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Happy Thanksgiving All,

      I am a little perplexed regarding my layout's switches.  I am running all tubular track. 022 switches.  My "yard" turnouts are only half working.  Below I sketched out what I mean.  Bumpers with an X through them, show no power.  There is functioning turnout between the non functioning spurs in the yard.  Problem switches arise after  a 5" piece of track separating two switches (denoted by the rectangle in the picture).  Otherwise switches are in line with eachother (straight line through the tack).   Of course I can add lockons to the turnouts (which I plan to do going forward when I isolate the spurs), but I can't figure out where I went wrong on my turnouts.  

 

Thanks for the input!

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I don't have a direct answer to your question, but it sounds like your 022 switches may work fine if you make independent blocks for all your sidings,  attach the lock-ons, use fiber pins where necessary, and provide independent power to each siding, so you can run one locomotive from a siding to the main line and keep the other locomotives parked on the other sidings. 

After you do the above, there may be other issues with your 022 turnouts. Sometimes the automatic non-derailing feature does not work, sometimes wires become disconnected or there is poor electrical contact in the mechanism and the switch does not work, and sometimes the switch becomes sluggish snd needs tuning. The good news is there is an abundance of available parts and they are relatively easy to fix.

I am very happy with my 022s. I have about 19 of them on my layout.  Arnold

Thanks!  I've actually already taken then switches apart, cleaned the components with CRC and they seemed to work well, just not in line with each other.  I do have fiber pins in place where necessary, I am guessing there is something going on with the non derailing function.  I have the supplies to isolate the sidings with SPST switches, but was hoping to put that off for a bit.    Appreciate the input!

You may not have done anything wrong with your turnouts. 0-22 turnouts use a blade underneath the baseplate that routes power to the center rails. These rails are soldered to the "blade" and they have a tendency to break the solder joints, especially after 40 or 50 years of usage. I think if you remove the lowest two turnouts in your diagram and check the power connection to the "dead" sidings, you'll find a broken solder joint. If you do, break out the soldering iron and re-solder them to get you back in operation.

Of course, you'll have to unscrew the cover plate to access the internal power routing features. Good luck.

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