Hi jo-jo,
I have found when these low-cost charger contacts corrode, the low conductive resistance plating on the contacts is completely removed and the bare steel is exposed, which becomes a poor contact due to corrosion/rusting, making the charger unreliable.
E

 

are you sure it is not just bad contact?

Motor ran fine. Wheels just spun on the track without pulling the train. Just the engine and coal hopper moved pretty well but it still slipped. Adding cars just made the slipping worse. And again, it was very noisy even without the Christmas music playing - which sounded cheesy. I discovered I just didn't want it. So out it went.

 

I have come across trains like that, but not recently. Of course, I have not looked either. Certainly asI see it, battery power inside trains is bad news, ALWAYS.

 

really? i think that looks rather good, yes it is rusted but the spring coil is still structurally sound, there are still some bones in it.
things are not so good with columns supporting overhead railway in Chicago.
i recall seeing same thing while crossing bridge between Detroit and Windsor.

so i would say just clean it with a brush or sponge in acid bath (vinegar or lemon juice). it will be like new (in terms of performance, not looks).

View attachment 372583

Yup... This can be cleaned.

 

Certainly the toy train in the photo can be cleaned up.. And also, certainly, it serves as a reminder to always remove the batteries from toys when putting them away.
I fully understand that removing batteries from things is too complex a task for a lot of people, though. Probably those folks should avoid getting battery powered stuff and only buy plug-in devices. THAT would also avoid creating dead-battery waste to deal with.

 

i recall seeing same thing while crossing bridge between Detroit and Windsor.

You are sure you weren't in Cleveland, Ohio? We have bridge supports very similar. So much for infrastructure rebuilding. We also have lamp poles falling over onto Interstate Highways like I90 and I 80. Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends.

Ron