On one of my lgb switches, my engine will stop very often at the frog. I have to go over an push the track tighter together to get power.I checked and cleaned the arm coming from the switch, seem to move freely. Any suggestions ?
Thank you
Chuck
Very, very common for an LGB 0-4-0 engine to stall on an LGB switch at the frog.
Especially at slow speeds. (I’m assuming this is an 0-4-0) At faster speed, the engine stalls, but momentum carries it over the frog and it makes contact again.
A six axle LGB has sufficient wheel base to cross the frog without losing power. And a tender engine such as a Mogul.
You can put rail clamps at all six track joints, but it still may not solve the problem.
I have, in the past, made tenders for my Porters and such, with power pickups on the tender axles. This solves the problem.
Now I’m 100% Batt/RC, so the porters and such cross the frogs uninterrupted.
Chuck,
if one of the short pieces of rail is moving freely, it is probable, that one of the small metalic bands on the underside is not welded to it anymore. (happens quite often)
when i tried to resolder these bands, i melted parts of the plastic sleepers.
since then i am just making mecanical connections. pushing the end of a cable between railfoot and the plastic sleeperweb, than doubling the tip of the cable around the sleeperfoot.
for indoors that works perfectly for many years.
for outdoors it might not be that easy.
The small LGB engines with traction tires will definitely stall on switches.
My fix is to always run with the engine electrically (MU’d) to the car/tender/2nd engine behind it.
I even found a way to add power pickups to the 2-4-0 by mounting half of the 63193 to the rear truck on the tender.
And Jay-bee sells a sleeve bearing FRR wheel set with power pickups I added to the toytrain tenders.
Now that the weather is permitting, I went out and checked the switch, it looks like the rail the short one is not coming in contact with the other rail. I cleaned under the switch arm, still does not move over completely. Looks like it the band might be coming loose. Thanks for the ideas.
Chuck
Howdy
I have had this same issue on my indoor Xmas tree setup and I found when things start getting dirty my little 0 4 0 doesn’t like switches. Maybe your wheels on the loco and your track are both dirty at the same time. Plastic wheels lay down a fine smudge over time and with a short loop the cars make lots of trips so the dust piles up quick. Check it out.
I have also had a switch that popped a band so that could be it as well.
Todd