MilehighxrI made my insulated track sections by cutting the piece underneath that ties the 2 outer rails together, and cutting the pin off the side that I want the break on, and insuring there is a gap between all the sections on the side I want the break on.
The Italics outline the problem. You should not have cut any pins or made gaps. You want these "trigger" sections to be long continuous rails, only isolated from the other side, not from rails on the same side. All you have done is effectively made a bunch of little isolated sections with no connections to them whatsoever.
Rob
OK sports fans, I have a 6-12062 crossing gate, and if I install it on a layout with the included isolated tracks on either side with the breaks on the same side, and the switch opposite, it works as expected without sound. If the switch is set to the same side as the break I have sound. I wanted a more realistic delay between the gates going down, and the train crossing the road, so I created 2 insulated curves, and one more insulated 5" section. Once these are installed between the isolated track and the gate(all breaks are on same side) the gate does not work. It does not matter which way the switch is set. the gates just come up once on power up, and then when resetting to go, or reverse one gate moves and nothing else happens with the gates. Nothing happens when the train goes over the isolated/insulated sections. If the switch is on the same side as the breaks the sound comes on as do the lights, but the gates don't move. If I put it back to having only the included isolated track on either side it works fine, but the loco is halfway thru the crossing before the gates come all the way down.
I made my insulated track sections by cutting the piece underneath that ties the 2 outer rails together, and cutting the pin off the side that I want the break on, and insuring there is a gap between all the sections on the side I want the break on.
This is beginning to look like rocket surgery...
Congradulations,
I have been searching for the answer for the gate problem when I found this "Isolated" track in another of my boxes. After fooling aroung with it, I made 5 isolated 10" fastrack (could use curved) . Just take the underside connecter strip of the track as mentioned on another post. From each side of the gates, add whatever isolated length you want, than add the 5' track with the cut on one of the rails to the end of the activation timing lenth you want.Then connect to the rest of you'r track. Add as many as you like. I put 3 10" isolated straight track on either side of the crossing gate then adding the 5" cut track on the end of it to make it more realistic. The cuts must be on the same side of the other track.
Thanks for all you'r help. Ken
PS. I have the old ZW powered to the throttle side, same as in all track connections.
I just want to say a quick thank you to those who offered solutions. I'm a "newbie" here and just received my first Lionel train set this past Christmas. I've had HO & N scale but never had a Lionel set.
I recentley bought the Lionel 6-12062 crossing and was having the same problem, lights and sounds worked but gates were stuck in down position. I've found that some other people have had similar problems.
Unfortunately Lionel's instruction guide didn't offer any solution and I couldn't find any other online solution. I was all set to call Lionel when I found this post after a few days of searching thru Train Forums on the web. Turns out that they had indeed put the two 5" sections together and since I'm near sighted I took it as one 10" piece.
Well it all works now, but I justed wanted to take the time and say thank you to those who saved me a phone call / e-mail to Lionel.
Rob here is what I think happened. Someone bought the grade crossing at hobby lobby, took the 2 5inch pieces out and replaced it with a 10" piece and returned it and said it did not work. Hobby lobby put it in the clearance isle with the note one gate did not work. After about 4 months and a drop of about $90 dollars in the clearance price I picked it up to fix it and sell it or keep it. That was when I started having problems. So there was a 10" section of regular track(not insulated) so I asked here how to get it to work on the track because bench running it worked fine. That was when I learned about insulated track and how to make it. But I was still short the isolated or activator track. That was when it was suggested to cut the rail to make my own or to buy the track pack for 11.99. So with a little research on lionel.com I finally understood what everyone was trying to point me to.
Thanks
Mike
alco's forever!!!!! Majoring in HO scale Minorig in O scale:)
Mike,
It seems like we only got part of the story... was the 10" section packed in the box the wrong piece? Did you look at it carefully to see if it is two 5" pieces snapped together?(new Fastrack snaps so tightly together it's hard to tell sometimes)
Well with everyones help here and a little extra research on lionel website I have figured it out. My original problem is that the box came with a 10" sections and the crossing. I then made insulated sections and found out about isolated sections. I bought the activator track pack today with the 2 5"sections and an insulated 10" section. I put it all together and it works perfect, a $140.00 item at hobby lobby that I got in the clearance section for around $30.00.
To answer your question Rob with the switch off the bell was off but the lights stayed on and the gates down. Now it works the way it should.
Thanks again all
rs2mike..bought insulated track the other day for it but it still stays down and dings and flashes, I saw on lionel website that there is an isolated track piece. how is isolated and insulated track different? It said on there website that i need isolated track on either end of the grade crossing and if I wanted to make a longer run add insulated track in between the isolated track. .. Mike
..bought insulated track the other day for it but it still stays down and dings and flashes, I saw on lionel website that there is an isolated track piece. how is isolated and insulated track different? It said on there website that i need isolated track on either end of the grade crossing and if I wanted to make a longer run add insulated track in between the isolated track. ..
Mike, the isolated sections came with the crossing in the box. Study the crossing and it's rails carefully... fully assembled it is THREE SECTIONS of track.
