Is this normal? Ross Custom 22.5 degree crossover construction quality UPDATE: ALL IS RIGHT IN THE WORLD!

Go for the replacement.

Contact Steve right away. That looks like it’s been used. Note the screw hole in the tie. There’s been a mistake somewhere. He will certainly make good. To answer your question, no that’s not the standard. His stuff is bullet proof.

@romiller49 posted:

Contact Steve right away. That looks like it’s been used. Note the screw hole in the tie. There’s been a mistake somewhere. He will certainly make good. To answer your question, no that’s not the standard. His stuff is bullet proof.

Yeah I guess I will.  I've been fiddling with it for a while just trying to tighten it up, but the "staples" are all just sort of coming out now.

To be fair, the holes are of my own doing.  We screwed it down (without the rails that fell out) jsut to help us space and locate the rest of our layout properly.

Thanks

Jeff

yeah that’s not a new switch.  Steve will make it right

It looks to me like there's no glue under the rails.  In reality, you've been done a favor and don't realize it because now you can hand lay it without the joints.

If it was me, I'd pull ALL the rails out. The stringers will hold the ties together.  Pull out the staples from ONE side of the rail space, leaving the other ones there for alignment. Get a tube of walthers goo, pliobond, or something else of a rubbery contact adhesive. You need to be using Ross track to do this. Gargraves wont do this because of the rail profile.

Lay the crossover where you want it, take the tracks you plan to put adjacent to the crossover, remove the same number of ties as exist in the crossover (pull the spikes cut the stringers where you need to and carefully pull them away from the rails), mark where the rails will meet the diamond in the crossing (could also just do it with a protractor at 22.5 deg), cut them in a straight line with a dremel and hand lay it together without the rail joints. Once it all fits the way you're happy with, apply a thin bit of whatever glue you chose to both the ties and the bottom of the rail, stick it together. That will hold it for good, but usually what I do is squirt a blob of superglue on a card, take the spikes I pulled out, dip the ends in the super glue and stuff the ties back in the holes.

If you just want to fix it.... just do the glue step as above.

back in 2002, on my first basement layout I had Gargraves turnouts. So I was excited to obtain a Ross. I had a similar problem with a double slip switch made by the same company 22.5 degree. It was a beautiful switch but shortly after installation one or more  of the rails moved and shorts would happen. I bought it as new at a show so, I had to find a way to stabilize the movable rails. It turned out that the staples(?) used had worked their way loose. The locos would catch or move the rails that would slide through the staples. I had dabbled in O scale (2 rail) and went into my track supply box. Surgery next. I removed the offending rails and replaced several ties with a stronger wood, less porous less worked wood the original staples were useless.
I re fastened  the rails with o scale track spikes. It was a tight space but the spikes were thin and long.  This remedied the moving shorting rails. Happily the switch was rebuild using the same method.
note the switch I had was an early model production. It seemed more intricate, there wasn’t a diamond plate on mine.

best of luck with yours.

@Jeff_the_Coaster_Guy posted:

To be fair, the holes are of my own doing.  We screwed it down (without the rails that fell out) jsut to help us space and locate the rest of our layout properly.

Thanks

Jeff

Good to know. Contact Steve.

Personally I would only bring a defect like this to  the forum after the mfg, would have walked away from it.

All suppliers have occasional problems, the key is in how they handle the problem.

Steve at Ross has an excellent product and an excellent reputation.  Running something like this unusual situation up a semi public flag pole does not do justice to the serious well earned credibility of the Ross company and specifically does not help newbys who are looking for guidance in this hobby.

For what is worth, I have used Ross products on many folk's layouts for 18 years and each and every product was excellent.

Please permit the builder to address an issue before you go public. 

I don’t understand postings trashing vendors before any attempt is made to contact the vendor about obviously defective items. Seems deeply unfair to the vendor (and Ross has an excellent reputation).

