Hello. I have a 0/27 train setup that I'm installing in a room which I plan on converting to a home bar area.
I purchased all new quick connect tracks for the entire length of the rail track. However the train loses power at most of the track sections. (I confirmed this is with a volt meter). I used lionel track cleaning fluid to clean all track pieces which helped some but still sections of the track does not work. I'm assuming the individual tracks are losing power at the connections to each other. Is there any way of cleaning these better to get track power? or is there any inserts that I could use at the power connectors to make it connect better?
Any help is greatly appreciated.
Thank you and have a great day.
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Welcome to the forum!
It looks like you are using Lionel FasTrack sectional track. There may be problems with some of the sections of track. With your voltmeter, start at the terminal section and measure voltage at both ends of that track. Now work your way around the layout checking the voltage at both ends of every track section. When you get to a section that has voltage at one end and not the other, that section is bad. Take it out and replace it with another good section. Do this on all track sections until you have gone around the layout. You may have more than one bad section of track.
On each bad section, turn the track upside down and follow the rails and wiring from one end to the other, checking continuity of all 3 rails with an ohmmeter. You should be able to find and repair any bad sections. If not, or the track is new, return it to place of purchase for an exchange.
Larry
Thank you Larry. I was thinking of adding a power connection to the other side of the track and connecting it to the main transformer considering there also might be a voltage drop since the track is long. Is this advisable?
It is advisable to have 2 or more power connections to the track on a large layout to better distribute power.
Your previous post seems to indicate that you may have bad sections of track causing loss of power at various points in the layout. These track sections need to be repaired/replaced. Do not just add additional power connections to solve your problem. Repair or replace all bad track sections first, then you can add additional power connections.
Larry