How old? what are the internals like? If its a newer worm gear driven setup it can be worth repairing and dcc install if it has sentimental value, if its a lot older its probably not worth the effort.

Just because a train is out of a set doesnt mean its only for tossing, I have a union pacific f9 from one of bachmanns sets that is one of my best runners and got a dcc decoder for the main layout because I enjoy running the unit.

If its the unit from this set http://www.amazon.com/Bachmann-Superchief-Train-Set-Santa/dp/B0006KSLD2/ref=pd_sxp_f_pt its an f7. When you say the front truck is kaput, what do you mean? wheels gone, gears shot, pickup not working? Depending on which part of the front truck is kaput, you will need to replace that part, your local lhs should have replacement wheels and gears or should be able to get them relatively quickly.

Steve, is there a dcc quick plug inside your unit?  If there is a quickplug any dcc decoder designed to nmra standards should plug into it very easily, otherwise, any decoder that has the functions you need can be spliced into the Im assuming its a bachmann engine fairly easily since most internals from Bachmann Ive seen are already isolated from the frame.

Jerry,

No the turnout is actually in a completely different location, one that was an issue prior was a left handed turnout in one spot of the layout, this is a right handed turnout in a completely different spot, both turnouts were mounted on regular plywood, and moving the turnout elsewhere does not fix the issue.

Joe,


new momentary switch, new wires, new turnout, this one is not split at all but runs green wire to momentary switch, red wire to bachmann dc controller. I picked up a total of four switches Friday, the other three all work fine, this one does not, even switching the momentary switch and red wires, it still has the same problem.

Ok, so I wound up just pulling that switch and buying another one, as well as another right handed switch, this time of the grey road bed versions and now have the same problem with the right handed switch. Four other switches on the layout all work fine, this one has the same problem as previous switch. Are these really just that bad of switches? I have to say Im losing faith in the bachmann switches at a rapid pace with this issue.

Jward,

I actually did put greasem in it. No dice on that.


Jerry, the wire leading to the points, you mean the little piece that runs from that plastic housing that slides against the gear to the little u shaped plastic on the bottom of the strip of plastic tied to the bottom of the points? Or do you mean the points themselves in the center of the turnout?


Also, track is not ballasted or painted yet, just brand new out of the package. I did notice that oddly enough it would appear that there is some grease on it, Im wondering if some of the greasem ran to the magnet and is shorting the poles a little. Going to try stripping the grease off with alcohol, of course will take a day or two to dry enough to try it again, but I will let you know how it progresses.

Joe, Im pretty sure its because I was using a staple to tie pins 1-3 together, I had it sitting on top of the metal strips I used in the pins as the leads I have werent small enough. The only time it wavered was on pins 1-3 tied together with measuring pin 2, the rest of the time its dead solid on whatever number it settles at.


Jward, I disassembled the switch, everything looks the same as the right hand switch and moves about the same, I dont see any glaring mould lines or anything of that nature that would be adding to the resistance of the mechanics. Any thoughts on what else I should look for?

Jward, when pushing the little black manual peg back and forth, going towards the direction the electronic switch wont go to(this is toward the actual split in the turnout track), about in the middle there does seem to be some resistance/binding when compared to moving it the other way. Its fairly minor when moving the manual peg quickly, but when moving it slowly is definitely noticeable when compared to moving the switch the other way.

Joe, Im not running both turnouts off the same switch, one switch per turnout. Also, I dont have a dvom, just a regular one, so cant get that precise, but using the meter I have with it set to the 10x ohm setting I get dead on 30 ohms resistance from each grouping, excepting testing pins 1-3 combined and 2 as the other lead, on this one it wavers between 15 and 20 ohms.


For further experimentation I removed the magnet box from the bottom of the switch as well as the metal plate that couples to the turnout mechanism itself. The problem appears to be that when you press one direction itll move the magnetic plate wall the way to the end of the box, but the other way will only move it 1/8th of an inch or so. Im guessing that means the coil for the electromagnet is wrong as it appears the poles are to close together instead of being at opposite ends of the electromagnetic box.

Jward, you were dead on ting pins 1-3 together and checking that with pin 2 hovers between 15-20. So the question is if all the resistances are right, why doesnt it switch?

Joe,

Similar results from checking resistance on working turnout , pins 1-2 read 22-25 ohms, think maybe just couldnt get the leads in the plug well enough, pins 1-3 and 2-3 both read 30 ohms on the dot.


To get a close up of the circuitboard inside the electromagnet would require disassembling it, not sure I can reassemble it afterwards, looks like it is a very tight fit.

from what  I can see it looks like the print on the board is not actually serving any purpose because both the green wire coming in and copper wires running to the magnet are soldered together in pairs on top of the board, which would obviate the board serving any purpose beyond being a point to tie the wires together. Which means that its all down to whats being sent from the momentary switch determines what the electromagnet does.

Jward, no, it always only switches to the left on the turnout itself, flipping the connector over on the electric switch changes which one left or right causes it to go to left on turnout itself.


Jhanecker, there isnt really a pair of solenoids, its a single electromagnetic box with a tiny circuitboard on it, from what I can tell, green 3 wire runs directly into small board, then 3 copper wires loop around the box inside the shell numerous times creating the electromagnet, at a guess, the metal plate that slides inside the magnet is magnetized as well and depending on the poles of the electromagnet, determined by the current passing from the momentary switch, either pushes or pulls the metal plate which is linked to a polearm that actually moves the switch. As a side note I did say that he cut the wires on the wrong wire, wanted him to extend the wires from the electronic switch to the power box, not from the switch to the turnout(the bit that had spade connectors on it, I cut them off in order to use both switches on the bachmann grey box, and so just needed wire spliced on there). I had run to the store and came back to wrong wires cut.


Mr Bachmann, the linkage is attached properly, it throws the switch to one side, just not the other, and the manual switch does move the metal plate inside the electromagnet properly.


Joe Satnik, call me Dennis, and oddly the voltmeter returns 30 ohms for all three pairings, 1-2, 2-3, and 1-3.

Joe, at the turnout end, green 3 wire goes directly into the electromagnet box, there isnt a way to remove the wire. I have not disassembled the electromagnetic box yet but using voltmeter there is current hitting all three lines where they enter the box depending on which way your pressing the switch. Flipping the 3 prong plug at momentary switch end will cause it to have the same actions with opposite directions, IE if I have it one way and I press left, if Ive moved the turnout right manually, itll switch to left, if I then try to switch to right itll show the barest hint of movement but not actually switch. If I flip the plug over, same thing but now it switches when pressed to right, and hint of movement when pressed to left.

Ok, so just picked up a couple of the black eztrack turnouts from my LHS on Friday, the left hand switch will switch to one side when you use the little momentary press button, but not the other side. When investigating further it appears that its because the little magnetic solenoid on the bottom of the switch will pull the metal plate but wont push it. There is a bare fraction of movement when pressing to push the switch to opposite side of track, and when using the little manual peg on the switch everything moves perfectly.

Unfortunately, had a friend over this weekend and we were expanding the layout and rewiring a few things and he cut the green wire from the turnout to the switch and wired in more wire, so now that its been modified, cant return it to local hobby store.

Any ideas on how to get it to switch both ways? In advance of troubleshooting issues, I have tried it with the other switch from the right hand turnout,  and the right hand turnout and switch I picked up works perfectly together, but right hand switch with left hand turnout has same issue only switches one way.