Lionmaster Legacy Challenger Tender keeps shorting out going through 036 fastrack switch

Take a close look for any marks that the arcing is making on the switch and the truck. That's the easy find.

Is it the truck with the collector? (roller for center rail)

Is an axle wiper wire loose where it is supposed to be soldered? Are the two offenders lefts and the others rights or vice-versa?

The lock-on is that sensitive to protect the TMCC/Legacy electronics. It is working properly.

I can't see how a wheel is missing the guard rail and touching the center rail somewhere, but who knows. Usually a flange will touch the center rail at a point just into the divergence. I haven't seen this on FasTrack switches.

Matt, I have the same engine and had the same problem as you except I was running through O-60 switches.  What I found was that the floating wheels on the tender had enough side to side movement to touch the diverging routes center rail.  Sometimes it would come in very close proximity of it and arc out.  I use a well placed pice of electrical tape an problem was solve.  Here is a pic of the fix that solved the problem.

Both switches are right-hand switches and I inserted a video below of what's happening. 

LG, you sir are a genius! after placing the tape and a doing a few tests it worked without tripping the circuit.

Thank you so much it was driving me crazy.

Thank you also to Moonman for using your time to help me.

Matt, your welcome that's why we are all part of this great forum.

Matt -  One thing I forgot to mention.  Make sure you brush a thin coat of 100% clear silicone adhesive to the sides of the tape, it will prevent the ends of the tape from peeling up over time.

LG, Love the look of your Fastrack, nice work!

It looked like the bearing cap over the end of the center rail where the arc was or the truck frame. Really strange, I did not see any physical contact.

So, insulating the end of the diverging center rail further back (like LG's pic) prevents it from happening?

Are there multiple transformers being used? Is this possibly where one power district is meeting another power district? Bridging two transformers could create an arc without contact.

or, Is it just a case of those flangeless wheels sliding over enough to just touch the rail?

Matt, Is the flange on the end wheel bent or is it just the camera angle?

The two axles with arrows show that those two (where the arcs appeared to occur in the video ) are spread further than the center, or have more play or a wider gauge. It could be just enough let it get close to the diverging center rail past the plastic point.

Also, look under the collector, which is over the axle for an arc mark. It could be that the center of certain switches is slightly higher pushing the collector close to the axle.

If you have the time, it may be worth it to send Lionel the link to this post and ask their opinion. You still have warranty and it would protect you if something went bad in the electronics.

Tape is a Band-Aid and should not be needed. There's a physical reason for the issue that should be addressed. Squeezing the wheels to proper gauge may be the answer.

The K-Line Big Boy has this same issue, but only when backing up over a switch.  If they had made the blind wheels plastic like a couple MTH diesels I have, this wouldn't be a problem.  I'll have to try the tape thing too.

Good morning Carl, the tape position that Luis noted is working perfect for me.

Just 1 power source - 180 Powerhouse into a direct Lockon and 2 terminal tracks.

Those flangeless wheels seem to have a lot play on them and they slide easily from side to side. It is not bent it's probably the camera angle. Because I was holding it on it's side the axel slipped down so they are off center.

The tender was not doing it on all switches just two so that is the strange thing, I will keep investigating and thanks for the feedback.

Matt,

The 180 PH is enough to make quite a spark, as it does.

I can see how the flangeless wheels slid when your were holding it, which was helpful. I would be tempted to squeeze the outside sets (with arrows) to match the center. (gauging the wheels). The sparking in the video tended to happen towards either end, rather than in the middle. The slop or play in the axles is to allow use on small diameter curves. It is sometimes a little too much due to assembly variances.

I was speaking of the flange on the wheel with the left pointing arrow. That's a photo anomaly?

hey, the tape is a fix and didn't require a lot of work. Enjoy the very nice engine!