The center section is the crossing itself. The two adjoining sections are ISOLATED - they each have a small gap in ONE outer rail. The crossing must be assembled being sure that the “broken” rails on the Isolated Track sections are on the same side as each other AND the little on-off switch on the grade crossing - all along one continuous rail.
Get that working first, and then you can extend the "trigger" zone later with the INSULATED sections.
What happens when you turn off the crossing with the little slide switch? Does it still activate?
Not sure if every one is on the same page here.. My gates are the grade grossing gates witht the fast track roadbed. I do not have the option to wire the gates off the accessory side of the power pack. I bought insulated track the other day for it but it still stays down and dings and flashes, I saw on lionel website that there is an isolated track piece. how is isolated and insulated track different? It said on there website that i need isolated track on either end of the grade crossing and if I wanted to make a longer run add insulated track in between the isolated track. I will have to go out and buy two more sections of track I guess.
rtraincollector Just reread what he said and what hes saying is if you wire it to the fixed voltage side the gates will always stay down but I don't think thats what you want either and I did wire these one time for a Friend but he had this sensor that when the train went by it activated the gates to go down so what it was doing is it would send one wire thru the sensor and the other right to the gate I believe and when the train went by the sensor it would give the other wire power and that would complete the circuit and the gate would go down and the lights would flash.
Just reread what he said and what hes saying is if you wire it to the fixed voltage side the gates will always stay down but I don't think thats what you want either and I did wire these one time for a Friend but he had this sensor that when the train went by it activated the gates to go down so what it was doing is it would send one wire thru the sensor and the other right to the gate I believe and when the train went by the sensor it would give the other wire power and that would complete the circuit and the gate would go down and the lights would flash.
No. What I am saying is that the power for the gates is coming from the track and that will work fine. The prblem is that when the train is stoped or reversed the gates also cycle. This is normal. What I'm trying to say here is that if the gates are powered from the fixed voltage side of the transformer the gates will stay down no matter what the train does as long as the train wheels are on the activation track (insulated track sections). The insulated track sections are nothing but a switch to turn the gates on and off. One wire from the fixed voltage (accessory) should go to the gate. The other lead should go to one outside rail of the unsulated track section. The other lead from the gate should go to the other outside rail of the insulated track. With power on the gates should be up. When the train wheels reach the insulated track section, the wheels complete the circuit and the gates will lower and stay down even if the train is stopped. Hope I'm makeing sense hear. Ken
Ask and you shall receive my freind
manual
http://www.lionel.com/media/servicedocuments/71-4098-250.pdf
Wiring diagram
http://www.lionel.com/media/servicedocuments/6839_testsheetksscan.pdf
Service tips
http://www.lionel.com/customerservice/service-documents/download.cfm?file=6960_mainlinexingtoinsultrack.pdf
hope this helps you I got all this from www.lionel.com
and another wiring diagram
http://www.lionel.com/customerservice/service-documents/download.cfm?file=6839_testsheetksscan.pdf
Life's hard, even harder if your stupid John Wayne
http://rtssite.shutterfly.com/
I'm not a fast track person but from what I'm understanding hes telling you to wire the crossing gate to the fixed side of the transformer somehow. If i was there I might figure it out but thats all the help I can give you, oh by the way now that your doing O gauge we expect you to change your signature to modeling in O gauge or at least add and O Gauge
Eriediamond As I stated before. Your gates are powered by the track power. When you stop the train or reverse it, the gates become unpowered and hence raise. When you reverse the train notice the loco head light goes off and then on again? This power is also interupted to the gates. If you run the gate from the accessory side of your transformer the gates will have constant power an stay down, regardless of what the train does as long as the train wheels are on the "activation" track. Hope this helps. Ken
As I stated before. Your gates are powered by the track power. When you stop the train or reverse it, the gates become unpowered and hence raise. When you reverse the train notice the loco head light goes off and then on again? This power is also interupted to the gates. If you run the gate from the accessory side of your transformer the gates will have constant power an stay down, regardless of what the train does as long as the train wheels are on the "activation" track. Hope this helps. Ken
This is what I have. An mrc tech II throttle o27 written on it. I have the track hooked up to the variable side of power and nothing hooked up to the fixed side. I have the dual crossing gate with the road crossing with insulated track sections on either side of it. All insulated writing is on the same side. The throttle is wired with the black wire on the outside rail of the oval and the red on the center rail. I have had the crossing gates with the insulated side on both the black wire side and the non wired inner rail with no difference. What am I doing wrong or is this thing busted in some way. Is there someplace to find a wiring diagram for it?
mike
Ok I bought the 2 insulated rail sections and put the insulated tag side to match the insulated stamped side on the grade crossing. The gates stayed down and the lights stayed lit. When I selected the direction they went up then down. So I swapped the whole unit aroud 180 degrees and tried that and had the same result. Any Ideas I am stumped.
