changing direction when crossing switches

I'll try cleaning and see if that improves it.  I've ran several engines over it and it has happened with all.  plus I changed the switch and still had the same results. 
The engines run fine over some and and not so fine over other switches.  I can swith the E unit and solve that, but it defeats a lot of the playability of Lionel.  thanks

Matt

What engines are you having trouble with?  Try cleaning the track and collector rollers. Check that both rollers are connected and providing power to the motor.  The problem you are describing could be caused by either a loss of power or a momentary short circuit.  Watch for sparks or evidence of shorting on the rails or current collectors.  If there is a problem spot, sometimes a little piece of masking tape on the rail where the short is occurring will correct the problem.  

Matt,

  Have you by any chance removed the synthetic pins from your switches?

Also make sure your red terminal is going to your mid track thru out your layout,

make sure you have not switched it on a lock on some place.

PCRR/Dave

I cleaned the rollers and the center rails and still had the same issue.   I tried several other switches I had and got better results.  I notice the center, movable rail in these old 1024 manual switches is shorter than all of the newer switches I have.   I believe the combination of dirt, weak springs pushing the rollers down and the larger gap in the middle rail were the cause.   Guess I will use my newer switches, but I sure like using the real old stuff!   Thanks for the replies.

Pine Creek RR/Dave.  These are manual switches.   Where would they have fiber pins?

Matt b,

   I understand they are manual, sometimes when a switch is shorting out, it cycles the engines into nutral, as they run thru the switches.  To help eliminate it we sometimes make sure the outside rail on the switch has a synthetic pin or the switch rail is a little short of the track trail, give it a try and see what happens, you might be surprised.

PCRR/Dave

Thanks for the tips.I have solved my problems by changing switches.  Instead of the old manual switches, I changed over to some 1121'a I had.   Everything runs fine over them.    I believe the problem was in the longer gap in middle rail and possible some loose wire or connections  on the underside of the switch.   This was a case of the engines loosing powwer and cycling the E unti.  It wasn't due to a short as they crossed the switch.  I'll continue setup with the auto switches and keep buying trackage until I have enough to change evrything over to "O" scale.   thanks again.   30 years ago this was easy.  It is taking awhile to remember what works and doesn't work!!

Ace,

   Great pictures of what I was trying to explain, thanks.

Matt,

    Glad you got everything running, with your different switches.

PCRR/Dave