HI.
I have a PECO turnout that no longer snaps to the rail when I move the lever. It is loose and flimsy like a spring or lever broke. It is an Insulfrog medium turnout. Is it broken? I glue it to foam making sure the mechanism wasn't glued. It was working until I started ballasting.
What do I need to do? Cut it out and replace it? WOW if this has to be done. Not that experienced with trear out and repair.
Ouch. Help.
-Ron
Yep it's the spring that either broke or fell off. You will have to take the switch out to fix it. As far as getting the spring, not sure, you may have to contact Peco for them.
Michael
CEO- Mile-HI-RailroadPrototype: D&RGW Moffat Line 1989
I have had several Peco switches that the spring came out of its retainer. Fortunatly the spring did not shoot off into space and I was able to reset it. You do have to remove it from the track. Do you have room to install a Caboose Industries ground throw. #208S should do it and will keep the points tight without having to do major surgery.
You don't actually have to remove the switch to fix it! At the heel of the switch there is a cover plate that holds the spring in place, there are two metal tabs that hold it down, bend the tabs back so you can remove the cover. check to see if the spring is still there. If it is, then insert one vertical end in the hole and the other vertical goes into the notch in the point throw bar, then carefully replace the cover and bend the tabs back down. This can be real fiddily and you're going to need a good pair of needle nose pliers and tweezers to do this. If the spring is gone, I believe Walthers carries packs of spare springs, it's always good to have a pack around.
Now if the switch is on foam, you'll need to slip a piece of styrene or brass under the end of the switch for support while you do the work.
If you do prefer to remove the switch, pulling the switch out is not difficult. If it's soldered, take your Dremel with a cut off disk or a razor saw and cut thru the rail joints and joiners of the switch. Once removed, reheat all the ends of the rails and push or pull all the joiners off. If the joiners are not soldered, then just heat the rail joiners and push them back onto the adjoining rails. If there is any glue holding down the swich just slide a long knife under it and work it back and forth until it is separated. If it is ballasted, once you have the switch out spray it with "wet" water and let soak in, then take a stiff brush and scrub the ballast off. Do the same on the layout where the switch was. When you're all done and the switch re-installed, just reballast.
I hope this helps. Jay.
Jay
C-415 Build: https://imageshack.com/a/tShC/1
Other builds: https://imageshack.com/my/albums
Thank you. These posts were very helpful.
To let you know what I found out and did.
As Jay suggested, I went to the turnout to look for the tabs. As I did this I noticed the spring was still there and reletively in place. I also noticed a notch in the piece oppostie the side with the metal tabs. I checked another turnout and noticed one end of the spring was vertical and was sitting in the notch. I was able to go to the turnout with the issue and snap the spring back into the notch. Fixed.
Learned some new things with this problem and this forum. Thanks.
Next time I have an issue and it calls for tearing out the turnout and repairing or replacing it, I think I can.
Ron,
I live in the UK, the springs in question are readily available in packs from model shops here. They only cost pennies. If you need a pack mailing just drop me a line and I will sort it for you.
Tony
Glad you got it fixed.
You say you had glued the turnout down. Many folks seem to let the track hold turnouts down, just in cast the turnout needs to be removed for repairs.
Have fun,
Richard
cowman Glad you got it fixed. You say you had glued the turnout down. Many folks seem to let the track hold turnouts down, just in cast the turnout needs to be removed for repairs.
Excellent point! Two things I never do are (1) glue a turnout down, and (2) Solder a turnout into place.
My rationale is that a turnout is the only piece of trackwork with moving parts. If anything is ever going to break, it will most likely be a turnout. If it's not soldered or glued, it's much easier to remove it.
Good point. I will look for a pack of springs at my hobby shop.
Great point! Honestly, I think I may have glued them down but not sure anymore. I know cause my track is on the foam deck I glued it down. But for sure I soldered the joiners. I will remember this tip for the future. But the turnout does kind of get glued down when the ballast goes in, right?
If you don't solder the joiners what about connectivity and conductivity? You rely on drops to on the turnout to power the rails all the way through?
Great tips and learning all around.
I appreciate this forum.
I've been soldering and glueing turnouts in place for 35 years and have only had to remove one in all that time, (that's 3 layouts and a cumulative 250 turnouts). I'drather have secured in place and minimize the likelyhood of anything happening inthe first place. It took all of a couple of minutes to remove the turnout.
modelmaker51 I've been soldering and glueing turnouts in place for 35 years and have only had to remove one in all that time, (that's 3 layouts and a cumulative 250 turnouts). I'drather have secured in place and minimize the likelyhood of anything happening inthe first place. It took all of a couple of minutes to remove the turnout.
OK you only replaced one single switch in 35 yrs? You were never a beginner? All 250 switches never failed? That's a little far fetched.
I've had to replace 4 Peco switches on my 1 year old layout, because of either they broke or I broke them. I glue them down with caulk and solder the joints.