Crossed wires on Fastrack Remote Switch

Hi DrTrainDad,

It would be easiest to diagnose if it were out for bench testing.

Try it with just track or aux power and the remote controller disconnected. That should tell you if the switch is ok. If it lights and no buzzing, the remote controller unit was fried.

Then you could try a known good remote controller or some jumper wires to test the operation of the switch.

What did you find?

Another suggestion to isolate your problem would be to check the switch motor without using the remote controller.  Simply approach the switch from the through or turnout location with the switch in the opposite position to verify derailing feature throws correctly.  If no buzzing, then I think your switch is ok.  This test eliminates the remote controller.  If this works, then recheck your wire connections with the remote again or try another remote as Moonman suggested.

Thanks for taking the time for the quick reply.

Of course I realized (after I posted this at 2 AM) that I could simply switch out the remote control with another one and see if that fixed the situation.

But, the suggestion to just test the automatic derail function without ripping the switch out of my layout was a great idea.

Turns out, it must be the actual switch motor / solenoid (or whatever it is) because I have the same buzzing when it tries to fire on its own without the remote.

Guess I will open her up and have a look; wish me luck.

I don't imagine there is much of anything serviceable in there so will probably just need to buy a new switch.

Thanks anyway.

YELLOW-RED-BLACK-GREEN

YELLOW-RED-BLACK-GREEN

YELLOW-RED-BLACK-GREEN

- mark

Without disconnecting the remote controller, you don't know if that is the cause.

The switch is completely repairable\serviceable . The board is the most expensive part at $23, so I think some troubleshooting time is worth it. 072 parts

Also, you didn't say if you powered it with track or accessory voltage.

Thanks for all of your replies.

To conclude my story...

Turns out there was no problem at all!

Crossing wires did not blow any of the circuitry.

(To answer Carl), I am powering all of my switches from the track, and for whatever reason this one particular switch needed a little extra voltage to flip.

Once I wired it all back up and applied constant 18V to the track (using DCS), it worked just fine.

Well, I have learned a lot about Lionel remote switches anyway (ended up taking one apart just to see how it worked).

Thanks again for your help.

- mark

Thanks for the conclusion, DrTrainDad. The FasTrack switches like 14VAC.

Here's another tip before it happens to you. The internals of the FasTrack switches can interfere with the DCS signal.

The solution is to replace the track power jumper with a choke to prevent the electrical interference. Thanks to gunrunnerjohn for the solution.

Mark,

      Don't forget-the order is G,B,R,Y for the switch that turns the other way.

Yes- why do they have to make the wiring so complicated !

- mark

Thanks for the tip.

We have not experienced that yet, but it doesn't mean that we won't, I guess.

When we started building our layout, I debated on whether to power the switches independently or with track power.  I took the easy way out, but I am thinking that some day I may go in and give them all a dedicated feed of 15V Lionel juice.

- mark