Track Shorting Problem

From your description, there's not much to go on other than you took the right approach to tracking it down. Evidently, moving wires and track was enough to undo the problem.

It could have been a loose connection that developed over time. Or it could have been some sort of electrical debris on the tracks that became dislodged by your efforts to locate the problem.

Anyway, sometimes luck is the best medicine. Just keep an eye on that green light for further developments.

Did you happen to notice if that track joint was hot to the touch when it was "shorting". It is possible to have a "high resistance joint" which may cause the problem you described. Sounds like you found and corrected it.

I've never come across K-line super snap track, though I have heard of it. Does it have metal ties and fiber insulators like classic tubular track? The reason I ask is, if it does, another possibility is a punctured insulator.

Years ago I bought brand new Lionel O gauge track, and was having shorting problems all the time. I'd  keep taking the layout apart and isolating the short to different sections. Eventually, I figured it out, and each time I would loosen the tabs a little and it would test OK after that

Thanks for the replies. I will check on the insulation but where the K-Line supersnap track join there appear to be metal points that connect track to track for power transmission in lieu of pins. The shorting issue happened again but when I squeezed together several sections of track (it happened when the engine went over a section of track and the shorting started again) the shorting stopped. I may replace a whole section as I have extra's to see if there is a faulty track.

JohnF

Take your ohm meter to each piece and make sure there's no connection between the center and outside rails. Then keep checking the sub assemblies as you put things back together. It's a pain in the butt, but it's better than guessing and searching for a random problem. But then that probably goes without saying at this point.

Unfortunately I don't own an ohm meter but I may know someone who does. In the meantime I will replace several sections of track to see if that resolves the problem. Thanks for the suggestion.

JohnF

Hi John.

On my SuperSnap layout I have had two places where shorts have appeared:

1. Where the SS track mates up with O gauge tubular track, the metal contact under the center rail of the SS track was barely contacting the black tie of the tubular track. I forgot to remove that SS contact. The result was a low grade short that was a challenge to track down. If you have tubular and SS track you might want to check those connections. I use track pins on all my connections.

2. Sometimes the switches developed a short. This seemed to occur after a lot of use. I think the SS switch which was screwed down became a little loose after use. There must be something in some of the SS switches that can cause a short if the switch becomes a little loose. Once I screwed the switch down again and there was no short and then everything was fine. This happened a few times with several of the switches.

Ed Kazarian

John F posted:

Unfortunately I don't own an ohm meter but I may know someone who does. In the meantime I will replace several sections of track to see if that resolves the problem. Thanks for the suggestion.

JohnF

You can buy them for around 6 bucks. That is WELL worth the price for the aggravation it will eliminate.

https://www.harborfreight.com/...ultimeter-63604.html

Diagram or drawing showing isolators and feed?

RoyBoy posted:

John F posted:

Unfortunately I don't own an ohm meter but I may know someone who does. In the meantime I will replace several sections of track to see if that resolves the problem. Thanks for the suggestion.

JohnF

You can buy them for around 6 bucks. That is WELL worth the price for the aggravation it will eliminate.

https://www.harborfreight.com/...ultimeter-63604.html

Yep, you need the meter for this issue.

I'll look to geth the ohm meter and when I do I will post back the results.

John F

I have an Assc Degree in Communications Electronics-trained to component level repair. 

Which means I can troubleshoot and repair anything that communicates electronically. 

And because if changes in technology and the fact that very few people want to pay for component level repair, because board replacement is cheaper and faster-I find the only consistent time I use my Education is on my O Scale trains. 

It it amazes me how many people in this branch of the AC train hobby do not own Meters. Especially with the costs of today’s Engines.  

That little gremlin causing a short in your rails could be the reason your DCS gets fried. 

1drummer posted:

I have an Assc Degree in Communications Electronics-trained to component level repair. 

Which means I can troubleshoot and repair anything that communicates electronically. 

And because if changes in technology and the fact that very few people want to pay for component level repair, because board replacement is cheaper and faster-I find the only consistent time I use my Education is on my O Scale trains. 

 

It it amazes me how many people in this branch of the AC train hobby do not own Meters. Especially with the costs of today’s Engines.  

That little gremlin causing a short in your rails could be the reason your DCS gets fried. 

 

 

John F,

Drummer is right.  If you have a layout, you should have a meter.  Without it, you can't even measure track voltage.  Your engines, locomotive and cars are not the way to see if things are right and wrong.  They will usually tell you, you  have a problem with the indicators of smoke, smell and sparks.  Pretty expensive diagnostics.

Analog is nice, but digital is better.

I solved the problem of track shorting and I am almost embarrassed to say what the problem was. Off the main run I have a number of sidings where I store cars (mostly passenger). I though I had checked the rolling stock but not carefully enough. One car was slightly off the track and when I cleared it the shorting disappeared. 

The moral is to double check certain things such as if anything is on the tracks take them off.

JohnF

Good time to put your sidings on toggle switches. 

John H posted:

Good time to put your sidings on toggle switches. 

Always a good idea.  I've done the same thing.  Also, if you have engines on an unswitched siding, it will chrono time, even if it is not being used.  I think I read that in Barry's book.