Lionel 711 0-72 Switch restoration

No, they don't - the base is diecast zamac and the tabs don't stand too much bending. I would just polish what you can and leave them alone. The 711 and 721 (manual) are very reliable and far better than the modern era 072's. 

Reviving this thread for an analogous question: in the pair of 711s I got awhile back, no matter what I do the two control rails cannot be made to come into plane with the rest of the switch - meaning, they sit vertically "proud" and cause derailments when approached head-on.  Given that each of the control rails is only held by one tie, I wonder how they stayed in place when new, but I digress.  Is there any trick to getting them to stay in-place vertically (and horizontally as well, to remain in gauge) without re-tie-ing (is that a verb?) and hoping for a tighter, more square alignment to be produced?

Have you tried bending up the bottom flanges to horizontal, to lower the vertical height of the rail?

The tabs that hold the back of the rail are missing.  Most likely broken or smoothed off.   There are 2 styles of 711 switches.   One with the anti-derailer action near the frog, the other on the exit rail as shown on your insulated rails that are missing the tabs and insulators.   It is hard to get these switches in good condition and matching.  The early version have a problem with lighted cars tripping the switch because of the anti-derailer placement.     They all have age and use problems.   

Ross makes a set that are drop in replacements.   That is whay I did to finally fix my 711 switches.

@VHubbard posted:

The tabs that hold the back of the rail are missing.  Most likely broken or smoothed off.   There are 2 styles of 711 switches.   One with the anti-derailer action near the frog, the other on the exit rail as shown on your insulated rails that are missing the tabs and insulators.   It is hard to get these switches in good condition and matching.  The early version have a problem with lighted cars tripping the switch because of the anti-derailer placement.     They all have age and use problems. 

@VHubbard so, are you saying that when it was manufactured there was a second "tie" tab for each of those two control rails to hold them each in place (which would make complete sense)?  If so, I would never have guessed it - there is no trace of anything other than a smooth (well, scratched) surface where the tabs would have been. A photo such as this seems to support your comment.

But this is curious.  When looking at the switch from the top, it appears that all of the other tabs would have been stamped out of the base (which appears to be cast from some non-ferrous metal, perhaps Zamak?)  Makes sense. But, when turned over, the places where one would have expected to see holes from that stamping are completely undisturbed.  So, were the tabs created out of supplemental pieces of metal that were then somehow attached to the base?!?  It seems unnecessarily complicated to assemble but I can't see how they were otherwise manufactured - and to my eyes there's no sign of joining the tabs to the base.

I guess all of this is to say that perhaps the rail portions of these two switches are past their prime and I should put the motors (which work perfectly) in the parts drawer for future use. Sigh.

try some small screws with wide heads.  had some Rydin standard gauge switches and all the rails were held on with screws.

@JTrains posted:

@VHubbard so, are you saying that when it was manufactured there was a second "tie" tab for each of those two control rails to hold them each in place (which would make complete sense)?  If so, I would never have guessed it - there is no trace of anything other than a smooth (well, scratched) surface where the tabs would have been. A photo such as this seems to support your comment.

Correct, there were tabs.  The tabs were cast into the base.  There would be no punch mark.  Then the tabs bent over the rails.  Not much or they break.   If a rail or insulation needs replacement unbending/rebending the tabs will most likely break them.   When they were new, the metal may have been more pliable and they could have heated them for assembly also.

I have worked on many 711/O22 switches.   I had a set of 711's.  Upgraded both to O22 motors.  Then found that my early version 711's would switch and derialed the trains whenever a lighted car went over.    Redesigned the derailer action to be the first track connected to the exits.   In the end one had excess wear and the train would derail about 1 in 10 times.  After months of trying to  find a servicable 711 that was affordable, I ended up using the Ross switches. 

A different possible approach to screws would be superglue. I recently used it on a GarGraves switch where the original spikes just wouldn't do it anymore, and I didn't want to tear it out of the layout.

BTW, I removed three 711 from my layout where I was switching passenger cars through the curved legs with GarGraves O-72 switches. I would like to refurbish the 711, so interested in this thread.

I still have two of the manual O-72 (712?) in the layout serving spurs. They work fine.