How does the mechanism feel when you operate the switch with the manual lever? Does it bind, or move freely. Take the cover off, pull off the manual lever, and disconnect the solenoid plunger from the cam. Now operate the switch and watch the plunger for proper movement. Don't let the plunger fly out, though! If the plunger does not operate freely in both directions now, the coil is bad. If the coil and plunger operate correctly, then the mechanism is suspect.
Larry
will check out all your suggestions and let you know the outcome...thanks tons Bob
It does seem like the problem might be a control rail that is not insulated from the adjoining track, an unwanted connection to the outside rails somewhere inside the turnout, or a connection to common in your wiring.
The easiest thing to try first is to remove all wiring from the turnout, then see whether it throws correctly using the control rails only. That will convict or exonerate the external wiring.
If it's still bad, look very carefully around the insulating pins for any possibility of a metallic connection getting around a pin, like a small fragment of metal.
If neither of these tests fix anything, then you may have a fault inside the turnout itself. You can get it open by drilling out the frog from the bottom, along with any other rivets, and bending tabs. Restore the frog by drilling it through and tapping for a 6-32 flathead screw, put in from the bottom.
Bob Nelson
oh ok Rob...sorry if i mis-read your comment...my mind has been overshadowed by this problem for awhile now...i have 3 of the 1122 on the layout...all work as non-derailers...with only the insulating pins on the Y track near the frog. wish i had one more to replace that troublesome turnout
survivor...someone mentioned these are not non-derailing turnouts...5121 and 1122...i beg to differ as they worked flawlessly at just that ...
I said the 1121 is the one that's not equipped for non=derailing. It can be non-derailing with the use of insulated track sections.
Rob
ok i will do that ...i have a photobucket account. been checking this troublesome 5121...i think there is a definate problem with the turnout itself. power to track...i rolled a single freight car into the turnout...all it does is buzz when the points are facing turnout. they sit there and will not change..now i also notice when i work the switch...it also just sits there buzzing. maybe a solenoid coil is shorted?may be time to just pull it out and replace it...all my other 5121 and 5122's turnouts switch normally when i roll a car into them.
remember this is fun!!!
As far as posting a pic, you can go to a website like photobucket, which I use, download your pix there then copy the link and paste it in the message box on this website. Like me you may have to practice a few times before you get it, but it's not that hard.
that is close to what i have....picture this...looking from the top down...at the end of my mainline oval...there is a circle.. one turnout (the 5121) is the last straight section before the curve starts. now....here is the best way i can describe it...if you take a pizza cutter...and cut the "pie"...or the circle in half....go directly across from the 5121...with a 1122 in a sense...the turnouts are 180 degrees from each other. again...this problem just surfaced yesterday morning...it ran fine all weekend as i finished soldering my block wiring and bus line. and yes...as the loco front truck crosses the frog...the points will switch at that moment...sending the rear loco truck( and any cars)...off the rails. perhaps the switch went bad??? the 5121? or could the insulated rails be touching the adjacent rails.... ?? maybe a little closer look is needed here...
someone mentioned these are not non-derailing turnouts...5121 and 1122...i beg to differ as they worked flawlessly at just that !! ran all weekend and they would keep a derailment from happening if i intenionally left a turnout switched when train entered from trailing end of switch. i wish i knew how to put a picture here simply...a picture would be worth a thousand words...tc all and tks for the replies.!!
Is this what you have? A straight main line going, let's say, east-west. A pair of turnouts in the main line, whose straight paths are part of the main line and whose facing-point ends are butted together. A circle of track connecting the curved paths of the turnouts. The straight-path terminal of each turnout connected to the curved-path terminal of the other turnout.
A trolley comes eastward along the main line. When it reaches the western turnout's control rail, it throws that turnout to its straight path and the other turnout to its curved path (if they are not already aligned that way). The trolley then enters the circle going counter-clockwise. If it continues through the circle, it comes again to the western turnout's curved control rail. It throws that turnout to its curved path and the other turnout to its straight path and returns to the main main line, going eastward away from the turnouts.
A locomotive comes eastward along the main line. When its leading truck reaches the western turnout's control rail, it throws that turnout to its straight paht and the other turnout to its curved path. The locomotive starts through the eastern turnout's curved path; but, when its leading truck reaches the frog, the eastern turnout changes its points under the locomotive, to the straight path, derailing the locomotive.
Is that right?
oh...facing -point AND on straight path.....strange...it worked fine for 4 days this way....the circle is just a place to run trolley and handcars off of mainline to park them..with an insulated block.....as they do not yet ":back-up"
ok...i wired the switch to both turnouts...so they would throw simultaneously....and...when loco runs facing point into turnout is when problem arises...the turnouts are on opposing each other in the circle...this problem just turned up this morning...first time i noticed it
I'm afraid I don't understand what you're doing. What does "wired in tandem" mean? What does "the 1122 and 5121 directly opposite centerline of each other" mean? Are you running a trolley car or a locomotive or both? And what difference does it make which one is running? When the locomotive derails with the leading truck at the frog, is it running facing-point or trailing-point? On the straight path or the diverging path?
sorry typo...it is an 1122....and when engine approaches it,, it switches to mainline like it always did...just havin a problem with the 5121...i have a 5121 and 5122 wired in tandem elsewhere on layout with no troubles...not sure about posting pics here,or how to...but picture a circle...with the 1122 and 5121 directly opposite centerline of each other...they switch the circle for trolley in and out of mainline.
Are you sure it's a 1121? These are not non-derailing.
Can you post a track diagram or photos of the installation?
well another problem arose last evening...after test runs on layout for 4 days without a flaw,block wiring or otherwise,.... this morning...i noticed one of my turnouts... a 5121 which is wired in tandem with an 1121 for a trolley circle off mainline...began switching while a loco was coming into turnout., causing a derailment .i noticed this problem with a rather long wheelbase GP9 i am runnning on layout...just as front truck crosses frog...the turnout will switch...by itself causing derailment. is there a problem with tandem wiring a 5121 and a 1121 together to one switch?also...my next question is this...somewhere i remember reading about disconnecting 1121 switch solenoids from track power...and running them on fixed ac...does anyone know this procedure???or able to steer me to it??? will it work for the 5121??? really hate to replace the 5121 at this time... any help greatly appreciated....thanks
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