Can't get object to point in the right direction using a follow path constraint

Trying to create an animated escalator, but when I set a certain axis option I only get a dotted blue line. The other options animate the object to the path, but rotate it 90 degrees. This is an escalator step, and a curve that represents the escalator conveyor. Seems like it would be simple to get it to follow while pointing forward in the X axis, but none of the options work.

Have you tried playing around with the “Forward” and “Up” settings? If this constraint works the way most other constraints and modifiers do, I suspect the answer lies there.

I have, and some of them work but rotate the object. I just don’t understand why I can’t get it to point to the x axis (where the object is at origin).

Hey, turn on ‘Axis Display’ for both objects, make sure there are no rotations - clear or apply them. In your screen shot you do not have ‘Follow Path’ checked. You can always rotate the step in edit mode. I always put the paths origin point at its beginning and I put the path at the world origin (0,0,0) before I ever add the constraint, same with the object that will be using it - then after adding the constraint I move the path to where ever, hope this helps in some way.

Excuse my ignorance, but how do I ‘display the axis’?

I do not know how to display the axis, but your advise made me find the solution. I have applied the transformations to the curve and that fixed it.