7938 Passenger Train Help

[Ritz Brick]

I just bought 7938 Passenger Train last week and it's my first Lego train. (I've owned other model trains before). I haven't heard of this happening before, but as the engine picks up speed, around the sixth speed. The magnets unhook and the last car/rear engine is left behind. Happens on both straightaways and curves. I don't know if this is related to the clicking i'm always hearing from the rear engine, but I've taken the entire wheel assemblys apart and still the same thing happens. Has anyone else had this happen to them?

[Snapshot]

No. I've run a 7938 with quite a few carriages and not had this problem. I suggest you try just pushing the dummy loco around to see if you can find what's making the noise.

[Daedalus304]

It could be the magnets aren't aligning quite right - it happens to me fairly often. Try rolling the last two cars (The ones without the motors) by hand and see how much effort it takes to get them apart. If they come apart fairly easy, pick them up and rotate them slowly until you hear a click/snap noise, that means the magnets have lined up.

That's always solved my connection problems, so hopefully it'll work for you. I hope my explanation makes sense.

[Beej]

I think Daedalus has it. The magnets don't always line up properly, and sometimes the connection can be quite weak. You have to rotate one carriage relative to the other, almost like unscrewing the lid on a bottle. This gives the magnets a chance to line up and you'll notice the link is much stronger after you've done this.

Regarding the noise, the larger of the two bogies on the last car does make a fair bit of noise. I'm planning on rebuilding it using the regular RC/PF train wheels.

[wildzi]

If they come apart fairly easy, pick them up and rotate them slowly until you hear a click/snap noise, that means the magnets have lined up.

I also had that kind weak magnet in my 7939 and I do the same. It worked.

Edited December 11, 2011 by wildzi

[Loggii]

What Daedalus said sounds about right, I have the same issue with my Maersk train from time to time. Initially I thought it was a defective magnet but, realized just flicking the coupler a few times with my finger realigns it easily without having to pick up and rotate the car as some of the previous posters described.