Cleaning American Flyer switches!!

[lionel2]

My American Flyer switches are all dirty and a little bit rusty on the rails...how does one clean these switches...i have both manual and automatic...2 pairs....my 312 loco would stop on the switches because there is not good current to the tender for the tender to pickup current from rails to move loco...I just got done cleaning all the rusty and dirty track...and they work just great now...but i am afraid to use the same technique with the switches...i used some lime away solution on the track...made the rails nice and shiny...i soaked the track in that stuff then rinsed heavly with water and hand dried them and let them dry on the floor for about 2 hours to let the insulation on the rails dry completely...now about the switches...i dont wanna dip them in lime away...cause they have wires and such....should i use a tooth brush and scrub on areas needed??  thanks.

[Dave Farquhar]

I clean up the rails on switches with a kitchen scouring pad and white vinegar. The vinegar will soften the rust, and the scouring pad is abrasive enough to grind it away. It takes longer than soaking but unless a switch is really bad, it'll usually clean up in 5-10 minutes.

[Sturgeon-Phish]

When cleaning your switches clean the area where the frog contacts the rails.  The wires under the switch will energize the spur but the frog gets energized from physical contact on the rail.  I found this out when an enginge if stopped on the frog would not restart.  Cleaned the contact point adn no more problems.

Jim

[lionel2]

I just got done cleaning my switches..all works good...turns out i just needed more juice, power, to run all that electrical through the rails...went with the Z transformer...boy does my engine move fast...all the switches light up and switch with 1/2 power on Z.  Thanks for all the help..I am happy now.  Thanks.

[phillyreading]

I noticed too when I used a Z transformer that the A.F. trains moved faster because the voltage is higher than the A.F. transformers, A.F. puts out up to 18 volts and a Z puts out 21 volts or close to that.

Don't forget to clean the underneath wire contacts on the A.F. switches.

Lee F.

[lionelsoni]

The Z puts out 24 volts (according to the service manual) or 25 volts (according to the faceplate).  The American Flyer 300B and some others put out 15 volts, some others 17 volts.