Switch Issues

[Archertl]

I am building a new layout. I just finished laying the ballist down everything went well except t one of my switchs does not funtionfully. Only the outside of of the switch has power on the rails. The inside half of the switch has no power to the rails. I used this switch if that helps http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/pco/pco244.htm

[jward]

pecos have little metal tabs on the points which slide under the adjacent stock rail when you throw the switch. when you ballasted the track, these probably got dirty from the glue/water you used. you could clean these tabs, but a better solution would be to solder jumper wires between the closure rails, just on the frog side of the where the points hinge, to the adjacent stock rails. by doing this you should solve the problem once and for all.

[rogertra]

Jward offers good advice regarding switches.

Keep in mind that model railroading is NOT, contrary to what many people believe, a plug and play hobby.

There are many minor issues that you will need to learn to deal with, as you can tell by the number of questions on this board.  You will need to learn how to solder and probably learn to fix issues with locomotives and track etc. yourself rather than sending them back to the manufacturer, when you could probably have fixed it on your workbench.  All you need is the will to "have a go" and you'll find the vast majority of issues can be fixed right there on your workbench.

In this case, cleaning rail around the points, between the stock rail and the points, will probably fix the issue but as others have pointed out, relying on point contact alone is not the best solution for switches.

[richg]

The Peco will be covered in the below linka. Might help. Store the links in Favvorites. You will needthem..

http://www.wiringfordcc.com/switches_peco.htm
http://www.loystoys.com/peco/about-insulfrog.html
http://railwaybobsmodulebuildingtips.blogspot.com/2011/06/insulfrog-or-electrofrog-that-is.html

Rich

[richg]

Out of the box turnouts usually receive their power via a hinge joint that is kind of loose and/or a tiny contact shoes under the tips that contact the stock rails. Both of these may work at first, but time and ballasting eventually interferes with good electrical contact resulting in dead points. The simple solution is to supply power to the frog with a remote switch and to wire the points and their support track to the stock rail. Be sure to add the necessary gaps.

Rich

[Archertl]

Thanks this helps a lot. I'm an Air Force electrical on the C-17 so I'm no stranger to a soldering iron. I just needed some Tech Data. lol