I recently bought an Aristocraft track extension kit which came with two switches. I’m having problems at low speeds getting through the switches without either the engine bogging down or the cars bogging and/or derailing. BTW, these are not the #6 switches by Aristo.
I tried to watch the train (Aristo 0-4-0 Switcher, freight car, and caboose) as it went through the switches, then took the caboose and gently pushed it through the switches as well. Here’s my best guess at what’s going on. And please forgive me if I get my terms wrong or mixed up.
The first picture is an overall of the switch and the two problem areas.
Area A seems to have a problem occurring in the frog (term?). As the train travels through this area, the place where the red line is seems too wide, and the wheel hits where the arrow head is (you can see wear in the area with the yellow circle.) When the engine wheels hit it, it slows it down, which, at low speeds, stops the engine entirely. If going the other direction, or pushing the cars backwards, this area can easily derail the cars.
Area B seems to have a bit of a tolerance problem. As the cars in particular come down though this area, they have no problem clearing the green line, but as it gets closer to the red line the wheels bind up. Going through this switch (in the picture) towards the right, the engine is slowed again and the cars pass slowly. If entering the other switch (not pictured) at this point, the engine seems to clear ok, but the cars bog down and can easily derail
Anyway, hope this all makes sense. I do understand and have read that the LGB switches are better than the Aristo ones, but if I can fix these I’d prefer to do so at this point. Any help on fixing this
Problem A can be solved by adding some material to the inside of the guard rail opposite the frog, thus pulling the wheels towards the outside of the switch.
Problem B needs to be checked against a track gauge. Perhaps some judicious bending with some pliers will help set the gauge to something consistent throughout.
Later,
K
In picture B the switching rail is shown in its proper position, did you push it there or is it getting there on its own? I suspect the switch mat not be throwing all the way over when it’s activated, binding and leaving a gap between the fixed straight rail and the switch rail. I have one that did this and I bent the leading edge of the switch rail farther out - carefully - to close up any gap and lubed the switching track so it moved freely, works fine now. Take a truck off of one of your rolling stock and take it through slowly by hand and see and feel what’s going on, if you feel a tight spot a careful bit of filing of the track can be the answer. Aristo switches aren’t exactly cheap, well not in the UK, so there is no excuse for producing units of poor quality, everyone I know has problems with Aristo switches.
Kim
Thanks for the replies folks. Your info has helped, and added to the post over at the Aristo site has pretty much given me the answers I need.
Going to get a gauge for sure!!! Even as a beginner I can see that I’m going to be using it a lot!!
I had a problem with frog derailments which looked similar - turned out it was insufficient depth in the frog . it was lifting the wheels and causing it to move sideways. I deepened the frog with a small grinding wheel and it solved the problem . This was mainly on Bachmann leading loco trucks but to a slight extent on lgb metal wheels too
[#ditto] I have not tryed my new turnouts yet but this problem was reslouved with aristo’s larger radious switch’s so I’ ve read.