Lionel 022 Switchs

[srguy]

I had an 022 that did not work at all.  I found out through the forums this process to get it working again.

http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/forums/t/...px?PageIndex=1   Even going throught this process, I had contact problems.  Got my hands on a schematic of the switch and was able to trace the contact issue to the spring and constant voltage pin and also the pin in the track that contacts the motor.  Decided to go the constant voltage route and bought a male female blue crimp terminal at the local hardware store and all is good.

[ezmike]

What did you do? I cannot speak for Bob and Lee but I'd like to know what was the problem.

Just my $.02

Mike

[srguy]

Finally got the 022 working ... sensitive little buggers!

[lionelsoni]

The lantern lights when you connect the tester because the tester is supplying current to it through the control rail and the coil.

[phillyreading]

On the original 022 switches, having dirty contacts inside the switch motor or solinoid area can prevent the electric path from making proper connection, however I don't think that is your problem.

With the test light, you are reading across the coil of the solinoid. So that tells me the solinoid is good.

Again I ask you, "Have you checked where the constant voltage plug goes in?" When you have the cover off the switch motor housing, you will see what looks like two pieces of copper with a wire attched to each one, one is about an eigth of an an inch wide by about half inch long, the other is round about the diameter of a 5/64th drill bit. These two pieces must make contact!! Unless the constant voltage plug is used, and then it needs power from the transformer. This is how the solenoid gets power; either from the track or from the voltage plug.

The three silver looking terminals sticking up on the switch motor housing are for the switch throw capability. The center terminal is the common power from the outside rail of the switch tracks, the other two are for controlling the direction of the switch.

I test the switch motors(the solenoid) by supplying(the common) power to the center terminal and the constant voltage plug-in area(the hot or positve wire), and jumping off one of the two end terminals across the center terminal with a jumper wire. The switch motor is removed from the switch itself when I test it, to make sure the switch motor works.

Lee F.

[srguy]

Thanks for the link ... I'll have to review.  Why then when I connect the track to the layout the lantern light does not turn on.  I have not actually checked the operation of the track yet.  Any other thoughts appreciated. I'll check back. Thanks 

Jim

[lionelsoni]

That makes sense.  The control rail is connected to one end of one of the coils in the switch machine.  The other end of the coil is connected to the lamp.  I'll bet this happens with only one control rail at a time, depending on which way the turnout is aligned, because a switch inside the switch machine disconnects one of the coils.

Do you have the service information for the 022?  http://pictures.olsenstoy.com/searchcd31.htm?itm=673

[srguy]

Good thoughts from all however I haven't solved the problem but I'm making progress,  I took the entire switch apart and discovered a "fried " wire on the underside of the track which I thought would solve my problem, I replaced it with a new wire .. It helped!  I now have track power through the entire track.  Followed the restoration process outlined in another CTT forum and discovered that the motor appears to be OK (lights up) when power and ground is applied.  The issue now is that I have track power and the motor responds but when put them together the track is not getting power to the motor.  Cleaned all the contacts etc. Oddly enough, I test the track with a small light and when I touch the center rail and the outside rail with respective wires, my test light lights up but the motor light (lantern) does not.  When I touch the center rail and the rail with the insulating pin (inside rail), the test light and the motor light both light up!! I'm stumped!!! Any thoughts??

[phillyreading]

Do you know about the hook-up for constant voltage? a.k.a. the constant voltage plug, if this is stuck inside the switch motor housing it will prevent track power from getting to the switch. Another common problem is where the constant voltage plug goes into the housing, is the contact point open or closed? If it is open this too can cause the switch not work, the copper contacts inside must make contact!

I mention this as these are usually overlooked solutions on the 022 switches. I doubt that you would need to take the switch housing apart and clean the slide contacts underneath, but this too could be a possibility as the switches have set for a few years.

The 022 switch gets power from the outside rails for the common, and the hot wire is supplied either by track power from the center rail or from the constant voltage plug that goes into the switch motor housing.

Lee F.

[lionelsoni]

You wrote, "no track power", but also "nothing is preventing movement."  Is there voltage on the rails of the turnout, or not?  Do you mean that the switch machine is not getting track voltage?

[srguy]

No ... only one switch. I do have an insulated track connected to it but I tested the track off the layout and there is no response or light.  I was told that parts can be replaced but very difficult to repair.  Should I look for replacement motors?? The track operates manually so nothing is preventing movement.

[lionelsoni]

You don't happen to have it attached to another 022 turnout, do you?

When two of these turnouts are plugged together in certain ways, the insulating pins needed for the anti-derailing feature wind up on both of the outside rails at the point of attachment, completely blocking the track voltage at that point.  If this explains your situation, the fix is easy--just provide a separate feed around the problematic point.  This can be duplicate lockons on both sides of the problem.  Another easy fix is to run a wire between the center terminals of the two turnouts, which will join the outside rails.

[srguy]

Greetings:

I'm new to the forum and have recently revived my Lionel layout. Stored safely for 15 years everything works except for an 022 switch. The track is dead ... no track power, no lights nothing ... took it apart and all connections seem to be OK.  Any thoughts on how to get this item operational again.