Bachman EZ track switch when closed kills power to the whole track.

[skipcek]

I am getting back into modele railroading after many years. I went back in using Bachmann EZ track and have had great success with it so far, it made track laying much less frustrating. As I have expanded my small layout I decided to begin to add a small classification yard. I installed three EZ track left hand #4 for the ladder. I insulated each line at the end of the switch to provide independant operation and use an atlas switch box to power each one as needed. The center #4 switch of the three when opened to allow the train to proceed straight into the line works fine, when I close the switch to move the train to the next line the power is killed to the whole line. I suspect I have insulated at the wrong spot but I am lost. Any help would be greatly apprciated!

[jward]

Does throwing the switch cause a short circuit?

[prr22]

As jward said, I believe this could be a matter of a short circuit.  From what you say, I believe you are running independent operation for your main loop as well as the three of your ladder tracks.  If you are running multiple power packs, I believe the main power pack and the power pack responsible for the center ladder are touching, despite the insulated rail joiners.  I've seen this happen where, with pure luck, the rails are making contact despite the insulated rail joiner.  It may just be a matter of making sure that your rails aren't touching.  If you're running on one power pack with a block system, then I believe that there is simply contact between the two rails of that center yard track.

Best of luck 

[skipcek]

you are correct in the layout of the track, the main loop is independant. Throwing the switch causes the power outage.

I decided to take the switch out and replace it with a switch from elsewhere on the layout. This solved the problem with the yard, and when I put the switch in elsewhere on the layout the problem began again. I am sure it is a bad switch,  however I dio not know why or how it is bad.

Thank you all for your advice!