Lionel legacy S2 switcher giving me problems. Please help

I have had the same symptoms on my steamers from time to time.  I remove the engine and inspect the wheels and especially the rollers.  I usually find they are dirty.  I clean the wheels, rollers and track and they run great.  Hope that is all you need to do.

I already cleaned them so well you could eat off of them and I also checked the wires to make sure there was not a short on the wheels or trucks.  I checked all connections and removed the shell and checked connections there.   When I put back on track I had same symptoms.   Lights would flicker on engine then comes to a stop until I give it the slightest nudge and then starts the sparks and it would go for about half inch and stop again.

Product number and an image where it stops? Both outer rails connected to common there?

Since when you wiggle it the engine starts up, I'd look at loss of common first. 

Sounds like a continuity issue. Do you have digital multi-meter? I would check the roller leads back to the boards, Then check the grounds as well. Good new is its not a short.

Do any wires looked pinched?

Check the ground wire(s) where they connect to the trucks. I have seen them break off.

I will take some pictures when I get home.  I removed the trucks last night and checked the grounds and removed then re tightened them.  All physically looked well with no visible wear or wire pinched or showing.  Also made sure roller lead wire was not touching body of truck.  

BobbyD posted:

Product number and an image where it stops? Both outer rails connected to common there?

Since when you wiggle it the engine starts up, I'd look at loss of common first. 

When I put the gargraves on the layout I put a jumper to both commons on every section of track and also jumpers to center rails .   All locos work fine on all sections except this one.  I will get the image as soon as I get home   

When the lights blink it is a signal problem or the engine needs to be reset. If it ran for awhile and not now it is not you're. Layout.

I had the same switcher with the same problem.  Every other engine I had, had no issues on my layout (and it's Fastrak) except the S2.  Your description is exactly the same issue I had.  I tried everything until I finally threw in the towel and sold it.  I just picked up my SW7 switcher and it runs great.  No lost power issues.  And I was very concerned about this purchase because of the S2 issues.

base11 posted:

I had the same switcher with the same problem.  Every other engine I had, had no issues on my layout (and it's Fastrak) except the S2.  Your description is exactly the same issue I had.  I tried everything until I finally threw in the towel and sold it.  I just picked up my SW7 switcher and it runs great.  No lost power issues.  And I was very concerned about this purchase because of the S2 issues.

I was also thinking of getting a new sw series switcher and have the same fears as you..  I love the extra slow running that the single motor does.  I cleaned the wheels very well last night with a dremel and a wire wheel and it runs like new only the problem now is it seems as if it still has lost power or the motor is out of whack.

Mine does this too, then stops when I clean the track and wheels.  This one seems very sensitive to any dirt in the track-engine interface.

sinclair posted:

Mine does this too, then stops when I clean the track and wheels.  This one seems very sensitive to any dirt in the track-engine interface.

It must have something to do with the single motor and less pickup?