Chris Dunn

I was not trying to trash Ross, sorry if I came off that way.  I've emailed Steve and will see what comes of it.  Sometimes things happen, I get it, and I'm certainly not to the point where I'd walk away from other Ross stuff.  I genuinely wanted to know of this was a normal construction method, in which case I wouldn't have bothered Ross for anything.

Y'all can delete the thread if you want. 

You can also call Ross during Mon-Fri East Coast business hours.  Steve usually answers the phone himself.

Ross is the gold standard. I have several Ross turnouts on my layout and they're great.

Hey Tencrrr, Our club has purchased a few Items from Ross, as well as, some of our Club Members for their Private Layouts, and I've never heard one bad thing about Ross Switch Company. So I'm in total agreement with your assumption.........Ross is Great.........................Brandy!

you get a broken crossover and instead of notifying the seller seeking a replacement you install and use it. THEN you post here BEFORE contacting the seller.

Once you use the crossover you have accepted its condition, why are you entitled to a replacement? How does the seller know you did not damage it in use?

Does no look like a new crossover to me.  Looks used as evidenced by the hole drilled into the tie. If you purchased this item as new from Ross, then contact Steve for a replacement, if you purchased it used or damaged it during instillation then see if Steve can repair it.

@Tom Tee posted:

Personally I would only bring a defect like this to  the forum after the mfg, would have walked away from it.

All suppliers have occasional problems, the key is in how they handle the problem.

Steve at Ross has an excellent product and an excellent reputation.  Running something like this unusual situation up a semi public flag pole does not do justice to the serious well earned credibility of the Ross company and specifically does not help newbys who are looking for guidance in this hobby.

For what is worth, I have used Ross products on many folk's layouts for 18 years and each and every product was excellent.

Please permit the builder to address an issue before you go public.

The best answer given.  Ross should have been the first contact.  Even asking if this is normal is strange.  It's like asking if my 4 wheel drive, missing 1 tire is normal.  Do you expect 4 wheels yep, do expect the rails to be attached yep, then it's not normal and you should first contact Ross.  The have the reputation of "Making it Right"!

This hobby/any hobby, eventually is about people.  This thread, a good example. IMO, Mike CT. 

We have devolved to a society, in which many of us (I am guilty of it, too) feel entitled and in which we expect instant results.  The web has provided people with the ability to speak before they think, speak without filter, and speak without the normal social graces. The computer has afforded us an immediate way to react and vent, and to take away from us the individual responsibility to be self-reliant and thoughtful.

Imagine this situation back when we communicated by the postal service.  Answer: it wouldn't have even happened. None of us would have learned about this single unfortunate event, the manufacturer would have taken care of the problem, without the potential of public embarrassment, and the customer would have, after a few weeks, been satisfied.

I'm sorry that your toy train track arrived busted. I'm sure that using good old American ingenuity, you'll get the satisfaction of analyzing the problem, and fixing it.  In the future, this low point in your life will eventually be one that you will put into perspective, and you will move on to fix bigger and more complicated problems that will erupt. Historically, playing with toy trains has helped countless generations of folks learn new skills. Here's your chance!

Guys, guys...I accept that I was quick on the draw. All valid points above.

I should have brought it to Ross first and not posted here. I've taken my paddlin', and I'm moving on.

But...we LIKE paddling people. It's the best part of the forum.

OK, you don't need to stand in the corner any longer, young man.

Not into text speak, but I did LOL reading this.  It seems you used it to lay out your track plan, you even screwed it down, understandable.  I would too, to get it done.  But if you damaged it taking the track back apart, like the rails weren’t secured so well so it all kind of fell apart, you could prob fix it easily with glue and securing the ties better.  It’s a pretty basic piece of track.  Not judging you, I actually thank you for providing a chuckle from all those who did.  I am a fan of Ross switches and track.  Quality you can depend on.  Cheers.

I didn't take your post as a way of trashing Steve, I thought you were asking a genuine question and not trying to throw the blame game right off the bat.  I have a couple of his switches that I purchased from a forum member and they are terrific.  I really like his stuff.

