Yard Boss will not clear turnouts

[wjw23]

Dear Bachmann,

I have three Bachman train sets, the Super Chief (Model:  24021), Thunder Valley (Model:  24013) and the Yard Boss (Model 24014).   I am building a layout using only E-Z track.  In the layout, I have a #4 Turnout – Left (part #44863), a #4 Turnout – Right (part #44864) and a #6 Single Crossover Turnout – Right (part #44876).  They Yard Boss locomotive will not clear any of the turnouts.  Can you suggest any modifications I can make to either the turnouts or the locomotive so that it will clear the turnouts?

--wjw23

[James in FL]

Hi wjw23,

You say "clear the turnouts"; I take that to mean it stalls?
If you have no problems with your other lokies through your turnouts, it may be the lokie rather than the track.
Have you checked both the lokie and tender wheel gage?
Is the turnout in gauge throughout?
Get your eyes down and run slow over the turnout. Watch each driver over the points and through the frog.
Could be the drivers are lifting or maybe dropping, maybe the tender wheels.
With the limited pick-up this lokie and tender has, it's crucial that all wheels are on the track at all times. (two are already lost to the traction tires).
IIRC, the set tender only picks up from the front truck. Check how free those wheels roll.
Consider replacing your set tender with a Spectrum tender.
Or you could improve your existing tender by adding new trucks and picking up from the rear truck as well.
Either way, the tender needs attention.
A ¼oz. of lead wouldn't hurt anything in there.
Make sure it's actually providing power.
Got a multimeter?

Good luck

[brokemoto]

The first thing to do is to wire the turnout to power the frog.  If you have the newer version, you will see two wires screwed to plastic nubs underneath the turnout.  You should unscrew one wire from the nub, then take out the other screw.  Now screw both wires to one nub.  Replace the other screw in the now empty nub.  This will help.  If you have the older version, you will have to look at the instructions on the back of the card.  Sadly, those instructions are not the clearest.

The other problem is the design of the tender on the USRA 0-6-0.  It has one live truck. The design of the pickup places a tremendous amount of drag on the locomotive.   If you can find a SPECTRUM USRA short or a slopeback tender, buy it.  These tenders have needlepoint axle pickup and all wheels are live.  Go to Spookshow's website.  You will see instructions for swapping the tenders.  You will be amazed at the improvement in performance.  The USRA 0-6-0 is really a pretty good locomotive, once you get the electrical contact to its optimum.

When dealing with N scale steam, always keep in m ind Miranda's Maxim as explicated by ke:  'The poor performance of many N scale steam locomotives is almost always directly attributable to poor electrical contact'.