Fastrack Turnout Wiring

Vin, this is a common issue that I've encountered many times.  Here's a link to a thread detailing how to test and correct the issue.

https://ogrforum.com/...-connection-doesn-t?

@SteveH Thank you!  I didn’t see that thread when I searched. The inside of that looks intimidating. Far cry from the O gauge switches I was using 15 years ago.

i’m going to roll up my sleeves and give it a shot!

Vin, there are lots of wires inside the switch to be sure, but you really only need to be concerned with 3 to resolve this issue.  Using a multi-meter or some other means of checking continuity will greatly simplify the process.  Checking continuity, you only need to identify which of the 3 terminals (Aux Power, Track Power or Ground) is connected to the center rail and which terminal is connected to the outside rail.  The remaining terminal should be Aux power.

Once you've identified which terminal is which, how you deal with the issue is a matter of personal preference.  The choices include:

1. Relabel the terminals on the cover plate using masking/painter's tape and a marker or other method
2. Reposition the terminals so they correspond to the stamped markings on the cover plate
3. Resolder the wires to the terminals so they correspond to the labels on the cover plate

@SteveH posted:

Vin, there are lots of wires inside the switch to be sure, but you really only need to be concerned with 3 to resolve this issue.  Using a multi-meter or some other means of checking continuity will greatly simplify the process.  Checking continuity, you only need to identify which of the 3 terminals (Aux Power, Track Power or Ground) is connected to the center rail and which terminal is connected to the outside rail.  The remaining terminal should be Aux power.

Once you've identified which terminal is which, how you deal with the issue is a matter of personal preference.  The choices include:

1. Relabel the terminals on the cover plate using masking/painter's tape and a marker or other method
2. Reposition the terminals so they correspond to the stamped markings on the cover plate
3. Resolder the wires to the terminals so they correspond to the labels on the cover plate

Appreciate the additional instruction.   I followed the link to the Lionel fix but it wasn’t helpful.   My wires seemed to be in the correct positions and matched the pictures.  I’ll need to look again and follow your steps.

That will have to wait, though.   I haven’t been able to run trains for almost a month.   For now, I’m going to work on the bus to power the layout and screw some of the tracks down to help stabilize the connections.  The turnouts will have to run off track power for now.  Hopefully the bus and screwing the tracks down will be enough to get me up and running.

Plus, I need to pick up a soldering iron and practice with it a bit.