Coil Couplers and 022 switch

[Nish]

Ok, I just repaired one of the pickup shoes on my 2454 boxcar, and i discovered during a switching operation that the coil coupler was energizing and releasing due to the shoe sliding across the center rail as it went through the curve on a turnout. I don't believe the turnout is at fault, because the new shoe does stick out further than the other one. But, I can't figure how to make the shoe not stick out so much because even if I take some tension off of the spring inside the truck, gravity will keep the shoe dangling down. What do I do?

[servoguy]

 The rivet in the shoe should not be able to contact the 3rd rail.  The plastic ridges on each side should keep it off the rail.  If you can watch the shoe as it passes through the switch, you should be able to verify this.

With that said, I did have a car that was uncoupling when it went through one of the switches.  I had bent the tip of the fat 3rd rail up so my 1615 switch engine wouldn't drop its E relay going through the switch, and I bent it up just a little too far.  I bend it down ever so slightly, and the car no longer opens its coupler and the 1615 still works OK. 

 I just checked the shoe that was causing the problem, and the inside of the shoe shows quite a lot of wear.  It may be that your shoe is not made correctly.  Is it a new shoe?

Bruce Baker

[Train-O]

Nish,

As, Bruce mentioned the contact shoe's body has plastic ridges, the body is made of bake-lite which cracks over time, becoming smaller in size and instead of the ridges preventing the shoe from falling through, between the yellow metal spring's prongs, the shoe falls and makes contact with a special function rail, or center rail, and sometimes an outer rail, either causing the coupler to function, a short circuit, or nothing will happen.

Also, one, or both of the yellow metal spring's prong(s) could be damaged, or missing and allow the contact shoe to fall.

Solution: the whole contact shoe unit has to be replaced, or a different method is to be used.  You will need to be handy with a soldering gun, or iron, to attach the connecting lead wire from the contact shoe to the coupler.

Just type in: 'Olsen's Toy Train Parts;' or 'The Train Tender,' these are two, of the many, parts suppliers.

Good Luck,

Ralph

[wyomingscout]

 Nish, I had a similar problem with the operating lumber car I bought with new shoes; it hangs up on my 027 turnouts.  A dealer told me the newer shoes are not exactly like the post war.  I bought another PW lumber car with original shoes that works just fine.

I have ordered some new old stock (NOS) trucks with double shoes that I intend to put on the one that hangs up.

In short, maybe you could look for some older trucks with the original shoes, or some NOS shoes to put on the unit you have.

I understand some track manufacturers offer plastic inserts for their turnout frogs that eliminate the problem, too.  If you're not using Lionel tubular, that might be a solution.

Charlie

[Nish]

I bought the shoe repair kit from Olsen's to replace a totally missing shoe, and I think the best way to fix it is to pull the assembly off and take about 1/16 to 1/8 of material off of the shank that inserts into the truck, and rivet back together. Granted, my riveting sucks but I do have to blame the size of the part (like you describe, Charlie) for the reason it's sticking out too far. As far as truck preferences go, I'm going to avoid coil couplers in the future. I prefer the magnetic mid '50s couplers for the lack of that extra part, plus i like the heft and look of the bar-end trucks over the later fast-angle plastic stuff. I'm just not pulling long enough trains to worry about efficiency.