How do you get around the problem of post war sliding shoes on operating cars and coil couplers when using Hi Rail switches like Ross?
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A little bit of superglue attaches the shoe to the coupler base. Nail polish remover will release the adhesive if you ever need to use the shoes.
There have been posts on this, not all work. Put pins into the inner rails and bend down as a ramp. If you are not worried about value, file each end of the shoe on an angle to make a corresponding ramp.
If TMCC, remove sliding shoes and convert to ERR Mini Commander operation.
Hello Art,Would you please elaborate and explain more on how thw toothpick solution works?Where do you place them?Sounds like a fabulous solution to a big problem.Thanks Kenny
Thanks for the reply's however I think I need to explain myself a little more. I have already made adjustments to the switches so that the sliding shoes don't get hung up. I run modern and post war trains. I still have the problem of the coil couplers on early post war items that will uncouple as they go over a switch. Also operating cars will operate as they go over the switches. How does one get past that? I have been told that clear nail polish or tape over certain rails will do the job. Any other thoughts. I run conventional by the way and I know about Jim Barrett's Back Shop info for altering sliding shoes.
Paul Edgar
Sounds like the contact stud in the middle of the shoe is protruding below the plastic side rails of the shoe, allowing it to touch the center rail. That would be easy to check with a straight edge. If that's the case, you might be able to take a little bit off the stud with a file or a Dremel tool. That may be part of the Jim Barrett modification you mentioned; I don't know what's in that package.
I have been using black electrical tape to cover some spots on the Ross switches and it seems to work however the tape keeps curling up and lays there flat. Anyone care to recommend a different tape?
Paul Edgar
What about Marx sliding shoes?....Marx redesigned its switches, 0-27, because there
was, I think, a problem with Lionel rollers hanging up in the earlier design...there was
a large gap shoes or rollers could drop through. What about compatibility of the
various brands of switches...Gargraves, MTH, whomever, with sliding shoes?
I used the buff colored masking tape. In time it dries out and becomes permanent.
