I set up a test layout with two reverse loops. When the engine crosses onto the switch, it looses power. I verified with a multimeter that I have 17 volts just before the switch but the switch rails are 0-1 volt. Any ideas?
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Known folded tab connection failure inside the switch. This is why I recommend bulletproofing (soldering the tab connections, checking for some other known faults, and last ensuring the terminal area cannot short to the metal backplate when installed on the layout).
And being honest, in the bigger picture- just like the FasTrack bridge track debacle- depending on FasTrack pin connections to carry power is just asking for dead spots long term.
On one had, I get it. You buy something, you expect it to work out of the box. Often, they kinda sorta do. Then later, after you have it more permanently installed then these problems sneak up on you.
Second part is, I've been trying the other brands of switches for a while now. Atlas, Ross, K-line, Lionel tubular, and FasTrack.
The tubular versions long ago soldered these very known to be failure prone folded tab connections. K-lines work great, until they break, and then what are you going to do? Not to mention, they need the roller protection lest you kill your K-line cars with pickup rollers. Atlas switches and the twin coil switch motors are their own accident waiting to happen. Ross is great, but I consider it more of a "kit" than plug and play. Anti-derailing is feature you can add- breaking out the soldering iron.
So the truth is, you are breaking out the soldering iron- or breaking out the soldering iron. I'm sure there are those who disagree, just stating my experience.
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That girder bridge debacle- I know, you are saying not related- I say no, given you are depending on the fastrack connections electrically for your layout just another example of how dead spots happen https://ogrforum.com/...bridge-does-not-work
I just was handed one of these girder bridges the other day and yep the pins are somehow electrically insulated from the rails. If you put pressure and stress them I can get continuity but there has to be some coating or something and mechanical contact alone is also loose and sloppy. I'm still not to the bottom of the exact why, but again, I have an example in hand that a brand new piece of Fastrack won't power from one end to the other. I just don't even know what to say for the beginner trying to troubleshoot this.
Thanks for the answers everyone! The weird thing is that it all worked last night. This morning, I reconfigured the loops to be a little more compact. Essentially using all the same switches and track that worked yesterday. Do you suppose the simple process of disconnecting the switches and reconnecting them could have shaken something loose?
