EZ TrakTurnouts

[NewRRer]

I am relatively new to this. I did it years ago when there were fewer options for things like track. I have used an EZ Trak layout to get back into it. I used something called a Remote Turnout, both right and left, for the EZ Trak. There are no numbers associated with these. The problem I have is the passenger cars seem to derail consistantly on them. What turnouts should I be using if these are not correct?

[Doneldon]

New-

Before you buy more turnouts, check carefully to make certain the ones you have are adjusted correctly. This means that the points close tightly to the rails and that they stay there. It's very easy for wheels to pick a switch if the points don't make good contact with the rails. Also check the turnout for level. Assuming the derailments occur right at the turnout and not on the adjacent track, the next step is to make sure that the coupler trip pins on your equipment aren't touching some part of the turnout. This is a common source of trouble. If you are AOK so far, check your track joints on each end of the turnout to make sure that the rails are correctly engaged inside the rail joiners.

The last, and possibly disappointing thing, is snap switch style turnouts and long passenger equipment. Those 80+ foot cars can get some real side pressure on abrupt turnouts. This is especially true with talgo trucks. If you have talgos I suggest that you discard them and replace them with good trucks (with metal wheels) and body-mounted couplers. You might also have to find shorter equipment.

Good luck with your diagnosis and repairs.
                                                                                              -- D

[timhar47]

If you take your finger and softly pluck the movable points away from the rail, they should snap back. Move the manual switch toggle slide to move the points to the other side and do the same thing - if the movable parts stay in the middle, thats the problem. The engine moves them, and then the next cars derail. Bachmann will replace these, if they were purchsed new. I think the newer switches are in better shape than the older ones. The new #4 are also better.
Now on my bad switch(they didnt want it back) I got to monkey with it, and the problem is a movable piece under the cover(removeable w/screws) that has a way too thin piece of steel 'piano wire' and it has no available stress produced to hold my points over in the 'diverge route' position. I see no way to repair it, however i can see that total removal of all the underneath parts, that it could be easily adapted to a tortoise machine, if one has some experience in that area of things.
18" radius track and standard RH/LH switches (also 18"r on the curve) stay away from passenger cars longer than 60' or thereabouts - ConCor/Rivarossi has very nice equipment out in the shorty size, but are pricey.
Tim

[NewRRer]

Thanks for your help. I adjusted everything on the turnout to be tight however I think its the trucks. It appears the car shifts too abruptly for them to handle.

[jward]

those switches you are using have an 18 inch radius curve in them. if i am not mistaken your passenger cars are ercommended on 22" radius or larger. while the above suggestions are good advice for any switch, in this case all the tweaking in the world may not help your long cars run through them. they are just too sharp.

suggest you look into replacing them with #6, your passenger cars will give much less trouble on the larger switches....