Does anyone have a creative and/or simple idea for improving the conductivity of Shinohara switches. I use Caboose Industries throws with the contacts but there is often a loss of continuity in the wing rails. My track is laid and ballasted so it is not an easy matter to remove the switches now. Any ideas would be appreciated. Since changing to DCC, “dead spots” are less forgiving.
TRNJ
Why would you want your wing rails powered?
David B
There are copper clips under the point rails that need to be kept clean. I gingerly scrape the tarnish from them with the point of a small jeweler’s file. Another thing I do is where the point rails meet the closure rails, there are metal connectors that looks similar to rail joiners. Gently crimp them so that they make good contact with each ajoining rail. Another thing to do is make sure your locomotive wheels are properly gauged. An out of gauge wheel set can also cause a short on a shinohara turnout…chuck
Oops. I meant point rails! Why indeed would I want the wing rails powered!
TRNJ
Ah, that makes sence…
Slip a piece of brass wire underneath the stock and closure rails. Solder like rails to the brass wire. Cut before and after the frog. Drop a feeder from the frog (or wing rails if so cast as one piece). On the point/closure rail hinge, solder a piece of brass wire on the outside of the rail.
Hope this helps.
David B
http://www.wiringfordcc.com/switches.htm scroll down to ‘Walthers’.
or you may not be able to if you have ballasted.
or try Micro-Engineering.
Try a liquid contact cleaner as used in the electronics industry. I have used a product from Caig industries called contact restore (or something like that). It is not cheap but very little goes a long way. I don’t have the bottle handy right now but I can get all the details if you want.
Oy vey…Walthers/Shinohara turnouts! As was mentioned above, the use of soldered jumper wires will make these turnouts perform a little better…which isn’t saying much. My last layout had 13 of these spawns of the devil and I tried every trick that was suggested in the forum. My electrical problems never went away and actually got worse. One of the problems is that the point rails have little to no tension to hold them agains the outside rails. A second problem occurs after you weather/ballast…matte medium (or weathering wash) will get into the conducting shoes via capillary action. I ended up scrapping the entire layout and starting anew (expensive; but at least I still have my sanity…I think)
So what is the answer? PECO ELECTROFROG TURNOUTS! Peco turnouts are spring-loaded and hold tightly to the running rails. Peco turnouts (Electrofrog) have a “live” frog that eliminates dead spots. Yes they are expensive…try looking up the exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and the Pound Stirling…but they do work.
Regarding the weathering/ballasting problem: Paint and weather any turnouts with extreme care…paint is a liquid and can flow just about anywhere. I do not ballast under the point rails of my turnouts. I have found using 380 grit gray wet/dry sandpaper looks good (especially after weathering with chalks) and keeps those all important electrical connections clean.
For the record, I run Bachmann Spectrum 4-4-0s through the small radius turnouts on a layout that is located in an unheated/unair-conditioned garage and have had NO problems! Wiring the Peco Electrofrog turnouts and crossings can be daunting; but the Loy’s Toys website explains things very well (even for an electrically challenged fellow like myself). In summary: scrap the Walthers/Shinohara junk and cut your losses…unfortunately you have already ballasted your layout (hmmm, 'sounds familiar).