Help! Train wont cross fastrack double switch

On all switches I make it  point to have power feed to all three ends of any turnout (switch).  Especially when they are directly connected to another turnout.

Do a continuity check of all the rails of both switches to seek out any which may not be powered.

@Tom Tee posted:

On all switches I make it  point to have power feed to all three ends of any turnout (switch).  Especially when they are directly connected to another turnout.

Do a continuity check of all the rails of both switches to seek out any which may not be powered.

Tom,

Are you wiring yours like a Gargraves switch jumpering all three center rails on the switch?

John

How does the distance between rollers compare to the other 8 engines? Are the turnouts in line or a crossover? What diameter are they? Can you post a diagram or photo? When your engine stops, tip it up and mark where the rollers are.

John's idea about checking  the other 8 engine's center pickup's distance against the offending engine is a good one .

Are the other engines pretty much the same type ?

A short video could be of some use.

Does it have rubber traction tires? Are there insulated outside rails, used for the non-derailing feature?

Have you done a voltage check from the third rail to all the (non-insulated) rails?

I have actually opened up Fastrack switches and had to crimp down loose tab connections and soldered the tab to the connecting metal strip and wires from each center tab to the last tab at all 3 ends of switches to make sure there is connectivity throughout the switch and I connect a power feeder wire to my wiring on each switch, and done the same type common wiring to the other tabs for the two outer rails with a common feeder wire. I have also found some Fastrack that will not accept solder at all, I remove those pieces as they usually seem to have connectivity issues. I solder jumper wires from one piece of Fastrack to another and solder feeder hot and common to every 6 pieces of Fastrack. It's a pain in the butt but it solves having issues, and I have a hard time getting down and up from being under the layout so I'm trying to eliminate as many issues as possible while wiring this layout I'm in the process of building because it won't be any easier down the road so do it right the first time. Overkill? Maybe, but better  to do it now while I still can than having to tear it up later to fix it. Don't forget to label all your wiring under the layout because you'll never remember what went where later!

@Craftech posted:

Tom,

Are you wiring yours like a Gargraves switch jumpering all three center rails on the switch?

John

John,  Being a belt and suspenders person I attach feeds to all three rails before and after every rail of each leg of turnouts and diamonds.  Same approach with all power feeds.  Three.

If this engine is a preimer model with 3rail and 2 rail capabilities check the track. I just got a new preimer ps3 gp7 it did not like my fastrack lighted crossing between some manual 036 switches at placed either end.

I found out that this engine would stall out in two spots almost every time going slow in the area of track. seems it did not like the outside insulated rail section.

I checked engine wheel continuity. good to go there. wheels cleaned also. so it was off to check track ground continuity on my section of fastrack.

since my track would be a pain to take up. I just soldiered where the insulating gaps were. I made the solder connection on the outermost part of the rail.

problem solved. now the engine moves through this section without a hiccup at 2 smph on the dcs remote everytime.

the only downside is now the fastrack crossing will not work as intended. I just removed the flashing crossbucks and turned off the bell sounds. then I just placed the crossbucks beside the plastic roadway for now.

I stuck them into my foam scenery. yes now they dont light up,but thats fine with me for now. reliable train operation is more important to me than having working crossing flashers.

I can always get some new flashers that activate without using the isolated rail technique at some point down the road.

the morle of my story. check to see in your track if you have power to all you ground rails. the ones supposed to have ground power. some mth ps3 engines like mine with the 3/2 truck setup are very sensitive to power getting to the ground side though all wheel sets on each truck.

If 8 engines don't have problems, I didn't think the poor tab connections could be at fault. It seems to me that there is something different on the problem engine.

