Replacing Rail-Joiners on Bachmann E-Z Track

[jward]

you have voltage from the controller. do you have voltage to the rails where the wiring connects? you can touch a quarter to both rails and see if they spark, just don't leave the quarter on the track for any length of time.

[Griffin (TheBlueSnowplow)]

Yep. I do...when I did the quarter trick it worked...any other ideas?

[jward]

Yep. I do...when I did the quarter trick it worked...any other ideas?

now try the quarter trick on every piece of track, moving from the piece that sparked to the one adjacent to it. continue on around the layout this way. if you find a section that doesn't spark, the joiners connecting it to the last section that did spark are bad.

this is troubleshooting by logical progression. we have definitely established that the connections from your controller to the track are good, now we eliminate the track itself as the problem. or we find the problem track.

[jbrock27]

One other question that had been deleted from my original one: do you have the track down in any permanent way, or just snapped together?

The "quarter trick" sounds a little risky to me, specially for someone not used to working with this kind of stuff.  Reminds me of looking of live wires by touching them w/a screwdriver (only w/o the 110 AC voltage involved).

[Griffin (TheBlueSnowplow)]

Alright...

So I will try to do the quarter thing around all the tracks...unless

The "quarter trick" sounds a little risky to me, specially for someone not used to working with this kind of stuff.  Reminds me of looking of live wires by touching them w/a screwdriver (only w/o the 110 AC voltage involved).

so what should I do as this has been established as a bad idea?

Also, no the tracks are not

down in any permanent way

they are just snapped together. And yes, I believe they are steel. Here is the Amazon link where I bought them...

http://www.amazon.com/Bachmann-Trains-Snap-Fit-Nickel-Expander/dp/B0000CGB3N/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1451257040&sr=8-7&keywords=Bachman+Ez+track

NOTE: this link leads to the nickel sliver variant-- I have the original black track.

[jbrock27]

I believe they are steel.

You don't have to believe, you confirmed it is when you said you have black roadbed.

Keep going about it using the quarter trick, just be careful.  Specially if it is working fer ya.
For my suggestion, you would have to confirm you have a multi meter.

Are there no sections at all of track that the loco runs on?
Have you at last been able to read what I said about cleaning wheels?

[Griffin (TheBlueSnowplow)]

I believe they are steel.

You don't have to believe, you confirmed it is when you said you have black roadbed.

Keep going about it using the quarter trick, just be careful.  Specially if it is working fer ya.
For my suggestion, you would have to confirm you have a multi meter.

Are there no sections at all of track that the loco runs on?
Have you at last been able to read what I said about cleaning wheels?

Oh ok. Well, unfortunately I don't have a multi meter, so I will continue with the quarter. I don't think I recognize either of the things you suggested for cleaning wheels. Are there any homemade remedies I could use instead?

[jbrock27]

Ok Sparky.
I guess you could use a Q-tip and some spit, but doubt that would be as effective.

[UPTODAY]

What about insulated joiners?Are they hard to install on ez track?
UPTODAY

[jward]

it seems to me the hardest thing is getting the original rail joiners off without damaging the track. any replacement joiners should slide right on, no matter what kind they are. just make sure you use code 100 size, as the others (code 83, code 70, etc) are too small to fit.

[jbrock27]

What about insulated joiners?Are they hard to install on ez track?
UPTODAY

No

it seems to me the hardest thing is getting the original rail joiners off without damaging the track...make sure you use code 100 size

Correct:

RyRy, as Flare Gun pointed out, the task is not always easy.  I have used the method from this video:

http://s792.photobucket.com/user/NarrowmindedRR/media/20121110195709.mp4.html

Sometimes it has worked like a charm and other times, not so much .  Seems that depending on when or even where the lot of the same kind of EZ track was made, it can be different in terms of how hard or easy it is to get the joiners off.  I suggest that if the joiner does not start to pull off right away with diagonal cutters or needle nose pliers, take a hobby (Xacto) knife and trim the black plastic spikes form where they are in contact with the rail joiner and then pull the joiner off.  Sometimes it also looks like the joiners are crimped to the rail.  In those cases, I would do as my good friend Jerry suggests and try to open up the joiner with a jewelers screw driver first, to help be able to get it of the rail.  Too much force and you run the risk of twisting a rail and sending it out of gauge.

Please know too, that EZ track is Code 100 and you don't need to have to buy Bachmann joiners-Atlas nickel silver joiners or other brand Code 100 joiners will fit the bill.  Good luck and have fun!

[Griffin (TheBlueSnowplow)]

it seems to me the hardest thing is getting the original rail joiners off without damaging the track. any replacement joiners should slide right on, no matter what kind they are. just make sure you use code 100 size, as the others (code 83, code 70, etc) are too small to fit.

Yeah...the new ones were really easy to reinstall but the tracks are still not picking up any electronic voltage and I'm not sure why.

[Desertdweller]

Ryan,

If you don't have a multimeter, you can test for electrical continuity with a 12-16 volt light bulb.  Touch leads from the bulb to both rails with the power turned on and see if the bulb lights up.  This is easier on your equipment because you are not creating a short circuit.

Les

[jbrock27]

Before you ask where one of these can be found, they are commonly called "Continuity Testers" and are sold at auto parts stores and in the auto sections of stores like Wal Fart, KMart and SEARS.  I bet you can also find them at one of my favorites (not), Harbor Freight.

[jbrock27]

For anyone interested, I am posting this again, as it has gone missing 3X now:

To clean the loco wheels, take a paper towel and spray it with WD-40 or PB Blaster.  Some use isopropyl alcohol instead.  Put the paper towel on the track.  Place some of the loco wheels on the wet towel and the other wheels to the track.  Apply power while holding the loco in place so the towel cleans the wheels resting on it.  Then do the opposite wheels. You will see the dark streaks on the paper towel, which is the dirt and crud coming off.  Some clean their rolling stock using this method and just rolling the wheels back and forth over the wet portion of the towel.