Several years ago I bought some 072 left and right hand switches from Steve.  I started to lay one of them down and noticed something wasn't right, turned out the guard rails were missing.  I called RCS and talked to Steve, he wanted to replace the switch but I told him to simply drop the parts in an envelope and mail them to me and I would put them on.

Stuff happens, and in this case Steve made it right in a quick manner.  Some glue and a couple of spikes (good Lord all you railroad men, call them what they are!!!) and all was fine.

All 9 of my switches are Ross. I had an issue with one 072 radius with an 054 turnout. Every pass the locomotive would derail. We tried to figure out was happening but after a very short time Steve said just send it back and he immediately sent a replacement which worked perfect. Ross is first class and all my switches will be from them. 

OK, update.  Scott is taking care of everything, and I'm a happy camper.  Just thought I'd let y'all know so there's closure and we can all move on from what was obviously a very difficult time for everyone. We got through it together, as a team!

So this thread can now die and can be buried in the depths of the internet for eternity. 

Peace out!

I recall a sign on the wall in an office in a Canadian motion picture (forget the title) that read: Be sure brain is in gear before engaging mouth.  I still have problems following this simple instruction.  Sounds like it should be a passage from the Bible.  I imagine there is one simular verse that can be found in the Book of Proverbs.  You know, takin' a look doesn't sound like a bad idea come to think about it.

A Healthy and Happy Thanksgiving everyone.  You're a great bunch of guys to chat with!

Steve will go the extra mile for customer satisfaction, I've always been 110% pleased with their service and response.

Not sure who Scott is, does he work at Ross?

@Arthur P. Bloom posted:

We have devolved to a society, in which many of us (I am guilty of it, too) feel entitled and in which we expect instant results.  The web has provided people with the ability to speak before they think, speak without filter, and speak without the normal social graces. The computer has afforded us an immediate way to react and vent, and to take away from us the individual responsibility to be self-reliant and thoughtful.

Arthur,

Your statement is right on target.  I have two program management trainees assigned to me now.  I told them they needed to learn "soft skills" to be successful program managers and the learning started "right here and now".  I used almost the same words you posted here.  The four or five Friday morning "soft skills" sessions were taken very well--I was even asked by one last week if I would present more!

@Trinity River Bottoms Boomer posted:

I recall a sign on the wall in an office in a Canadian motion picture (forget the title) that read: Be sure brain is in gear before engaging mouth.  I still have problems following this simple instruction.  Sounds like it should be a passage from the Bible.  I imagine there is one simular verse that can be found in the Book of Proverbs.  You know, takin' a look doesn't sound like a bad idea come to think about it.

A Healthy and Happy Thanksgiving everyone.  You're a great bunch of guys to chat with!

Boomer -- I heard the same advice when I was in the military except about every third word yelled at me was, how shall we say, "quite colorful" to accentuate the "guidance".

Steve is great. I think I had him on the phone for 20 some odd minutes asking a ton of questions about his product. He answered every single one and told me the best advice at the time, "before you order, make sure you have a track plan so you can order the right stuff and see where you're going." I think I called him back a few weeks later after I had all that squared with my order.

Contact Steve - he WILL make it right! Ross IS the "gold standard"! :-)

Pat: The military yelling I remember occured during basic training.  We were treated like humans while attending the US Army Transportation Corps school at Ft. Eustus, VA.  This was Oct-Jan 64-65.  Assigned to the USATC 49th Transportation Group in Germany the same thing.  Not enough for me to decide to go for a military career though.  Rank was slow.  I made Sp/4.  Discharged in Aug 67, I returned to TX where I started a RR career with SSW, then ATSF, but that's another story.

I always thought the USAF wasn't anything like the US Army when it came to yelling though.  My dad spent 30 years in the USAF as a flyboy and never told me any stories to that effect.  Of course, he didn't want a family, so I was raised by my TX grandparents, and never really got to know him well enough to talk about any military adventures with him.

I've only heard good words when anyone brings up Ross Custom Switches.  Top Quality products.  Always Great Service.