Solved!-FasTrack Switch Controller won't show green

I found that when mine didn't, it was because the switch did not switch all the way. I had a couple switches that I had to run slightly higher voltage to operate properly.

I thought the same thing, but then I open the CW-80 all the way, with just one loco on the track (in neutral) and no luck... Still no green.

 

before I take the switch out to take it apart, any other thoughts?

 

Thanks,

Mario

Before you take it apart, do you still have the receipt? If so I would contact Lionel. You have a one year warranty with that. I had a similar problem with the L.E.D not working and it was the board not the L.E.D.

It can be the switch not closing all the way or the cam inside not making it to the microswitch. This has to do with mechanical positioning inside the switch, not voltage applied. I also had a switch which had very loose screws holding the rails on which caused the same problem.

I would suspect the switch since you saw green at some point. You can reverse the yellow and black wires (don't connect the green or red wires when you do that) on a 5 volt DC supply and the red led will light for -5 VDC between yellow and black wires, and green for +5 VDC between yellow and black.

I had this happen to me with 2 switches new out of the box.  I took them back to my LHS, and the owner opened them up, made some adjustments, and no dice.  He wound up replacing them, and sending the original 2 back to Lionel.

I've had this very problem, I simply put a small piece of tape on the edge of the cam so the switch would close completely.

 

If you remove the metal bottom cover and manually operate the switch by turning the lantern you can watch the mechanism and listen for the click at the end of the switch travel, no click means its not closing the microswitch and not activating the control lamp.

Thank you everyone for their help on this subject, including Mr. Reagan for his depth of knowledge.

It was the limit switch...

With the swing of the control point all the way over for a neutral (straight) alignment, the limit switch was not closed. So, it was a simple act to loosen the screw, slide the switch closer to the control surface, and retighten.

Voila! Green light of happiness. While I was in there, I wired it for constant voltage per Mike Regan's video on YouTube.

Its so sweet.

Thank you all!

Sincerely,
Mario

Didn't I mention the limit switch in my email?

 

OMG! GunRunnerJohn, your email was the first and you were right! I went right to the limit switch!


Yours was the most detailed and spot on!

THANK YOU!

I've got the same problem with a switch on my little Roll-Away Layout. Would you send me that email, too?

Why not just post it here? Even though the limit switch fix has been mentioned here and is the most likely solution, a picture of the offending switch would be good. Do you have one easily available John?

I would certainly appreciate that too given that I have the same problem with one of my remote switches. It's out of warranty too so I will definitely be taking it a part. 

I'll take one apart later today and post it if none are available.

The switches are inside, I don't have one apart for a picture right now.  They seem to be the weak spot in the Fastrack switch, but fairly easily changed.

There are fastrack switches taken apart on Lionels website. Whats next, gunrunnerjohn is gonna tell us "we have to buy his book"?

 

 

#4 was the offending part in my post.

 

       

There are about 15 or so screws to remove...not as bad as the 31 screws to change the screen on an iPhone, but still.

I'll do it when I get home and post it if nobody beats me to it.

And the Lionel picture is ok, but seeing where the switch is and how its used is better i think.

You'll have to buy the book, gotta' make some money here somehow.

 

#4 is the switch in question, they are at the ends of the #45 Segment Gear.  They seems to be a bit touchy, at least to me. 

 

Here's what they look like in the switch.

 

 

Thanks John! You da Man!

 

Thats more like it John!

Sure, but now you won't buy the book!

 

These switches seem to be extremely over engineered.

Great thread! Thank you to all that have posted photos and advice here. As much as I like my Fastrack switches, they do give me problems from time to time. Another problem I'm having with a Fastrack switch is that it get's stuck in a position where the remote switch no longer throw the switch. I have to lightly tap on the top of the switch (track part) for it to get unstuck and then the remote will work again. I'm assuming a gear or actuator is binding inside. Anyone have that issue and can offer some advice?

The whole operating mechanism is right in the same place as those switches are,  The section pictured below is all of the moving parts below the deck.  If you take the cover off and activate it upside down on the bench, you can check the stuff.  Sometimes, if the switches are not working correctly, the remote will fail to operate the switch, maybe banging on the switch is moving things enough to activate the switch and get things moving.

 

 

 

No it's not the micro switch I think. What happens is that the pinion gear rides up over the rack teeth and the switch will not move. It could be freed up by tapping on the switch. I took it apart, inspected, and the pinion tooth was jammed on top of a rack tooth. This has happened to a couple of my switches and has to do with some slop in the pinion motor mounting, etc. and where the rack stops. I tried a little lube, but that did not help...made it worse. So I bought some parts, a pinion motor, rack, and just replaced parts to result in a different mix of tolerances. I figured the other 25 switches worked (actually one other switch did this later from new) so it must be an unfavorable mix of tolerances. Been working now for a year or more.   

Thank you - much appreciated! I'll get the cover off the switch later today and see if I can find the problem.

Whoa, whoa, WHOA!

 

You have a book?

 

Why am I always the last to find out about these things... yet again, something that might have been brought to my attention yesterday!

 

love it...

 

Thanks,

Mario

Do Forum members get a discount? And I want it on my Kindle...

It would have to a multiple-volume compendium... Encyclopedia GunRunnerica?

Details from GunRunnerJohn:

 

"First thing to do is to make sure the wires to the switch are solid.  Next, I'd open the controller and check if all the wires are connected properly.  The controller is pretty simple, but there is actually a small circuit in there.   There is no "magic" that I know of that would make a difference here.  FYI, the way the colors are determined is the polarity of the signal (yellow wire) is reversed for the out and thru switch positions to trigger the proper light in the controller. This may simply be a defective controller.

 

You can check the signal that lights those lights, it's the yellow and black wires.  Stick a meter across them and you should be around 4 volts plus or minus, depending on the switch position.  I believe that another issue may be the little limit switch in the actual switch track, it's the thing that determines which light lights.  Of course, if that were failing, you'd have issues with the switch changing positions as well."

 

Well, as we all know, it was indeed the limit switch...

 

There is a locating hole and a screw on the limit switch, and a corresponding pin on the switch.  I just loosened the screw and slid the switch a little closer to the pivoting "segment gear".

 

Retighten.  If you listen closely, you can move the gear by hand and hear the limit switch click closed.

 

link to the parts site: 6-12065 O48 Remote Switch - Left Hand.

 

Good luck!

 

Thanks,

Mario

 

 

I built up the arm on one that seemed to be mis-aligned, JB-Weld to the rescue.

 

Gentlemen,
    Let me show you how I completely eliminated my FasTrack switch problems,
after having more problems than I ever wanted with the new FT switches, I got out my fathers original 711 Lionel switches that came with his 263E Work Train back in the early 1900's, put LED lights in the switches and controllers and transitioned in and out of my FasTrack.  Not only do my Tin Plate trains work well with them, all my other post war trains do also, and the MTH repro's glide thru them, especially with Speed control.  Yep they take more power to run, but they run correctly every time.
In your post from what I can see, you are reworking brand new Lionel equipment,
my original 711's have never been reworked and still work perfectly.  Now if somebody can assure me that the new Ross Tin Plate low voltage switches will accommodate my Original and repro Tin Plate trains I might just invest in some of them, I do not want anything to do with FasTrack switches and their problems, thank you very much.
PCRR/Dave



Back to Back they still work perfect, even on regular track power.