GP38-2 and 54 Scaletrax switches

I went back and checked again and I have the Right and Left Backwards. Meaning it happens ONLY on LEFT HAND TURNS. All other information is correct. Sorry for the confusion.

Make sure there is an air gap at each side of the closure rail so that the closure rail is not touching the frog or the point rail.  Newer Scaletrax switches have been redesigned and have had rails moved and other improvements to alleviate these problems.

On the older switches they usually have to be modified. I had to use a dremel and open the gap to stop the shorts. Sometimes you get lucky and can use pliers to carefully slide the closure rail and will get a gap at each end.  You don't need much just enough to avoid physical contact.  After this was done,  from time to time I still got a rare short and it was where the inside edge drive wheels on a locomotive would touch going through the diverging part of the switch.  Using a thin cut piece of electrical tape or a brush on epoxy corrected this when applied to the side of the rail.  

Hope this helps. I can take pics if needed.  

Rob

Thank You for responding. Yes I would like to see some pics if possible. this would make me sure of doing the correct thing. Sorry I just want to be able to fully understand.

Thanks

Curtis

About halfway down the page is a post by Ron with 2 pics showing how he increased the air gap on either side of the frog.

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/...c/improved-scaletrax

Here is another thread showing all the named parts of a switch with plenty of pics and where the air gaps have been improved on the new design versus old. Hopefully this gives you the info you need to improve operation of your engine over them.

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/...a-look-at-what-s-new

Just got electric back after 67 hours. Being volunteer fireman had us hopping 24 hours a day for the last 3 days. Storm and ice on trees wrecked havick in our two townships we cover.

Thanks Sparky74 I really appreciate it. Will hopefully get together with him this week and do repairs.

Curtis

CurtisH posted:

Just got electric back after 67 hours. Being volunteer fireman had us hopping 24 hours a day for the last 3 days. Storm and ice on trees wrecked havick in our two townships we cover.

Thanks Sparky74 I really appreciate it. Will hopefully get together with him this week and do repairs.

Curtis

No problem.  If you have any questions just ask. I have a mix of 072 and 054 Scaletrax switches and went through your exact issue when setting up the layout last year. Even after that I got the occasional different space setting of pick up roller or drive wheels which required further tweaking of the switches. 

On August 22, 2015 when I decided to get back into trains I was faced with a dilemma.  Stick with HO or go O gauge. I had wanted to stay with HO but all my stuff is from the 50's, 60's and 70's. Wife bought me a Polar Express Lionel set in 2004 (O gauge). Local dealer told me it would cost too much to convert HO to DCC and Even too much to convert O gauge to modern electronics. I laugh now because I can still see him shaking his head no  and telling me I was between a rock and a hard space times 2. Meaning i had to decide which scale I wanted to go o and then if I was going to go new or stay old. I jumped both feet into O gauge with 99% being MTH. I wanted to use scale trax so bad but he talked me out of it because it was hard to get. Ended up with Atlas, Which he did not have enough of so I also have two loops of RealTrax. Final out come.... every time I have expanded I have to WAIT for ATLAS TRACK. In hind site I wish I had went with Scale trax. Have since discovered a dealer in Maryland that has tons of Scale Trax. This is on reason my friend went with scaletrax. Really appreciate all your help. Thank you from my friend and me.

Almost forgot I love the layout Pic.