It was the best change I ever made . Problem was it put me many years behind everybody else when I changed from ho to O . But OH SO MUCH EASIER to work with ... and really alot more detailing can be done .
rs2mike I am usually a ho guy(don't hold that against me). Mike
I am usually a ho guy(don't hold that against me).
We don't hold it against you we just see it as you have finally seen the light and came over to the best side of the track. You'll learn you can do just as much detailing with O as HO and its a lot easier on the eyeballs.
Been busy so I haven't been on in a while. Well I made the track pieces(2) by removing the metal piece on the back of 2 10" sections. I am not clear on cutting the rail or whatever that was. I am heading out tomorrow to the hobby shop near home and pick up the insulated track to see if that works. I will post a pick of the tree setup when it is all done.
Thanks again for the help.
15" of track on one or both sides is not required unless you want decent lag time. You can also use a curved section between the 5" activator section and XING gate if you remove the outside rail jumper under the track section.
To test your gate, do this. With aligator clips or something equal, hook track power to the inside rail and the outside rails oposite of "insulated side" marked under base. The gates should stay up. Now jumper the outside rails by touching the ends of a short piece of wire to them. The gates should come down. This is what the train wheels do to activate it. You'll also get a feel for how this works.
rs2mike...Of course I am missing the backing plate for the d cell battery that is supposed to help power the horn? Mike
...Of course I am missing the backing plate for the d cell battery that is supposed to help power the horn?
The part # for that is 2023-38. A Google search will turn up several parts sources, including ttender.com.
Thanks everyone. I have been out of town the last couple days. I will have to check the track that came with it to be sure but I thought I saw 10" on the back of it.
So if I understand this right. If you want 15" of track on either side of the crossing then you need a 5" piece of insulated and a 10" piece of insulated as well. I am usually a ho guy(don't hold that against me). This is a new venture for me with fastracks and the wiring. I have a mrc power pack that runs the steamer ok but it draws to much power to run the wistle if it is not at lightning speed. I think with the crossing gate added to the mix I may not get the whistle or the bell sound. The pack is so weak it will not sound the horn for my alco diesel AA set. Of course I am missing the backing plate for the d cell battery that is supposed to help power the horn?
You can make your own activator sections as others say by removing the rail jumper and cutting a gap in the rail. However it's hardly worth the trouble because, for $10, you get two 5" activator sections plus a 10" section of isolated rail track. That price is not much more than two sections of 10" standard track. That's just my opinion. You can decide however what suits you best.
You can use fixed voltage or track power to energize the gates. Either way, you still need the activator sections (bought or home made).
3railguy If you have the 5" track sections with insulated control rails that go on both sides of the crossing gate section backwards, you will get constant power to the gate and it will stay down. When you hit the direction button, you are cutting this power and the gates will go up. Underneath the crossing section, it should be marked "insulated side". This is how you tell which way the 5" insulated track sections are inserted.
If you have the 5" track sections with insulated control rails that go on both sides of the crossing gate section backwards, you will get constant power to the gate and it will stay down. When you hit the direction button, you are cutting this power and the gates will go up. Underneath the crossing section, it should be marked "insulated side". This is how you tell which way the 5" insulated track sections are inserted.
This is correct as 3railguy say's. You have the gates powered by the track power. Thats why they cycle when you change direction or stop the train. You can power them from the accessory side of the trainsformer and they will stay down as long any wheel set of the train is on a section of the insulated rail piece. Now that I've said this, I'm not all that familiar with fastrack. I may stand corrected here. Ken
You need isolated track to operate the crossing, with (1) piece of insulated track between the isolated track and the crossing.
5" Isolated - 10" insulated (option) - crossing - 10" insulated (option) - 5" Isolated
To make an isolated track section remove the jumpers on the back of the outside rails, and you will need to cut a break in one of the outside rails. When installing the isolated rails to the crossing, make sure the break in the isolated tracks, is installed on the same side (top or bottom) outside rail.
rs2mikeMine came with a 10" piece. Mike
Mine came with a 10" piece.
That 10" piece is probably the two 5" pieces snapped together tightly. The Lionel website has the instruction manual for this accessory.
When you assemble the track sections, be sure that the “broken” rails on the 5" Isolated Track sections are on the same side (i.e., locate both “breaks” inside the track loop or outside the track loop) as each other, AND on the same side that the bell on/off switch on the grade crossing is located.
Yes you can make your own insulated pieces.
Remove the metal piece from the back of the track section (electrically) connecting the 2-outside rails.
I installed these with an additional 10" straight section in between crossing so the gates would be down when the train gets to the crossing.
Kurt
3railguy The crossing gate should have come with two 5" long activator track sections. Mine did. You can buy them seperately (6-12029) for around 10 bucks. To verify this, look under the crossing gate section and it should be stamped "insulated side" somewhere. You are talking the Fastrack grade crossing right? Not the seperate gates.
The crossing gate should have come with two 5" long activator track sections. Mine did. You can buy them seperately (6-12029) for around 10 bucks. To verify this, look under the crossing gate section and it should be stamped "insulated side" somewhere. You are talking the Fastrack grade crossing right? Not the seperate gates.
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