Wiring Help Needed - Losing Power Through Crossing Gat

Someone might be able to help if you could please provide more information.  The following would be a good start:

1. Locomotive or Set Model number.

2. Transformer model #

3. A picture of the layout

4. Does the Crossing Gate's Arm arm go down if one of the train cars enters the section of track with the Insulated outer rail?

5. Does the locomotive still stall if you temporarily disconnect one of the wires from the crossing gate?

This may be helpful:

https://ogrforum.com/...nding-an-o-gauge-set

Thanks, Steve.

The boys are running a Lionel Santa Fe 8913. They use a ZW transformer. As you can see from the picture there are two separate loops, each with its own crossing.

https://drive.google.com/file/...5u2/view?usp=sharing

The far crossing works great. The inner one, not so much. They wired it and it appears they did the same thing to each.

Affirmative on #4. I will have to test #5.

jon

You might also check to see if there is power within the problematic section of track.

First remove the the Locomotives from the track apply power to the track with the ZW.

If you have a lighted car, slowly push it by hand thru the problematic section of track and check to see if the light stays on.

Looks like a nice layout. The crossing gate works with a freight car?

My guess is the locomotive is losing the common connection due to the insulated rail. If they run it powered unit to the rear does the crossing work and the engine still stops?

I might have missed it, with a volt meter is there center rail power all the way across? As mentioned a lighted car would help. Does the dummy have a headlight?

Jon, A couple more thoughts:

Santa Fe 8913 is the Road name and number.  The Model number would be on the Box.  I'm not able to tell exactly what type of Loco this is from the Road number.

Does the locomotive have rubber traction tires?  If so, please post a focused close-up picture of the bottom of the Loco so that the traction tires configuration is visible.

If you have already checked and verified the other suggestions from above, then here is more to consider.

Some traction tire configurations cause this type of issue and could be what's causing your loco to stall on one of the isolated track sections and not the other (if one has the the isolated rail on the inside and the other isolated rail section is on the outside).  You could try reversing the direction of the Loco and see if it now works on the problematic isolated track section and possibly not the other.

If this is what happens, a relatively simple fix would be to take out and rotate 180 degrees the physical orientation of one of the isolated sections so that both isolated track sections have the same (inside or outside) outside rails connected to the ZW Common terminal.  The existing connections to the Crossing Gate the would stay the same.

This solution would require the Loco to always run in the same direction.

Are the crossings set up identically?

is the power feed on the same side of the rails, relevant to the crossing?

do you own an Electric Test Meter?

if not, you can buy one for around $20

I have an Applied Science Degree in Communications Electronics

I can help you learn enough Theory and give you instruction so you won’t be dangerous

just let me know

Try swapping the gates and see if that helps.