O22 swithces with eroded contacts, help needed.

I disagree. I would find good used PW 022's before I would waste time and effort fixing these "new improved" switches. The wear on those contacts is unheard of on PW switches in my experience.

I run about 22 of the PW variety on my layout, and though they do develop issues from time to time, I have not seen this type of problem, and they are usually easily repairable.

Rod

quote:

The wear on those contacts is unheard of on PW switches in my experience.

While I have seen damage to those contacts due to users "adjusting" them, I also have never seen worn out contacts on genuine Lionel 022 switches.

I suggest writing to Lionel, and seeing how they respond.

I've reconditioned close to 100 PW 022 switches, very seldom do I find any significant contact erosion.  The most common issue with contacts is someone has tried to adjust them and bent them oddly.  I've only run across a handful of 022 switches that were too far gone to bring back, they're very rugged items.

John - I have only 5132/5133 switches, never seen the guts of an O-22. Judging from the O-22 service manual at Olsen's they appear to be identical. Is this true?

Thanks.

Pete

Yep Pete, they are very close to identical.  There are some very minor differences in stuff like rivets used, and the like, but the same design.  Also, the 5132/5133 switches are plastic, not Bakelite.  There are also generations of 5132/5133 switches that have production changes like how the tracks are connected together in the switch base.

I use all PW 022's and never had any problems with them. You can have the new junk.

Eddie g

   You took the words right out of my mouth, I have many old 022 Lionel Switches that I have never had any problems with, I now hardly use them because I use my 072 Switches a lot more, again the problem with the old Lionel Switches is the massive power it take to run them.   Both however accommodate my original Tin Plate Trains, not all the new Switches are junk, Ross is now making new Tin Plate Switches that I am hearing good reports on, I will test some of them on my next layout, to see it they can repetatively handle my Tin Plate Trains.   

PCRR/Dave 

The original O Gauge Pre War Lionel Switches, that handle Tin Plate Trains all the time.

I had the same thing happen with 2 new O22 switches in a dogbone loop that activate every time a train passes.  I showed them to Mike Reagen at York and he told me the entire motor has to be replaced.

I then purchased a pair of mint PW O22 switches in the Orange Hall and they have run flawlessly for 3 years.

Neal Weiss,

   I suggest you put some new Led type lights in your original Pre War Lionel 022 Switches, it helps with the massive power draw, especially if you are using

track power, to operate them.  Further, the switches do work really well independently powered, either way the new Led lights make the switches draw a lot less power.

Change to Led type lights in both the switch and the controllers, and see the difference in power draw.

PCRR/Dave

PCRR/Dave,

Thanks for the tip.  I have an LW transformer that powers ten O22 switches and some lights.  I run the switches off of the 14 Volt accessory terminal, and they snap brightly and do not get too hot.  I really like the warm glow of incandescent bulbs

I have just installed eight Ross O-72s to replace eight KLine ones.  Trains run though smoothly and quietly.  Only problem has been the motors but Dennis at ZStuff has been very good at fixing them so that turnouts throw reliably from side to side.

While I agree, you can repair them with Postwar motors, Goran is located in Sweden as I read his profile. His access to Postwar anything is going to be harder than all of us State-side; that is why I suggested a more "local" repair approach.