Lionel 022 Mystery Problem

You didn't mention what you've done so far, but is the plug firmly seated?

 

Test the switch with track power by removing the fixed voltage plug.

 

If you have a common ground layout, it is not likely you lost ground connection to all three legs of the switch.

 

Removing the switch motor cover will enable you to trace your 15-16 vac path further to diagnose.

Hi Rob--

The actual switch-type for this one trouble is one of the newer 072 switches--either 5165 or 5166.  Last night, everything has been working great (for the past several days)..  Today, it died.  There is 15vac on the fixed-voltage plug but nothing works.

So I pulled out the plug and turned up the track power--  still DEAD !!  I'm wondering if the switch itself took a nose dive ?

 

Right now, I'm giving it a rest..  I'm actually getting bored working on this layout.

TODAY:

 

1.  Took a brand new B&O Budd RDC out of the box (# 404) and the darn truck fell off.Drove to ACE hardware twice and bought a couple of those E-rings.  The stud of the truck did not have one to hold the truck to the chassis.  Does now--hard to put in place--but I persevered,  Car seems to run good.

 

2. When car pulls two RDC trailers--the couplers keep disconnecting.  Mystery!!

 

3.  I think I "fried" my Rail-King SP AC-12 with the ZW whistle control.  Engine still runs but tender is putting out constant HUM noise.  Also, one of the rubber tires came off a drive wheel--BUT--  it is on opposite sides of a connecting rod.  How the heck did that happen ?  Linkage will have to be dis-assembled!

 

My buddy Ray at House of Trains yelled at me!!  DO NOT USE THE ZW on modern electronics in today's locomotives!  You run the risk of frying the things!!

 

So--I'm depressed right now--and think I'll work in my office for a while!

 

KRK

KRK
Did you solve the problem. Sometimes the slide contacts are in the middle and nothing happens. The switch is supposed to go to one point and then back. Dead if in the middle.

Hi Hokie-- NO, I had not as yet figured out the problem.  But, at about 7:30 am this morning I went into the train room and turned on the power and started playing around with that switch (which actually is an "072"-type, # 5165 RH..  Still nothing!

Then as I was wiggling the switch motor housing and happened to pull "UP" on it slightly, everything came back to life !  Hooray!!  I slid a couple of thin pieces of cardboard under the motor and everything stays powered on and we are back in business!  We'll see how long it lasts!  I did NOT really want to go to all the trouble of trying to replace the switch!

 

Cheers.

 

KRK

Good deal,
Your experience reminded me that I once had a switch which had loose screws somehow connecting the motor and acted like this. This is the frustration but fun of the Sherlock Holmes part of the hobby!

Hi,  Take the bottom metal cover and the paper insulator off.  Check all the wire jumpers that are soldered to the track rail tabs.  They tend to crack and loose continuity.  Solder as needed.  Flip the 022 over and move the switching rails with the direction lantern.  With a bright light check the moving contacts for make or break at the right time.  You will need a small long nose to adjust them. BE VERY CAREFUL  The telephone guys of way back had a nice set of relay adjustment tools.  You may be able to find a set.   

If you use the fixed voltage plug, how do you keep track power from shorting out switch power when the 2 meet? Does every  022 switch need a fiber pin on the center rails?

Matt, when the plug is inserted it breaks the circuit from the center rail.  Normally, a finder connected to the rail touches a pin.  When th tubular plug is inserted, its plastic snout lifts the ffinger off the pin, which is connected to the center contact of the coils.

That's what I read. I guess I have another problem then.

 

Thanks

Yes, every 022 switch needs the two fiber pins or they'll not function correctly.

 

No fiber pins should in center rails unless creating a block at a switch.

Take the switch apart! It sounds like a wire is disconnected inside the switch somewhere. I had a # 5153 short out on me and one of the wires had melted inside the switch. Lionel uses too small a wire at times with their switches, you may have to re-wire the # 5165 switch.

 

Lee Fritz

I apologize to the OP for hijacking the thread.

 

I am setting up my uncle's layout (he is deceased). He has an elaborate control panel that powers the switches via the fixed voltage plugs from a lug on a type Z. The track power is coming from a ZW. There are 14 - 022 and 5133 mixed switches and 4 K-Line switches. When I power up the switches only, they all work great. When I apply track power to the already powered switches, the fuse for the switches blows.

 

I checked to make sure the fixed voltage plugs were on the pin in the switches and the K-line switches silver plate on top of the terminals is not bridging the track power terminal. 

 

Any Suggestions?

make sure there is a fiber or plastic pin in the control rail of each 022 switch. Look at the outside switch rails - on each o22 you will see a break in the rail about in the middle. This is the rail that should have a plastic pin inserted. this then throws the switch when a train comes from that direction and the frog is not in the proper position. This might correct your problem.

am not familiar with Kline switches.

good luck,

rjs.

Yes, but you need two fiber pins, one for each control rail as I stated.

There is a movable jumper plate on the K-Line switches, on an end terminal.  It must be in the position when it is not contacting the adjoining terminal.

 

Also, the two transformers MUST be phased.  A reversed 120-volt plug will cause a "short."

It was a phashing issue. I must have switched the Z plug at some point and not realized it. That's what you get for taking time off from working on the RR and forget where you left off.

 

Thans forte help.