it go.  Some locomotives use the metal chassis to take the current from the wheel to the motor but others use a seperate set of wires especially if the chassis is made of plastic. To prevent short circuits wheels on one side are insulated from the axles by a fibre or plastic bush insered into the centre of the wheel. To catch the electricity and take it to the wires there will be a device called a pick up, which consiste of a phosphor-bronze strip or a springy wire insulated from the chassis. The strip presses on the inside of the wheel at the metal rim, known on railway wheels as flanges.

 

Dirt is your enemy. It builds up on the tread of the wheel and between the pick up and the wheel flange. Many people use IPA on a cotton bud to clean the treads. Don't forget however to examine the pick up and make sure that all of them make firm contact with the flange AND there is no build up of dirt on them either.

 

The pick up can be connected to the motor by a wire, sometimes soldered or by a spade connector that clips over a finger of phosphor bronze.  If this wire becomes detached the train will not go.

 

Check out the service sheet for your model in the Help and Advice section of this site to see an exploded diagram of these components.

[Lon2020]

 Hi I have checked the track and its fine. Its a new track and train. On Top top speed stops seldon but does stop 1 in 10 rounds but when slowed down stopping this point 5 in every 10 rounds.....Not sure what else to look out for...track looks clean and wheels. tks for all the support so far

 

 

[The son of Triangman]

Sounds like a contact problem, is the pointwork laid level, use of a spirt level will confirm whether the pointwork is laid flat correctly. If the model continiues to give problems and is brand new then I would contact Hornby customer services, it may be that your loco has a fault, as it's new it will be under warranty so I wouldn't be tempted to do any "repairs" to the loco as this might void your warranty.

Is your layout a permanently pinned down one, if so have a look at the pointwork and track to see it it is laid down correctly and also fishplates(the bits that joint the rails together) near the problem area.