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Do I have to link grounds on switches?

BasilBasilOGR Forum Member

I am experiencing a confounding issue for my limited knowledge.  On turn outs, I'm losing power.  When I use my voltameter, or whatever it's called (can you tell my electrical experience?), if I hold the hot on the middle rail and the ground on the known ground, voila, I get a 20 volt reading, but if I put the ground on either outer rail of the turnout, no joy.  I've noticed this on two switches so far.  I'm afraid to go around checking all 21!  Also, I've insulated the interior rails of nearly every switch to be able to wire them up for non-derailing.  Does that complicate matters?

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BasilBasilOGR Forum Member

My layout is wired for common ground, if going around the loop, the most outer rail is the common.  I have nearly exclusively O-42 Ross & Ross ready switches.  On one that is giving me fits, it just goes to a small siding, but the siding won't power a loco--if I place my loco on it, my remote tells me there is no engine on the track. However, if I just run my loco over the straight portion, no trouble. On the other, it is connected to a string of switches as it goes into my "engine yard."  Oddly, if I bring my engine past the offending switch and put it on a piece of rail meant for parking, it fires up, but if I try to run it out of the yard, as soon as it hits the switch, it powers off.

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