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Was having problems with the Menards boxcars shorting out crossing switches at slow speed and switching the e-unit into neutral. Found they were shorting out from the inside of the wheel crossing the center rail power lug in the widest area. Not the only cars this happens with. Needed to redo the fingernail polish on the side of the center rail and that should do it. Seem to be a problem of the Lionel O27 profile wide radius switches. 42"R 6-65167 & 8

Has anyone else seen this problem or have a better fix?

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Thanks everyone. Everything is running fine as of now and a fresh coat of nail polish. I got lots of them O42R switches on the layout but on the main loop I have six and two that get driven through almost all the time. So maybe I will move into Ross as money allows? They are getting harder to find now that Lionel no longer makes them but I do have some inventory because I knew they were not being built any longer.

What kind of problems do Ross have? I have never even seen a Ross switch. It will be a big spend for me.

 

 

Last edited by KRM

I also had that very same problem with the menards cars and some of the older lionel cars, The problem was also occurring on some of my gargraves switches, I used a good grade of masking tape on the sides of the center rail and trimmed the top ran a black shrapie over it and it doesn't show worked like a charm, I also noticed that on the lionel switches the center rail had bent down slightly so that when an engine or anything with a roller went over it would also contact the frog and short out. My fix was to bend a piece of metal at 90 degrees, just enough to fit under the center rail  and bend it back up so that the rollers would ride higher than the frog points. no shorting problems now.

I have some MTH passenger cars (around 2000 year) that short out on my 042 switches.  The pickup rollers for the lighted cars are a little too wide, wider than my Lionel passenger cars.  For now I use masking take on the center rail on the turnout at the spot where the short happens.  Will use nail polish at some time.  I read on this forum where one member ground the edges the MTH rollers to make them more narrow.   Too much work for me though.

Lots 'O' Trains here!

 

 

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OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Suite 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
www.ogaugerr.com

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