issues with track... please help!

[Wiredup]

Been there...felt that pain. Track problems are more than an annoyance.

I'd check (based on similar experiences) the following:

1. Every rail joiner for proper contact to the rails.

Checked all the joiners, they all seem to be alligned properly.

2. Any metal spurs that might derail a wheel should be filed away.

hummm...I should check this. I don't think there are, but I'll do some tests on that... finger test and box-car test.

3. Get a level and see how "level" the rails are. Could the cans have made dips or swells that affect the longer engines?

A good idea I should have checked earlier... I'll be doing this ASAP.

4. Are you sure every track is really getting power?

Yes, I was pretty anal about this. I even went through the layout with my multimeter and found that every track had connectivity with each other, and each one was showing power.

5. Is there the remotest possibility of a polarity issue?

Not to my knowledge (unless my a loco jumps the rails in the yard)

6. Have you already weathered the rails and is there paint between the rail and rail joiner (this is the one that got me)?

Nope. No weathering, and the turf was laid and vacummed before I started to lay track.

7. All electrical wires are firmly tied together from the power pack to the powered rail joiners?

soldered

8. The inside of the rails (not just the rail tops) are clean enough to allow proper contact?

good call! I got a feeling some of the white glue might have gotten on the sides. not to mention any oxidation due to soldering?

9. All engine wheels to gauge?

I'll check that out... NMRA gauge?

10. All tracks to gauge? No kinks, no widening between the rails?

NMRA gauge again?

In my limited experience on my layout, every track problem I've had where a diesel suddenly looses power has been from a bad rail joiner and painted track. Almost all of my rail joiners open up an loosen over time. I would suggest pinning down the track into the layout board (foam or whatever you used) to hold it in place until you glue it down permanently. I've used Liquid Nails For Projects to hold my track down...and it worked really well. Maybe it's a bit too strong, but it's easy to work with, no mess, and it really holds stuff in place.

Oh...btw...I switched to Peco turnouts and think they're great. Some of the passenger cars and autoracks seem to derail over them from time to time because of the wheel flange I think. But overall, I really like the Peco's.

Hope these ideas help...plus all the other great ideas the other guys have offered up.

There has been some great suggestions here that I will look at before I tear it up again. I'm not sure I'm happy with it anyways because all I got is this long main line with no fun anywhere else... kinda depressing.

But I have a feeling I got dips in the rails from the cans, and that my white glue is causing connectivity issues.

guess I know what I'm doing next winter! lol (I'm going to Flordia in June so I gotta save m'pennies right now...seeing as how the canadian dollar sucks!)