I have enjoyed the tips and information that I have found on the pages of this forum. Here are a couple of solutions to problems that I have come up with when running engines on my layout. My track is 027 tubular and the switches are postwar 1122, but this information might also apply to other track and switch types.
First, I have a Lionel postwar 2035 steamer that would occasionally short as it passed slowly over a switch. I found that the horseshoe washer that connects the center rail pivot would short at the switch when the edges of the horseshoe were projecting downward. The edges of the horseshoe will contact the swiveling rail as it passes over a switch. This is a very intermittent problem since it only occurs if the horseshoe protrusion happens to be pointing downward. You can see from the photo what I am talking about. I solved this problem by grinding the protruding edges of the washers off and this has completely solved this problem. If you click on the photos, you will get a bigger view.
The next problems involve an old Lionel 2018 steam engine that has worn mainwheel bearings. The worn bearings allow the metal frame to sit slightly lower on the track and the sheetmetal side frames of the motor assembly can sometimes short as it crosses a switch. In this case the sheetmetal frame will contact the enlarged portion of the center rail of a switch as it passes over it. I solved this by grinding off the edges of the sheetmetal frames at the front and rear (see the arrows in the photo). This has also completly solved this shorting problem.
&nb