Totally baffled, tubular postwar electrical issue, switching

To start with you have the insulating pins in the wrong place or don't have any insulating pins at all. You must have insulating pins for the switch to work properly.

The outside rails usually get the insulating pins and in your switch the pins go to the inside rails(where the plastic section is on the switch, the common rails get the insulating pin)or where you have the black jumper wire use an insulating pin and the one nearest to it too gets an insulating pin. The outside rails get the steel pins and the center rail gets a steel pin unless you want to supply separate power to the switched section.

The outside rails coming in to the switch need steel pins, it is on the outgoing side you use an insulating pin. Also from your photo your track needs to be pushed together more.

If you have a constant voltage plug on the switch check to make sure it's contact is seated properly against the little pin inside if no CV plug.

Also the common or outside rails do the switching with the solenoid. To check the switch for proper operation jump the center terminal of the switch to one of the two outside terminals, one should make it go straight and one should make it go to the curved section, don't use center rail power or it will short out.

Lee Fritz

Yep in pic 1 the insulating pins  should  be  on the rails that go to the frog, The short ones . You have a black alligator clip on one of  the rails that need a insulating pin. The rail right below it also need an insulating pin. Track feeders should be on the longer rails.

Put your insulating pins as shown in the above post by ADCX Rob and your problems will be solved.

Thanks for all your help. This is my first real way out so I guess I can expect these problems but without you guys help it would be in the trash.

You guys have a very very Happy Thanksgiving, Jerry