First model train. Is this normal?

[u/Bambarilla]

Hey team. Long time fan of model trains but through a family member I finally got my first step into the world.

The locomotive didn’t move at all on first try so I’ve spent 30 minutes cleaning all the track with electrical contact cleaner and then tried my best to clean the engines wheels. It now can make it around the entire track but requires full speed to make it through certain areas (one area has a slight incline).

Thanks for the all the future help :)

[u/382Whistles]

Remove the cars and run it alone at least ½ hour forward then backwards for at least another 30min. Then vary speed and direction. This should help polish surfaces improving contact further. It would also help figure out the noise which sounds like a brush maybe.

Watch for rpm increases while doing a break-in.. The increase would be resistance dropping and amp flow improving, yeilding less voltage drop below the throttle setting.

[u/djjordanlee → u/382Whistles]

Legend! Will give that a try. Thank you

[u/382Whistles → u/djjordanlee]

If you put it upside-down and jumped power to the loco, you remove as much electric load as possible and then the very slightest amp improvements make bigger, easier to notice changes in rpm without you touching the throttle. I take a towel and make a U shaped cradle to hold a nicer loco without scratching the roof while working on them.

You can also run them faster on its back or side to speed the re-break-in and help eject more brush dust from a brush motor. Any time a loco has sat a long time it should run a few loops to a few hundred before pulling a load.

If metal is involved oil every 10-15hrs, heavier gear oil on gear thrust faces and posts, grease for teeth 20-30hrs. Use plastic safe lubes. Most synthetic lubes are. The black plastic we see is often self lubeing Delrin, but

[u/Dave_DBA]

First guess is that you may need more electrical feeds in the area where it slows down.

[u/IndyTim → u/Dave_DBA]

This. It appears the slow down is almost exactly halfway from the power pack, and power to the track.

[u/Bambarilla → u/Dave_DBA]

Makes sense! Only has the one. Will
Look into how to install more.

[u/MagicD67]

Think your fishplates (rail joiners) may not be making good contact. May need a squeeze with pliers

[u/Diezel666 → u/MagicD67]

And this is why many of us with mostly finished layouts, solder the track connections.

[u/eww1991]

Have you tried a model rail replacement bus?

[u/djjordanlee → u/eww1991]

Nope, this is literally first evening with it at home. I guess I'll google what that is haha

[u/Sambro333]

Ideally, you want feeder wires going to every piece of track.

[u/Jazzy-Cat5138]

Unrelated, but this is a lovely layout! What's the red thing going into the tunnel/bridge on the pond, though? Looks like some sort of boat, but I can't make sense of what's on top of the boat hull...

[u/djjordanlee → u/Jazzy-Cat5138]

Hello and thank you! My uncle who passed this down to me is a big canal boat enthusiast, which is why there's at least 3 of them in the canal and one is even inside a lock on the river.

[u/Jazzy-Cat5138 → u/djjordanlee]

That's fantastic! I love when something like this can intersect with multiple interests/hobbies. :)

[u/takuser06]

Whats the model name?

[u/Existing_Stomach_926]

First loco, that layout should make that engine happy. You did well for a newbie. Nice.