power loss

[Fish]

Having just finished ballasting I cleaned my tracks and gave my diesel a run to check the electrical conductivity.  Besides some sticky remote turnouts the major problem I encountered is the loss of power in one segment.  This is an isolated segment with a terminal joiner and plastic rail connectors.  The power loss appears to happen at the remote switch.  I have verified power between the terminal connector and track to the turnout. I have power in the common rail. However my tester shows no power on the track and turnout past the insulators.  Have I some how shorted out my power at the remote turnout during the ballasting process?  I would appreciate any thoughts.

[Joe Satnik]

Dear Fish,

Are you describing the power-routing action of the divergent leg of the turnout ?

IIRC, older N Scale turnouts were power-routing, i.e., cut off power to the divergent (curved) leg of the turnout

when the points were aligned with the main (straight) route. 

Main had power at all times.

Power best fed from points end. 

IIRC, newer versions of the N Scale turnouts have solid power to both routes at all times.

Others, please correct me if I am wrong about this.

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

[kmcsjr]

There are still power routing turnouts. Especially in a grey brand, that looks like Bmann track. Google your turnout to see it it is routing. To your question if there is no power, at the track, you will need to hunt it down, with a DC volt meter. If you have voltage, at the end of the feeder, that you can still touch, but not at the track, it's cut off somewhere. I think, if it were shorted (the 2 lines touching) you would overload the supply.  Ballast or an unfortunate missed connection is my guess. Does the reading change, if the switch is thrown vs straight. Did it work, before you ballasted? A picture marking where the feeders are, and the track brand will help. You might just need to solder in a feeder.

[Fish]

Thanks to both responders.  Forgive my lack of nomenclature identification.  Before ballasting and before nailing down track I checked all blocks, and turnouts, for proper connection and functioning.  For whatever reason after ballasting I found a dead spot within one block.  However the dead spot occurred in the remote RH turnout. The terminal connector for this block is supplying current to the track.  I have a simple current tester (light bulb).  Within the turnout I lose power.  I have power to the common rail thru the entire block when the  tester is linked to a control rail outside the block.  The problem is in the control rail within the turnout.  Imagining a Y with 2 branches attached to a stem, I have power on the left branch above the junction with the stem.  The right branch is dead as is the stem of the Y.  Since I do not wish to rip apart the ballasted track and since the turnout works fine otherwise, I have decided to connect another terminal connector to the control rail and set this up as a separate block.  I still don't understand why there is a power loss on the control rail IN the turnout.  It is an older Atlas remote turnout.  Thanks.

[Joe Satnik]

Dear Fish,

Is it possible that the old Atlas turnout control rail gets its power by the point rail touching the stock rail?

If so, you would have to clean ballast from between the point rail and stock rail

so good electrical contact could be made after the points were thrown.

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

[Fish]

Thanks.  Will check.