Lionel 031 (6-23010) Turnout Problem

[servoguy]

Rich, I gave the wrong post for the pictures. They are on "Cutting down 022 switchesa" which I just updated so you don't have to go looking for it. Bruce Baker

[[e-mail]]

Love those PW O22 switches. I have 28 of them on my present, under final construction, and plan to  add about 18 more. Never had a problem with an engine or consist going through either straight or turn out. I guess the quality assurance and the quality control of the "New Lionel Company" when it was owned by the cereal company, wasn't a good as it should have been to produce good stuff. As I mentioned all my switches are PW except for 6 -072's and they have been trouble free. As you would expect they handle the large diameter stuff on the two outer loops of the layout and they have been trouble free. In fact I love the way they snap into position. They are basically the same as the PW but seem to have been engineered a little more to  make them easier to move the plunger.

[richhotrain]

servoguy

I have a layout on the floor of my apartment, and you can see it at "posting pictures." Bruce Baker

Bruce,

You piqued my curiosity about your layout with that statement, but when I looked at the "posting pictures" thread, the only photo there was one showing three turnouts.

Did you mean to suggest that you have posted photos of your layout?

Rich

[servoguy]

Lee, You are absolutely right. The PW 022 switches are the best. After making the mods I posted here, my 022 switches are absolutely reliable. The trains go through them smoothly and they work every time. Now that I have made some that are cut down, I can fit them more closely together, and this gets more track in the same space. Now if I could only find a solution for the big switch motor..... I am willing to trade 022 switches one-for-one for 23010/1 switches which are not modified according to my post. Anyone that wants to trade will have to do their own modifications. I have use for the 23010/1 switches where I need the smaller switch motor. Or I could pay $10 each. Bruce Baker

[phillyreading]

While Bruce has had some success at repairs or modifications to the 23010 switches, I have had NO success with these switches and Williams engines.

I have had nothing but trouble with the Lionel 6-23010 switches, even called Lionel to report the problem but Lionel refused to acknowledge any problem with the switch when I called them. Finally I went over to Gargraves switches to solve my problems. My Williams engines will almost Never made it through a Lionel 23010 or 23011 switch.

From what dealings I have had with Lionel switches in tubular track in the past 15 years, I refuse to use the newer Lionel switches because they all seem to be duds after a couple of months. My opion is if you have Williams don't use Lionel switches unless it is the old reliable 022 design.  Just to note here, I am not talking about Fastrac switches!

Lee F.

[servoguy]

I did a long post telling all the things to fix on the 022 switches. You can find it at 022/711 Switch Operating Pblms. I have almost 100 022 switches, and I have gone through almost all of them. I think I found all the problems and gave instructions on how to fix them. I have a layout on the floor of my apartment, and you can see it at "posting pictures." I need to make a video but haven't done it yet. The layout has 50 switches, 47 022s and 3 23010/1s. I have 40 of the 022 switches wired in pairs so that when the train goes through one switch, it throws another switch. It takes 22 minutes for a train to go around the whole layout. This is TOY TRAINS, it is not a model railroad. I have always enjoyed just watching the train go around the layout without any interaction on my part. However, I can also split the layout into blocks and run up to six trains at once, three in each room, or split the layout differently and run 1, 2, or 3 trains in any combination in each room. Bruce Baker

[bornmay1949]

Thanks Servoguy,

Comforting to know that I'm  not the only one experiencing this problem. You're right about just using the 022 switches. I have 5 other switches on the layout, all 022 types and they work flawlesly. I guess some things do get better with age.

[servoguy]

The turnouts are poorly designed and the tolerances are sloppy. I have two RH and one LH version of these switches. After much playing around, I settled on the following fix: I soldered a short piece of brass, about an inch long and 3/16 wide to the inside of the straight rail. One end of this piece is near the movable point, and the other end sticks out the end of the switch. I then ground the top of the piece at an angle to make it very thin near the top of the rail. I feathered the free end so it would pick up the flange of the engine or car and move it away from the end of the point. For the LH switches, this works well. For one of the RH switches, the plastic clips that hold the straight rail were broken off by the PO, and so I drilled the rail for a 4-40 screw and put a screw in from the bottom. I adjusted the rail nearer the center of the switch so that the points touched the rail. If this sounds like too much work, you can use 022 switches and cut them down as discussed in another post today. The 022 switches work well and the only real drawback is the size of the switch motors. I use my 3 23010/1 turnouts where I don't have room for the 022 switch motors. Bruce Baker

[bornmay1949]

I have a new, never before used Lionel O31L turnout that derails my locomotives. I installed it on a new layout and at least two of my diesel locomotives continuously derail when taking the diverging route. The engines are quite different from each other. One is a Williams SD-40-2 and the other is a postwar Lionel 44 ton switcher. Most of the turnout parts of this unit are molded plastic and I"m wandering if some of the clearances are incorrect? Freight cars negotiate the switch just fine. It seems to be derailing only engines. Anyone out there experience this before and maybe have a fix?