Question about postwar O22 switches

Without the fixed voltage plug in, the tab contacts the pin which provides power to the switch machine.  If you are getting continuity between the center and outside rail, you are likely seeing the current flow through the switch lantern lamp since the coils are de-energized until activated by the switch controller or control rails.

  Thanks Jon, I didn’t even think about the bulbs!  It was starting to drive me nuts…hopefully that’s what it is!

Tom

  Well shoot…there were bulbs in any of them.  Guess I’m tearing them apart tomorrow.  

Tom

Make sure the insulating pins are in the correct location for the non derailing feature. If not the coils will be trying to throw.  If the pins are correct, the coils are shut off by the set of contacts under the center of the track. Make sure that the control terminals are not asking the switch to throw and that the switch points are free to throw when commanded to do so.  

There is no need to tear into your switches. If they work fine, you will just make problems that didn't exist before. Cheap meters with continuity settings/buzzers/beepers will indicate continuity in the presence of non-conducting capacitive couplings, test with an actual load and you will see there is no conductivity(with all bulbs removed from switches & controllers).

Hijacking this thread a little.  I have a question on these 022 switches.  Is it possible to use two controllers on different sides of the layout to operate one switch (with a constant voltage plug in it).  I would think it is since the controller is just a momentary contact switch.  I assume the bulbs showing position are just feeding back from the connections on the switch itself. 

I'm planning out the next things I want to do on the layout as I'm away from it for a few months taking care of some family business.

I don’t why it wouldn’t work.  Try it on the bench.