Bascula Bridge Help

[flower123]

I purchased a Bascula Bridge #313 at York at the last meeting.  It seems as if I am missing the "Special Lock-On".  Doesn't anyone know what that is or how I can get one.  I'm trying to wire directly to transformer.  I will start and stop the train manually.  I have a large tunnel right before the bridge(poor planning) and it will be difficult to put in an insulated track as the directions call for.  The bridge looks great over my river and the light works on the top.  Any suggestions?

[3railguy]

The special lockon is part of the seperate U shaped alignment frame that was originally furnished with the bridge. In case your's does not have the frame, it is designed for floor layouts with track that is not permenantly fastened down. It has one terminal that puts current to the center rail. If your track is mounted permanently and you are not using the frame, a standard lockon can be substituted. You would be using only one terminal. The one that hooks to the center rail. You can put the insulating pin up close to the bridge on the tunnel side. However, the train won't stop inside the tunnel when the bridge is raised. An alternative would be to put the insulator pin on the opposite side of the tunnel. You can eliminate the insulating pins entirely including the wire to terminal 5. When doing this, the train will not stop at all when the bridge is raised.

[flower123]

John,

Thanks! I sort of tried that last night with the following wiring connections using a ZW transformer:

Terminal 1 went to transformer terminal A

Terminal 2 went to controller 96C

Terminal 3 went to transformer terminal U and a seperate wire to the other pole on the controller (doesn't sound right but that's what the schematic looked like.

Terminal 4 & Terminal 5 not hooked up because I was not using the automatic raising feature.

It didn't work.  I am getting power to the brdige because I checkedit with a voltmeter, 16 amps.

What am I doing wrong? The brdige light did light when I eliminated the controller and wired directly to the transformer.  Thanks for any help you can give me. 

 

[3railguy]

 Sorry if this schematic blows up the forum page. If I shrink it, half the linework disapears. The Lionel schematic is for an R transormer which is what appears you are using. The Lionel schematic also shows the same voltage tap for track power and bridge power. This schematic is for a ZW and shows fixed voltage off a center tap for bridge power. You can adjust it so the bridge motor works at a nice speed. I have a 313 and it is wired like this. If you have to use track power for bridge power, hook the wire I show on terminal B to terminal A. I highly disadvise it otherwise because you often find your self adjusting track power when raising the bridge. Plus you must use the track cutoff terminals 4&5 if you are avoiding those. This schematic is simplified because some of the lines on the Lionel schematic repeat themselves in a sense. The volt meter should be put across terminals 1 & 3 when testing. There is a possability the controller is malfunctioning. Test this by touching terminals 2 & 3. with a screwdriver with power to terminals 1 & 3. If you still have trouble getting the motor to engage, there is a stack of contacts under the bridge. A solder joint may be loose or the contacts are dirty. Tug at the wires lightly to test for loose joints. If all is fine, try shooting the contacts with CRC plastic compatible tuner cleaner and squeeze the contacts a little with your fingers to try and work them or try burnishing them a little with fine emery cloth. Be careful not to bend the contact strips when doing this. CRC and emery cloth are available at auto part stores. Plastic compatible is recomended because some of the toxic variety can eat the insulated material Lionel used. Spring tension is another issue with 313's. There is an adusting screw directly under the spring, under the base.

[bayshore]

 I had the same problem as you--bascule bridge set up right next to a tunnel, so no room for insulated track section. 

I solved the problem by leaving out the insulated track section (on both sides of the bridge) and I just power the bascule bridge by it's own small transformer.  I turn the track power off  (it's a seperate transformer) to stop the train whenever I raise the bridge, then lower the bridge and turn up the track power again to resume running the train.

 This works well as long as you aren't absent-minded.  You need to remember to stop the train before you raise the bridge. And remember to lower it before you start running the train again.

 My bascule bridge is set up flat on the train table, so I don't have any worries about a big fall if I were to forget to lower the bridge.  If there is a big drop involved, then you probably wouldn't want to try what I'm doing.

[flower123]

That is exactly what I'm trying to do.  I will be using an LW not the Zw I had mentioned in my first post.  I use the LW to power a three switches on that side of the layout close to the bridge.  I use the variable for the switches and am trying to use the 14 volt for the bridge.  If possible could you describe what wires go where.  I'm 69 years old and hopefully not too forgetfull. I would have a 3 1/2 foot drop.  This forum is amazing with answeres to my problems.

[3railguy]

Yes, In the case of a small seperate transformer, The wires from terminal 1 & 3 would go to the transformer. When using fixed bridge power, a 153 block signal can be wire directly to the bridge so it changes from green to red when the bridge is raised. I can't quite rember how I did it but will check and revise the schematic. A 153 block signal looks so 313ish if you know what I mean. It takes the fixed voltage and no relays. Nada. Real simple.

[3railguy]