More problems with Lionel 022 switch

Are you installing the nylon pins at the turnout positions correctly

Pins are in the correct position, and the problem just started long after the track and switches were installed.

I might add that when I want to switch from the curve portion back to straight, there is no problem.

There is no chatter or oscillation back and forth--just  an automatic switching at the instant the engine enters the switch itself. 

Does sound like you have a short circuit  with one rail. Can usually be found by a continuity test. Check one rail at a time.

jim r

I would suggest a complete wiring check at the switch terminals for the remote control unit that has the two light bulbs in it, the terminals use the outside rail for power to switch with, so jump the two outside terminals one at a time with a jumper wire from the outside rail power. Check the wiring from the outside rails going to the solenoid to see if they are not broken as that can cause a problem as well.

Lee Fritz

Jim,

I would say it is more of an open circuit then a short circuit as that would trip a breaker or fuse. Maybe a wire reversed on the remote control wires.

I have worked on the 022 switches a bit and they do get tricky to find problems in when they get old, but keep it simple and check the wiring first and do a continuity test, like Jim says to do.

Lee Fritz

OK.  After a long hiatus, I decided to try some things to resolve my problem with this particular switch.  I increased the voltage a bit for constant voltage, and I have no problem anymore.  The switch no longer reverses itself.  Why would increasing the voltage for the switch eliminate this gremlin?  BUT WAIT, there's more....when I started running my layout on an adjacent platform and the train went over the first switch there, I saw a slight blink of the lights and when it went over the second switch, the third car in the consist uncoupled and derailed.  This occurred each and every time with the exact same result.  I disconnected the constant voltage plugs on both switches on that platform with the power being supplied to the switches from the track.  Result:  no problem.  OK what's the problem now with this constant voltage??????

Is the constant voltage plug connected to the correct binding post on the transformer? Did you recently change the wiring to the Lock-on?

Absolutely no changes.  Just a week ago, the train went around those switches without a problem.  

Are you sure the phasing on the constant voltage supply is correct?

I am not sure what is meant by phasing constant voltage.  All of my switches' (8 in number) constant voltage plugs are ganged together that lead into one wire that is connected to the same binding post on my ZW transformer.  I have used buss bars for those connections.  I am going to change the binding post connection to have constant voltage come from the other side of the transformer instead.  I think maybe I have a transformer problem on that one channel.  It is unusual to have such switch problems that did not occur before and without my having changed the wiring in the interim.  This is especially true given the fact that one curative solution was simply to slightly increase the amount of voltage given to the switches to avoid the problem switch from reversing itself.  Does that not suggest a transformer stability problem?

Truthfully, for the switch changing for no good reason, I'd be looking at the switch.  The phasing was just a shot in the dark, assuming you've checked everything at the switch.

How about sticking another switch in there?