Help please

[PVD]

Wondering if someone can advise on what I can do to get my train set up and and running for my gran kids.  I have a Marklin track that I had as a kid back in the 50s.  I have laid it down on a board and it looks great. My old loco a 69567 was to damaged to run so I purchased a used replacement and it worked fine but when I hitched it up to 2 coaches it struggled to pull them. I am not sure but believed the problem to be the fact that the wheels are  difficult to turn when I manually try to turn them?  I checked all the working parts out by stripping them and replacing them correctly Now I can't even get a  spark off the  rails when I put the loco on the track. The transformer seems to be working okay and all connections seem to be soldered okay on to the track. Ideally I would like to get the set up and running for xmas so be grateful to receive any advice that may help

[RDS]

Hi PVD and welcome to the Forum,

I am not sure what you mean " I can't even get a spark off the rails", because the last thing you actually want is a spark off the Rails!

 

It is not normal to be able to turn the wheels easily (if at all), manually on a Loco due to the gearing.  With the Loco being second hand, there could be a few reasons why it would not pull a couple of coaches, such as very worn Brushes or lack of Lubrication or are you saying that now that you have had it all apart, it will not run at all?

[Chrissaf]

If your track has been in storage and unused since the 1950's as your post infers, then the track will at the very least be tarnished, it may even have traces of rust on it, if it's of the steel variety. Dirt and grime are the enemy with regard to passing electrical current from the controller to the loco motor. All aspects of the electrical path must be clean, particularly where the electrical path is reliant on physical mechanical contact such as wheels on rails. The electrical pickups on the wheels must also have good clean contact with the wheels.

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When you say the wheels are stiff and won't turn, do you mean the loco or the wagons. As RDS said above, the loco wheels are not meant to turn by hand. To force them could damage the gears. The wagon wheels on the other hand should turn freely and spin several turns when flicked.

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You probably just need to give your track a thoroughly good clean. The wheels will probably benefit from a good clean as well, plus some light lubrication. The metal track joiners must be clean and fit tightly, loose connections will affect loco traction.

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Click this link below and review the track cleaning and lubrication sections of the linked documentation.

https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/hornby-christmas-guide

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If you have taken the loco apart and put it back together and now it won't run. Something you have done has broken the electrical circuit between the wheels and motor within the loco.

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With the loco body off the chassis, you could take a pair of wires from your controller output (controller set at mid way speed position), touch the two wires across the motor (one wire each side of the motor) and the motor should spin. Follow the path of the wires back towards the wheel pickup contacts, testing the motor by touching the controller wires on contact positions (soldered joints etc) as you find them in the path of the loco wiring. What you are trying to achieve as the end result is the motor spinning and wheels turning when you touch the controller wires on the wheels. This assumes an old style loco without any internal circuit boards such as for lights etc, that has simple wiring.

[LCDR]

 Marklin used to be unique stud contact rail track system  and Hornby Dublo 69567 was a three rail EDL17 0-6-2T N2 with centre pickup which might run on it, although not ideal.combination unless the loco was fitted with a Marklin skate. The OP doesn't say whether the replacement is also 3 rail, or a proper Marklin, or a 2 rail loco.  The problem may be that he is trying io operate a 2 rail loco on a three rail system. Just a thought?

[96RAF]

Also if the replacement loco was new as stated and has since been dismantled the warranty is invalid so unfortunately you wont be able to take it back to complain.

 

welcome to the forums by the way.

[walkingthedog]

He said the replacement was used not new. 

[trainlover23]

 Ah well a little knowledge is dangerous he states he has Maerklin track which is THREE RAIL and their locos use 16v AC. He also states he tried loco 69567 which I think was the number of the old Hornby Dublo THREE RAIL loco. This would run on Maerklin track if a 12V DC controller was used. My bet is that he has bought a new loco not realising that it is a TWO RAIL 12V DC one 

[Sultan]

If the loco you are trying to run is a Hornby Dublo loco and you have stripped it down, including the motor, you will have damaged the magnets in the motor.  For some reason I dont understand this is quite a common phenomenon and you will need to get the motor/magnets re magnetised.

Hopefully I am wrong.

[VESPA]

I think that the 16v Ac and 12v Dc is the problem and the motor may now be goosed.

[PVD]

Thanks for all your valued comments and advice much appreciated.  It is a 3 rail as I mentioned and it is just the locomotive  when i mentioned the  wheels being stiff when manually trying to turn them. I did  clean the rails and ensured the rail linkages had good contacts. I also lubricated Loco parts.The Loco ran perfectly well before I decided to strip it down, thinking it would free the wheels and make  it easier to pull the coaches.I feel rather stupid now after consulting your expert advice. However I'm determined to get the system up and running. I guess it's a series of elimination so back to the drawing board. What I meant by the sparks was just the contact with the middle rail when the control dial is slightly turned and the Loco should start to slowly move. I reckon the fault lies with the Loco since my bodged up efforts to rectify an issue that didn't exist.Looks like It may be best to purchase a replacement. For the record the transformer make is a Triang P5 with DC & AC outlets.  I connected to the 12 VDC controlled outlet?. There is  also a 15 VAC outlet on the controller. Do you guys reckon this is compatible with my set up attempts? I am also  going to do what Chrissaf advises in his reply post 

I'm new to this hobby and up to now have enjoyed trying to get the set up and running, however frustrated in my lack of knowledge to date. Hopefully I'll have it all sorted for Xmas !!