Trouble Shooting | DC Power Packs | How Your Train Works

How DC Controls Work For YOUR Model Train

If you ever run across a situation where your model train or trains don't run… it's wise to have the knowledge of how your train works under your belt.

The first course of understanding is that electricity is your juice or the origin of your power.

That being said, if you hook up your pack, twist the knob and give the steam whistle a toot, but the engine just sits there, your first recourse is to check all electrical connections starting with the one in your wall.

If all is well at your wall connection, you'll want to follow the power cord to it's power pack and be on the lookout for slits, cuts, breaks, exposed wires, etc… all these things can cause your power pack not to receive the electrical impulses that make your layout come alive.

Say all is well at the connections you observe… then it's time to move to the next quality inspection. Your power pack has a lead the travels from your dc power pack, along a cord to the track or rail. Note that the current only travels to on of the two rails.

At this rail, the current travels from the one rail through to your trains wheels. From the wheels it traverses the locomotive only to find its self sitting face to face with your engines motor. Upon entering the motor the current feeds life generating forces into the motor and wheels start to turn. Once your motor is in motion the current travels to the second rail and back to the power pack.

If your wheels are unclean to such to a degree that fine electrical impulses can't find there destination, then your locomotive could conceivably suffer form lack of power or no power!

This is why it's always a good Idea to clean your wheels and the track before and after long runs.

By following these simple steps you'll most likely find your problem. If you continue to have issues with power you may want to test you power pack with a multi meter and also check your engines electrical motor for dirt or foreign objects binding gears into submission.

More Posts From Classy Model Trains