Lionel Fastrack 036 remote switch activates when locomotive runs over it

Seems like I remember an issue where some switches were wired backwards inside...

I'll look for that post on the fix.

Thanks. 

I don't recall seeing one wired backwards, but I have a question or two...

Can you test the non-derailing feature by shorting between the two outside rails on each path?  If you do, does the switch select the correct path or does it always switch to the wrong path for the oncoming train?

Yes, I remember now that the mis wired switches had to do with using AUX power causing a short because of a couple of switched wires in manufacture.

It had nothing to do with this issue...

It does sound like the thru anti derail and the out derail are switched. The results of GRJ's suggestion will be interesting.

Thanks. I'll try to test tonight. I assume shorting is just a wire across both outside rails  

Yes, but do the shorts between the arrows as that's the non-derailing trigger rail.  When you short a section, the switch should move to allow a train to pass through that path.

Sorry for the late response. Busy week. When I short the two outside rails, it picks the wrong path. So I short the curved section and the switch changes to strait through. What does this mean?

It probably means the two wires that trigger the non-derailing feature are reversed inside the switch.

Thanks. Is there a wiring diagram?

I don't know of any wiring diagram, but I'll bet if you take a working switch and the non-working switch and compare the wiring, you'll find out what is happening.  My guess would be perhaps pins swapped in one of the board connectors.

There is wiring, do search on service. Takes patience 

Where on service?

I think like service manual search..,

Chuck, I found nothing, so a link would be real handy.

Can't find it ether, found something once, might have been in documents. But not where I can get to it right now.

I had the same thing with 2 switches... I only found it when removing the switch from the layout.  It would not power through the aux terminals. The wiring at the aux power and track power where wired out 180 degrees. (2 outer wired reversed.) It also blew the fuseable resistor.

https://ogrforum.com/t...in-fastrack-switches

gunrunnerjohn posted:

Chuck, I found nothing, so a link would be real handy.

Here is  what I found sometime back. Not found the link yet...

That's great Chuck, thanks!  I wonder why it's so hard to find on the Lionel site?

I find the Lionel search engine to be among the most lame I've ever tried to use. A case in point are the links to the Legacy updates. You have to know the secret word .

Thanks to everyone for the research and the effort. Appreciated. I opened up the bottom of the switch, and wow, what a rats nest. I tried to compare the bad and a good one. Not easy. 

First check all the connectors and see if the wire colors match on every connector.  That's a pretty easy check.

Resurrecting an old thread here, but I figured I would throw in my two cents on this as this thread helped me today, and may help someone else in the future. Apologies if this is elsewhere, but I wasnt able to find it and I was able to finally fix my switch. I had an issue with a switch I just bought this past Saturday at my LHS. The train would go around, trip the derail triggers and flip the opposite way as OP was having a similar issue. While the track jumper/aux in/aux ground were all messed up (I have found this to be the case with at least 4 of my 10 brand new switches) that alone will not cause this. I straightened those out and checked over the wiring according to the schematic shown above. I found that the red/blue/yellow harnesses that come off of the microswitches were reversed going into the motherboard. I put them the way they SHOULD be according to the schematic, and then the switch would only operate when in between the microswitches, once either of them were depressed, it would kill power to the motor. I had another good working switch dismantled next to it and found that while they had the same motor, the one on the good switch was flipped 180 degrees from the bad switch, yet were wired the same, so basically the motors were wired backwards of each other. I took apart the 4 pin connector and flipped the wires in the harness, plugged everything back in, and the switch operates as normal and displays correctly in my DCS remote/app, and will activate correctly for derail when a train passes over.

TLDR: If a Fastrack switch is giving opposite feedback for derail, or displaying wrong, or both, check wire harnesses from microswitches to mother board, and check correct polarity to the switch motor.

Very timely indeed. Had to replace a 0-60  switch today and the new one displays red for through and green for divergent route on the controller and is in the opposite positions of the handle and the non derail feature throws backwards

@shasta posted:

Very timely indeed. Had to replace a 0-60  switch today and the new one displays red for through and green for divergent route on the controller and is in the opposite positions of the handle and the non derail feature throws backwards

I have a feeling that the QC for fastrack switches as of late has been a little lackluster. Like I mentioned, 4 of the last 10 were screwed up in some fashion, most of them it was the "AUX GND" and "Track Jumper" positions being reversed which is easy enough to fix. I learned my lesson now before wiring them into the layout to check them all out first.

A little slow getting this up the here was the fix for my switches.

Is there a PDF somewhere that we can download of that report?

YEs, there were internal wiring issues. I believe at the internal connections to the controller. The switch would chatter when a train when over it. Sometimes, switching. I had three or 4 =miswired

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

I beleive this will resolve your issue

I also believe this issue can cook the 1 ohm resistor used as a fused. Located under heat shrink. You may find after switching the connecotrs or wires that the swithch does not power from track power.

@cjack posted:

Is there a PDF somewhere that we can download of that report?

I do not know if there is a PDF somewhere. Lionel sent that to the local train store and I got a copy from them.