I had recent issues with a engine and lighted passenger car going over fastrack switches.  The passenger car the lights would go out for a second and the engine would stall unless going a decent speed. The issue with both of them was the pick up wire on one of the rollers. The passenger car was obvious when I took it apart the wire was broken.  The engine had me stumped for a while until I finally changed pick up wires and it worked as it should.  An easy and quick way to make sure both pick ups are working, with the engine in neutral, pick up one end just enough so roller is not  touching the track and the other roller is still touching track ,the engine should still be on, do the same with the other end, if engine dies then you know you have a pick up issue.  Same with lighted passenger cars, if lights go out then the roller still touching the track is the issue.  What MTH engine is it, switcher, GP, SD.....  distance of the pick ups could also be the problem as already stated.

If other engines, that are the same as the one with the problem, negotiate the switches without a hitch, check to make sure the pickup rollers on the stalling one are not twisted in other words mounted straight.   This causes the  rollers not to be parallel with the bottom of the engine so they can lose contact with the center rail or make contact were they aren’t supposed to.    A number of years ago I found this to be the case with an MTH Premier SD70ACe.  

Larry

Thank you all for all the suggestions.   The problem engine seems to navigate better in reverse for some reason.  Now im thinking the actual frame may be bent?  When you say try adding feeders to it, do you mean solder power wires to each of the center rails in the switch?  I just don't think power is the issue since I added dual pickups to both sides of the loco.  4 total rollers in addition to the 9 volt battery should get it though any dead spot i would think.  As someone mentioned earlier, maybe the anti derailing feature is causing ground issues?

I certainly don’t think the frame is bent. Most likely a traction tire is causing a dead spot. While running slow try pushing down on the engine while going over the switch. If it makes it through then you know you’ll need to correct the seat of the tire or switch the trucks around.

With 4 pickup rollers I wouldn’t think they would miss contact at any point. You also need solid contact with a wheel and an outside rail to complete the circuit. You can pretty much rule out the 4 with traction creating solid contact. That leaves you with 4 possibles. Not knowing how your switches are configured. I’m sure there are points where the wheels are contacting isolated rails. All it may take is a slight twitch in the trucks to create a stall.

This may sound crazy as a test. If you have a good length of wire with a ring on one end. Attach the ring solidly to the metal chassis. Run it so it won’t snag on anything while running. Hooked the other end to your outside rail or a wire going to it. Run the engine at 3 or 4 mph and see how it goes. If it does stall. Tip it and see where the rollers are at. It’s hard to believe with 4 clean solidly connected rollers it’s not finding a center rail. If it passes the test. I’d look at the wheels and outside rails.

I have 4 Fastrack switches in line for yard tracks and have had engines stall when moving slowly through them. All are Premier with 4 rollers.

@John H posted:

I have 4 Fastrack switches in line for yard tracks and have had engines stall when moving slowly through them. All are Premier with 4 rollers.

Are these longer engines like dash 8 or 9s , sd45s , sd60s or sd70s or the like John ?

Mine is a Sd60M.  Premier.  Which apparently also stands for ****ing me off.  Haha

I will have to try to make it happen, as I can't be sure which ones acted up. The switches are all landscaped and ballasted, so I didn't tear them up. The engines are MUs, which makes it a real pain when one engine stops. They are a pair of Dash 8s, a GP38 and GP40, a GP38 and GP60.

Does this make sense?  I believe if you would be running scale wheels on "T" rail three rail track with AC you would not have a ground on one side of each truck.  Just guessing.  I do not have any MTH 3/2 diesels.

@Tom Tee posted:

Does this make sense?  I believe if you would be running scale wheels on "T" rail three rail track with AC you would not have a ground on one side of each truck.  Just guessing.  I do not have any MTH 3/2 diesels.

I think you might be on to something Tom .

I have 5 Premier Proto 3 F7s that I run 3 rail.

When doing continuity checks when doing initial prep I noticed one side of the trucks having no continuity with the opposite side.  It didnt seem to matter if I  had the 2/3 rail switch in either position.

I bypassed the switch and connected the wires for ground (-) on both left and right sides wheels of the trucks to enhance 3 rail operation. 

For 2 rail operation, obviously ,the process would need  to be returned to OEM specs.