Help needed: Crossing hesitation

[tstage]

Hi Everyone!

Got a problem I'm trying to solve. I have a Walthers/Shinohara 60-degree crossing that I get occasional hesitations/power drops from my locomotives when they cross it. (Mostly from my Alco S1, more than my 2-8-2 Mike.) I didn't have the problem initially, when I first put the layout together.

To give you some pertinent information, I'm running my 4 x 8' layout with DCC. But, since I'm still trying to nail down the layout design, I only have the track temporarily tacked down to the foam with tacks and powered with 2 wires* directly coming from the controller - a Bachmann EZ Command system.

*no feeders or power buss: just a pair of 22 ga. wires; one for each rail

Over the last couple of months, the problem is becoming more and more consisitent and prevalent - particularly with my S1. It happens with my 2-8-2 Mike only once in a while. (I understand that this is not that uncommon for locomotives with shorter wheel bases, like the S1.)

I've attempted to alleviate the problem and have: cleaned the track, cleaned the wheels, repositioned the track with new/tighter rail joiners, sanded/filed down any irregularities in the track, switched out new pieces of track on either side of the crossing - ALL with a modicum amount of success.

Does this seem more like a power or lack of power issue? As I mentioned earlier, my layout is only powered with 2 wires. Would running a power buss and feeders more than likely take care of the issue? It's getting pretty annoying to run my S1. The crossing is right on the mainline, right near the entrance of the yard.

I did shift the track slightly at that juncture, which seemed to help for a few passes. But...the problem resurfaced within short order.

Anyway, thanks for your input.

Tom

[Adelie]

Just a guess, but it does sound like power. Dropping additional feeders sounds like something that should be done, anyway, and it would be a good place to start. Even if it does not solve the problem, it does not hurt.

Does Bachmann have anything the equivalent of the coin test? I always check my newly laid sections by placing a coin on the track and making sure the booster complains and shuts down. If they do have such a mechanism in their system, try that and see what happens. If the thing isn't shutting down, that is a good indicator you need more feeder wires.

[tstage]

Mark,

Yes, the Bachmann EZC does have a "breaker" in it that will chatter bitterly at you if you short the two tracks together. (Found that out using the metal ruler one time checking the track alignment.) I'll take your suggestion and check out both sides of the crossing. My guess is that it will "complain" on either side.

If I can finalize the layout design, then I can start laying out the power buss and feeders. I just don't want to fuss laying out a bunch of wire, then change the design, then have to "rearrange" the wriing again. Maybe this is a good impetuous to do so.

Thanks again for your help, Mark! [:)]

Tom

[cacole]

It sounds to me like you may have loose rail joiners at the crossover that are causing intermittent power losses in it. If it can be easily removed, take it out and replace all of the rail joiners with new ones and see if that doesn't help.

[ac4400fan]

as a test wire ,,some buster wires to that switch to see if that helps any ,,just a thought :))))

carl

[tstage]

Carl,

Can you describe/define for me what you mean by "buster wires"? Are you talking about a jumper of some kind? The problem is with a crossing; not a switch (i.e. turnout).

Tom

[Adelie]

Good luck Tom,

My first thought was the rail joiners, too, but from your original post it looks like you already "thunk" of that. It's been a while since I've looked at a Shinohara crossing (over 20 years), any chance that some type of contact within that is loose?

If worst comes to worst with the new feeder, and you don't want to commit to permanent bus location yet, cut the feeder long enough to get where it needs to go now and longer than it will ultimately need to be so you can easily attach it to the future bus. I've got a few 10' long feeders attached to a bus that is not be theirs, eagerly waiting for me to string them a bus of their very own!

[cwclark]

you may need to solder wires from the outside crossing tracks and connect them to the inside rails of the crossing...there is a kalmbach publication titled " Wiring your Model Railroad" by Linn Wescott that has many different wiring configurations on a crossing..it's an old publication but still a good one...chuck

[davekelly]

I'm thinking that Chuck's idea will solve your problem.

[selector]

If the crossover is insulated from the rest of the track, would you benefit from hard-wiring to it a feeder? Do you know if it is insulated?

Or, could you just solder at the join/across the join to ensure you have continuity if it is not insulated. Slip the joiners aside if it is already ballasted and relatively inaccessiible, and just solder the gap at the base of the rails, maybe on the inside it you can get to it.