Track or Motive Power --I suspect EZ track turnouts

[SpaceMouse]

I fired my track up after about 5 months of rest and found that my two MDC old-time 2-6-0's are stalling on several of the turnouts. I cleaned the wheels with only a little help. The turnouts are either EZ track steel or EZ track nickel-silver. I have 3 of the steel ones, but after paint and ballast I can't tell them apart without a chisel. It is theoretically possible that all the effected turnouts are steel.

The wheel-bases on these suckers are short and only black wire is pulled from the tender. I'm wondering if I am losing power to the turnouts. Are the moving arms wired or do they need power from the track?

Any solutions, oh you EZ track gurus? 

[PA Belt]

in all my experiencese, steel track sucks. so it probly is the steal

[mikesmowers]

  Use a magnet to tell whether it is NS or steel.   I would think if the steel track is polished and shiny it should be allright. Have  you checked to see if the affected turnouts have power to them.    Mike

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Spacemouse: The EZ track turnout arms are indeed powered by the track. My layout is all EZ track nickel silver. I've had no problem with the NS turnouts. Early on, when I had steel track, the steel ones gave me constant fits. Also, it's quite possible that your loco is losing on the turnout frog because of it's short wheel-base, especially if it's a turnout with an insulated frog.

[SpaceMouse]

I'll try the magnet and see what happens.

The locos never had a problem until this restart. Still, it could be a combination that didn't exist before. My GP-38 has no problems, but then again. it won't make it around the track because of the rockwork.

[brkracing]

Hi Mouse

Wipe the track with alcohol swabs

when running my christmas train I had to wipe it twice a week

Rich

[ARTHILL]

Ain't progress fun. Question: How is the power transfered?  On some older switches, there is a small tab or the points simply touch. These contacts are subject to losing contact and your simptom will be the result.

By the way, good to hear from you. I have missed your posts.

[SpaceMouse]

Ain't progress fun. Question: How is the power transfered?  On some older switches, there is a small tab or the points simply touch. These contacts are subject to losing contact and your simptom will be the result.

By the way, good to hear from you. I have missed your posts.

Thanks, I'm in a break between classes. I have a zillion things to do on the layout and a lot of repair before I do it.  

 

[wjstix]

The EZ track switches (at least the newer ones) have a connection that you can make under the switch itself to power the frog - it's basically taking the tape of the end of a little spade-like gizmo that's connected to a wire going to the track, and inserting the spade where indicated. I had trouble with my shortest wheelbase engine (OK it's Thomas the Tank Engine) going thru a No.5 turnout. After I made the connection, it worked fine.

[msowsun]

I don't think the newer EZTrack turnouts have powered frogs. Only EZTrack #5 turnouts and the #6 crossover have these powered frogs.

If he has both NS and steel turnouts that look the same, it means he has the cheap EZTrack "Remote Turnout" ("Snap Switches").  They don't have powered frogs. and are always prone to stalling with short wheelbase locos. I find they are also prone to derailments.

[SpaceMouse]

I have the turnouts and track that was available two years ago. They have internal electromagnets, and if that is what you call "snap" so be it.  They were a bugger to get to the point of no derailments and having sat for 5 months, they need work again. The part about the small steam losing power in the turnout is new.

My thinking is that wet-glue-water got into the rivet that holds the movable rail and conductivity was lost. I'm hoping friction will break thing loose.  I'm also going to work on the contact point with the track.

Although I don't like doing it. I can bridge the gap with a short piece of wire if I have to.

[Don Gibson]

Chipper:

If the track and wheels are reasonably clean, I suspect poor metal/metal continuity. Rivets are a poor source of electrical transfer. They contanimate.  Only KATO 's unitrack uses separate elecrical contacts (good). Probably why they're so reliable.

One doesn't need powered frogs, if one's engines bridge the gap, however point rails and adjoining track sections need to get power, to be reliable.

I would suggest trial replacement of one offending turnouts (such as Kato) as a trial. I have found problem switches don't get better. If you don't like the Kato, try Micro-Engineering or Walthers.

[Don Gibson]

Chipper:

If the track and wheels are reasonably clean, I suspect poor metal/metal contact. Rivets are a poor source of electrical transfer. (They contanimate).  Only KATO 's unitrack uses separate elecrical contacts (good). Probably why they're so reliable.

One doesn't need powered frogs, if one's engines bridge the gap, however point rails and adjoining track sections need to get power, to be reliable.

I would suggest trial replacement of one offending turnouts (such as Kato) as a trial. I have found problem switches don't get better. If you don't like the Kato, try Micro-Engineering or Walthers.