I hoping someone could help me out on this one… I have just discovered the wonderful world of automatic switches. I got ten 022 switches, I know that they are hooked up via the little plastic seperators at some point. Can anyone tell me which tracks the little plastics go, and how many do I need? The switches are post war 022.
Thanks
Angelo
Found some info on O22 switches. The plastic insulators come installed from the factory. There are only two on each switch. If for what ever reason they are not there, they can not be substituted with metal pins. They are supposed to be :
left
@straight__________@
@straight__________@
Xstraight___________@
@curve
@curve
Xcurve
Right
Xcurve
@curve
@curve
Xstraight____________@
@straight___________@
@straight___________@
x is where the insulator is supposed to be
A picture my be worth 1000 words
click on pic to enlarge
even thou this is a different switch, the pins are in the same places
Hope this helps
tom
YEs, and I remembered how I did some of mine on the main line. I moved the insulating pin and added an insulated track section to each end of the switch and put the insulating pin in the end of the insulated track section to correspond to the side that the diagram shows. Then if your train is traveling at high speed on the main line, it will through the switch before it actually hits the switch and will not derail. Since I had dual main line, I had the dual switches to change tracks fixed that way.
Thanks guys, now I got to figure out how to get the train to stop reversing when it goes through!!
Angelo
Hi Angelo,
I am going to guess that you are running post war or modern era Lionel with roller pickups that are about 4” apart?
You could add another pick up on the tender if steam. You could lock the ‘E’ unit into forward. You could change the old ‘E’ unit to a solid state one.
FYI Tom, the diagram that you posted is not for 022 switches. That diagram is for modern 027 switches, and some of the post war 027’s. There is an early variation of 027 switch that is different. 022’s are more like that early version, and the pin arrangement is not the way depicted in that diagram.
Gee I am sorry Elliot, I thought the insulated pins were in the same rails on all switches. I knew that was from a 027 switch when I posted it. I beleive that I have one from 022. I will look for it tonight and if the scanner works post it then.
tom
Thanks Elliot. I thought they were just like Tom showed it too. Learn something new everyday [also realize I have forgotten a lot in 20 years].
On 022 switches I refurbished, I sometimes had to bend the tip of the large metal tongue that serves as the middle rail up slightly to get longer contact with the rollers. Too high and it will snag the rollers. Too low and you have a dead spot. I also found that cleaning this tongue thoroughly helped.
On the underside of this tongue, check the continuity between the screw into the riveted standoff and the flat metal ‘Y’-shaped conductor. I always loosen this screw and exercise it a bit to get best continuity. Even a tenth of an ohm at this point can cause sluggi***rain movement across the switch.
Check for a cracked solder joint where the metal conductor is attached to the derail sensor section on the curved path. If it is cracked, add a very short loop of wire to absorb vibration and flexing, otherwise the joint will crack again.
Hi Tinker,
Welcome to the CTT forum and thanks for the advise
tom
[#welcome]Tinker! This topic was kind of strange, because Angelo asked the question, then seemed to answer it himself correctly, right off the bat. I checked my repair manual thinking that there might be a variation of 022 that had the pins arranged the way that Tom’s diagram shows for the 027 switch, but couldn’t find one. Now I can’t remember if the new ones are like that, with the non derailing segments both on the short inside rails leading to the frog. No need to apologize Tom, I’m just trying to make sure we get the right answer to the question. I could be wrong too, but I think Angelo got it himself.
It’s no problem Elliot. There is alwas one way to find out. Put power to the track and see if the switch goes nuts trying to through the derailing device.
If it does, the insulating pins are on the wrong rails.
tom
That way might work, but if you try it with an 027 switch, and leave it on too long you could fry the coil. Another possibility is that it may look OK when you install it, but when you go to throw it straight, it will chatter and act confused.
The secret is look for a small gap along the outside curved rail. That gap seperates the non derailing segment, thus indicating which rail gets the insulating pin. Finding no gap means that it is the inside rail. This method is universal. I don’t think there were ever any gaps on the outside straight rail.
I have two pairs of postwar O22s, and I know that the insulated pins are in the same places on both. The insulated rail is the outer curved rail, and the inner(nearest the frog) straight rail. All of the postwar ones that I have seen have been this way.
By the way, due to the construction of the O22s, you probably wouldn’t fry the switch if you just hooked it up to see. O22s have a set of moving contacts that shut off power to the solenoids when they move out of position, and, if I remember correctly, the switch has a “dead spot” where neither coil can be energized. The switch would probably go to this dead spot and stay.
I have never found it necessary to use insulated pins. As long as you are using tubular track, and the ends of your rails are properly aligned with each other(none sticking out further than the others), I have always found simply removing the steel pin to work just fine.
I’ve got the new 022 switches & I believe they are identical to the old PW 022, except for the name plate.
The layout’s in the garage at the moment; we had to take it down to use the dining room table for eating over the holiday weekend. I’m not in a ru***o put it back up right now. We’ve got the Z scale trains set up on the table & Luke likes playing with those.
Maybe there is something to Brianel’s philosphy on conventional control for kids. He turns the controller, they go. He can “see” the relationship pretty obviously. He doesn’t seem to like the CAB-1 remote much. That may change after he learns to read & is older. We’ll see.
Tony
You know the center rail is kind of dirty. I am going to clean it first. If that doesn’t work I’ll open it up and check the joint…
Tinker, welcome to the forum
If the cleaning doesn’t work and the joint is fine, I’ll try lifting the middle rail a touch.
Spanky your right they are post wars. If I can’t get it right after all that, I’ll try locking the e-unit, don’t feel confident enough to upgrade yet.
Vitabile is right… one that came with the group is a newer one ( inside looked more modern, insulated with plastic as opposed to the fabric kind). Just like o22, they are interchangeable I swaped the rusted bottom and a bad rail from that one with one of a busted up 022.
Thanks everyone for all the help!!
I’ll post the out come
You guys probably know this already, but I found out that you can hook up 2 o22 switches so that when a train goes through one it will trip another. Pretty cool!!!
Thanks again
Angelo
Well Elliot, when you are right you are right. What would we do without you to keep us on the straight and narrow.
I went thru some of my old papers and found the Instruction for the Lionel 022 switch. This is from late 50’s or very early 60’s
Here they are
Click on the pics to enlarge them.
tom
Hey Tom, they will not enlarge. Send me the scan in an email. I want to print and store them. Thanks
Those are the diagrams Tom. [swg] Do you have a photo editor? You can change the properties making the image larger, then the will enlarge when you click on them. the only drawback is they take up more of your online storage.