FasTrack buzzing

Sinclair,

   Sounds like you have a bad piece of FasTrack where the drops connect, maybe more than just one.  Very seldom does this happen, check your power drop connectors under the FasTrack usually this is were the problem ends up being.

PCRR/Dave

I have found this with poor pin connections. I just bend the offending pin with pliers to give a more positive connection (more friction to the sides of the tubular track) and the problem goes away. A track signal test with the engine can also help find poor rail joint connections, as the DCS signal may drop at the same point. I have improved signal strength from 3-4 to 9-10 by improving the pin connection.

Hope this helps: Joe K

You can either play with the pins or pitch the track piece and get another.  Track like Fasgtrack and 0-27, which are made to take apart and put back together with pins, etc., can be prone to this. Never had a buzz - more of a crackle to me, but while it should not happen it is more common that you'd think.  

I've seen a couple poor connections, I just pinch them a bit and then use DeoxIT D5 to aid in the conductivity of the joint.  So far, none have ever come back to give me problems again.

Guess I'm going to take a pair of pliers to it tonight it sounds like.  Thanks.

When I "fix" fastrack connections I insert just the tips of the "male" ends. Then crimp the "hollow"/female rail just past where the tips are. Then fully connect track.

This helps prevent "overcrimping" and not being able to connect the track.

Gentlemen,

   Good advise about the pins, my older FasTrack never has had any pin problems,

only the drop connectors caused me any problems at all, and that was very seldom, and we had a lot of FasTrack up for many years, it was always screw down however.

PCRR/Dave

A handy tool that I've found, to have for crimping track joints is a small set of "end nippers." About 4-6" in length, just enough to give a good crimp, not so large that you've got enough leverage to chomp the rail right off!

You just put the cutting surfaces on each side of the rail, below the pin on tubular, about in the middle on fastrack, and give a good squeeze.