Puzzler

[wblock]

  I can't figure this one out at all.

  I recently made the stupid mistake of accidentally pouring some Woodland Scenics Track Cleaner on a switch. I forgot and took the whole top off instead of just the tip.

  This is part of a Kato N scale Unitrak double crossover, and although I do use DCC, it is not part of that system.

  Suddenly, the loco that was closest at the time is running very raggedly. It used to run great. I put it on a Tidy Track wheel cleaner and it runs solidly but makes some horrible, scratching noises.

  When I run other locos on that track they, too, run haltingly, but not as bad. The track is getting power all the way through the crossover.

  So basically everything runs, but not like it should.

  Any ideas?

[Track fiddler]

I'm not familiar with Woodland scenic's track cleaner but I do know with any type of solvent you should use it sparingly and just clean the tips of the Rails.

It's possible by putting too much on you may have melted the little tie spikes and possibly deformed them so the rails are now too tight together on the crossover.

You might want to try taking a track gauge and check where you put too much track cleaner on..... you may find you have to replace the crossover, good luck though

I just reread you were running a locomotive while you had the track cleaner spilled. It's possible things we're just shorting out let it dry out all the way before you run anything else. Maybe it was just a short.

[SeeYou190]

Ugh,, bad story.

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I use Kato Unitrack, and I have never needed to clean it. Seriously, never, it always works.

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I hope the solvent did not damage the printed board inside the crossover. If it did, you will probably need to replace it.

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Keep your fingers crossed.

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-Kevin

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[rrinker]

 There's very a very goood chance the circuit board is damaged after being drenched in solvent - though who knoows what WS uses.

 Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes it only seems like you do - my car key got washed the other week, and stopped being able to lock the doors. Unlock worked, opent he trunk worked, but lock did not. I took it apart (it's not meant to be opened, but nothing a knife can't fix). I found a damaged trace and jumpered over it - hey, it works! Well, it WORKED - for a week and a half. Tonight it went nuts in the opposite direction - it seems to think the lock button is permanently held down, so it constantly tries to lock. Oh well, on to the backup (which means resetting my seat, all my radio stations, the mirrors, and other preferences).

                                               --Randy