Moonman/Carl,
#1 Thanks for looking at the underside of the cross, the suggestion for protecting the jumper (it's on a carpet in the living room), and a possible reworked track to fix the curve problem. The MTH RailKing SD70ACe is a PS3, item number 30-4231-1E that came with a RTR set. I think the problem is that the rear roller is dropping off the center rail at the exact moment the front one is on the plastic as shown in the side view photo reenactment. It only happens at slow speeds. Higher speeds provide enough momentum to carry the train over the cross (although it does jerk upward slightly). So, RoyBoy's suggestion of a diamond shaped metal piece on top of the plastic seems like a good solution assuming that it won't short out anything in the underwiring and I can afix it so it doesn't move when the rollers go over it. I thought of glue, a copper pin, staples, most of which seemed like bad ideas. Even extending each arm to have a narrow piece and bending each piece down 90-degrees to force it into the slot in the plastic where the center track enters the plastic. Any thoughts?
#2,Regarding the curve with the RH switch sparking and derailing with both engines, the new layout adjustment (see photo above) actually was much worse! The SD70 fuel tank also kept hitting the switch apparatus on the inside curve of the switch. Even after I moved the light to the outside, the low and long tank still bumped the shorter plastiC side. So, I went back to the original layout that you posted from the MTH catalog. After some filing and testing 'till 1:00 AM, the engines all run clockwise without sparking or derailing. Yeah! I found things improved with the engines when I added cars but only up to so many (3). Originally, I was trying to keep testing simple by only running the engines until I got them to run without problems. On this layout, however, that logical troubleshooting approach was actually part of the problem. the engines and curves apparently needed some rear weight.
#3 problem with this layout still needs to be dealt with, which is the left-hand switch "buzzes" and gets stuck if I try and switch it manually or with the remote. It works just fine manually and with the remote when I remove it from the layout and apply current directly. (Fortunately it doesn't have a high frog problem.) I had a similar buzzing problem once with the right-hand switch when I used a 6-12 V transformer with my trolly and the voltage was too low. The switch needs 10V to operate. So, as one of you suggested, it is possible the inner loop isn't getting the 10V the second switch requires. I will get a volt meter this weekend and see if I need to order another lock on.
I appreciate yours and others' patience and help getting my first non-RTR oval working. It was great to finally get back to running trains and thinking about what I can add to suggest scenery, stops, and so on. Just two more tweaks, and I think I'll be there for good. (Or at least until my cleaners come and need to vacuum the carpet :-)
Tomlineon Run Railroad
