Tip on cleaning the blades of a turn out.

[cudaken]

 There is arching where the blade touch the main rail of a turn out. Over some time it will get to the point you will lose power. I have cleaned with a fine grit sand paper and Nail Polish remover. But the spaces is so thin hard to get to with a brush or sand paper.

 I use to work at Raido Shack when I was working my way thought Auto Body school and remember what was called "Tunner Cleaner". What today would be called a contact cleaner. picked some up the other day for a driffrent project but gave it a try on the turn outs that like to stall. One Peco was real bad, would lose all the power to the next feeder. Problem gone in 10 seconds. Same with a Atlas as well.

 Will not say it is cheap but for $10.00 at this point seems to be a easy fix. Raido Shack part number 64-4315.

          Cuda Ken

[Midnight Railroader]

The word you're looking for is not "blades" (turnouts don't have blades) but "points," I think.

[D&HRR]

...or it could be wired correctly before you install it.  This is the reason to wire the points rather than rely on the point-to-stockrail connection for conductivity.

David B

   I wish I did!!!

[cacole]

I've never seen any evidence of electrical arcing at the point rails on any of the turnouts on our HO scale club layout or my home HO layout, whether running DC or DCC.  Under normal circumstances, the voltage on the track is too low to cause arcing.

[loathar]

CRC also makes that contact cleaner. They sell it at autoparts stores for about $3.50/can. It would probably mess up any weathered ballast work you have down though.

[Don Gibson]

SOMETHING IS WRONG. (possibly you description?)

There is arching where the blade touch the main rail of a turn out. Over some time it will get to the point you will lose power.

.

My question is WHY? Bad connections?

Cleaning points is supposed to enhance electrical flow. 'Nail polish' does the opposite. Are you trying to do? Improve electrical flow, or kill it?

MOST switches today have 'dead' frogs and internal jumpers so the point rails ("blades")  have the the same polarity as what they touch. SOUNDS LIKE that isn't happening. There should be NO arcing .

YOU HAVE picked up 'Garage Sales' on Ebay. God only knows what you are using.

MY EARLY ADVICE was to go with all KATO track. Now with BIG engines, you need big CURVES. Below is KATO'S:

2-290 New in 2005!

867mm (34 1/8") Radius 10º Curve Track [2 pcs]

Be advised, The REAL 'Big Boy' couldn't take a 10 degree curve. 

.. . And the Problems pile up. ARE YOU MIXING SWITCHES?

[loathar]

Don Gibson wrote-Cleaning points is supposed to enhance electrical flow. 'Nail polish' does the opposite. Are you trying to do? Improve electrical flow, or kill it?

He said polish REMOVER.

[cudaken]

 Thank You loathar, some people do read on the internet. I have powerd the points on some of the turns outs all some where the ones I cleaned. Anyway it has worked very well for me, did not harm the ballast either and no smell.

 I do not have the postive pressuer switchs (other name for a turtle) so pressuer is not high and that will cause arching.

 I all so have a theory on the gunk that bulids up on are engine pick up wheels. It is more arching than plactic wheels. Most of my turns are left but the right wheels have the most gunk on them. Engine tips a little to the right, less pressuer more arching. Just a Idea.

          Cuda Ken

[cudaken]

 Don, I will add one last thing. All your stuff is used now as well should you replaces ever thing? Used does not mean worn out, and new does not mean it is right. If new was all wise good then the idea of a warranty would never came up.

 Plus if you ran your trains as much as I do you would all so have a few more problems. I run mine apx 31 hours a week if not more. One of the reason I wore out the center gears on the M1a BLI I bought new.

                Worn out Ken posting again

 

[loathar]

 I all so have a theory on the gunk that bulids up on are engine pick up wheels. It is more arching than plactic wheels. Most of my turns are left but the right wheels have the most gunk on them. Engine tips a little to the right, less pressuer more arching. Just a Idea.

          Cuda Ken

I've got an IHC SD-24. 12 wheel drive, but only 8 pick up power. The 8 powered wheels get dirty real fast. The 4 un-powered wheels stay clean as a whistle so your definatly right about your theory.

[john.pickles87]

Cuda

You don't say which scale your Peco is?  Ho has a feeler under the point blade that gose under the running rail next to the tie bar, that could need a gentle clean with a fiber pen with the brissels screwed out about 4mm that could help. 

If its N gauge live frog, outch, but can be got round using a Dremel type small wire wheel not brass (then you ncan pick any bits up with a magnet) at a slowish speed clean the blades again very gentley.  Your best bet though with both is, if you've fitted a piont motor and can get under it is to fit an accessary switch to wire the running rails to power the frog.  All my points HO & N gauge are wired this way. it save a lot of hassle (its murder in 7 1/4 though).

OK then.

pick    

[retsignalmtr]

i think that cleaning between the points and stock rail is a step that is somewhat overlooked when cleaning track. this shows up mostly when power routing turnouts are used. i use a brass wire wheel in my cordless dermel tool at a low speed to clean between the rails then use some track cleaning fluid with a cotton swab. i,ve done this quite a lot in n scale and ho with no damage or adverse effects to the track or electrical conductivity. if the point is not tight enough against the stockrail there could be some arcing which will gum up the electrical contact.