O 22 switch problems

Are these the original post war 022's? They have one outside rail insulated and one rail powered, and the switch has a small constant voltage plug-in on the side of the solenoid housing. You can test the 022 switches by supplying power to them, then take the outside rail power power with a wire and touch it to one of the outside terminal screws on the solenoid as one of the two should throw the switch.

Sounds like you need to lock your engine into forward only as you are somehow loosing power, even for a second, through the switches. 

If you are using a Williams diesel engine you may need to provide an extra neutral or outside wire to the frame of the powered diesel engine, they have traction tires on them and don't carry the power through the outside wheelsets.

Lee Fritz

Problem has been "solved".  By using a loco with a longer wheelbase, hence, more distance between the contract rollers.  The longer loco goes thru the ladder track like it should.  happy, but kind of disappointed as I wanted to use the shorter loco as the switch loco.

Melvin P,

   You can eliminate this problem with your 022 Switches by placing a full or half track between the switches, if you have the room on your layout to accommodate the addition track work.  In this manner you will be able to use all your different size engines.

PCRR/Dave

This is always a potential problem for any switches placed back to back with others, or UCS tracks or any other track where the center rail is interrupted. Sometimes you can reverse one or both rollers on the troublesome engine so as to change the overall spacing. If its a steamer you can perhaps add a third roller to the tender so as to extend the roller spacing. I have had good success with both approaches.

Rod

When I have 2 Williams diesel engines back to back, like 2 F-7's, I add a 2 wire jumper cable with disconnect between the 2 engines and tie both engines together.  I bought these at a model airplane hobby shop, they carry 5 amps through the wires. That prevents a lot of common power or center rail power loses. 

Lee Fritz