Lego 12V trains - bad contact between engine and tracks

[taduri]

Hello...

I'm new here. I've recently purchased 3 Lego 12v trains, tracks, crossings, remote points and remote signals, via eBay.

All three engines suffer from bad contacts between their two-pair copper (or is it coal?) contacts and the metal tracks.

Trying to clean both the tracks as well as the copper contacts doesn't yield too much; the engines runs a few inches at best before stopping and requiring a manual push, which may help for a few more inches or a few millimeters only.

When sanding the copper contacts in order to clean them, they become shorter, which only worsens the situation.

The engines themselves are a solid block of plastic and can not be open (a friend had told me they were "ultrasonically glued".

Has anyone dealt with such a problem? What are the possible solutions for this problem?

Thanks :-)

taduri

[Andy Glascott]

Hi and welcome,

It's not unusual for 12v motors to take some time to "warm up". I have several motors, all at least 20 years old, and if I don't run them for more than a week they stutter a lot. Turn the power on, each time the motor stops give it a little push and be patient. It may take 10 minutes for a train to run without stopping. Each time it goes round your layout it should run a bit further between stops.

Hope that helps,

Andy

[JopieK]

Yups, 25 years ago that was also the solution. I now run all my trains on RC or 9V so don't have that problem anymore but that is the problem and the solution...

[LEGO Guy Bri]

After some searching, I found this: 12V Train Motors. I don't have any 12V but, I did skim through this and it might provide some help. Best of luck and welcome to EB!

Edited November 29, 2011 by Leg Godt Gud

[gwilisandt]

.

Edited February 4, 2015 by gwilisandt

[lightningtiger]

Okay, now the electronics tech steps up to the plate......Silvo, yep Silvo polish (Silver polish) or perhaps a brass/metal polish then rub WD-40 on the tracks and connecting points after polishing with said metal polishes. It's what we do in the service trade to clean switch/relay contacts especially if we can afford to lose contact surface too much.

Good luck with it 'taduri'.

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

When you buy old used inner tracks you have to clean this pieces with Sidol, than you can wash them with water and soap, dry with compressed air and than use alcool to complete your cleaning process.

Every time you run your motors you have to re-clean the tracks with alcool ...but it's a sweet duty!

I simply love my 12 volts train!

[harnbak]

Hello taduri,

Welcome to the forum. Very nice with another 12v enthusiast!

Do you have some pictures or folder on Brickshelf? Remember to post pics once in a while.

Your problem is very well known (and discussed elsewhere in LEGO Train Tech - you should have found yourself) and has always existed.

As suggested earlier in this thread, try to warm up your motors by running the motors in pairs for a few rounds: connect them using a wire and a possibly a train base plate. You could even connect the motors directly to your transformer first and let them run for a minute or so. If the motor squeals, it must be opened and cleaned/lubricated again. But this is not advised as you effectively damage the body to open it. To see how see the link Leg Godt Gud found for you.

But before all of this , you must clean the middle conductors on the track extensively - maybe even each time before running on a new day. Use a cloth (not paper) and some alcohol or benzine.

Good luck! And remember the pics...

[Sokratesz]

Use sandpaper to brush up the motor contacts (slightly!), and clean the track regularly with alcohol or model-train cleaning agents.

- Sok.

[Beej]

Do not use sandpaper to clean the motor contacts or the track! The system was not designed to have such a harsh abrasive run over it every time the electrical contact between the two drops slightly. There are many other options that work just as well and are far less abrasive - cotton wool and methylated spirits is my personal choice.

[Sokratesz]

Do not use sandpaper to clean the motor contacts or the track! The system was not designed to have such a harsh abrasive run over it every time the electrical contact between the two drops slightly. There are many other options that work just as well and are far less abrasive - cotton wool and methylated spirits is my personal choice.

Re-read what I said - a single quick brush of very fine grain sandpaper over the motor contacts will quickly remove all dirt on them and roughen them up a bit, improving contact on switchpoints. It's a definite no for the track though.

- Sok.

Edited December 1, 2011 by Sokratesz