Micro Engineering turnout fix? Darned thing is borken at the points...

I had the same thing happen. CA'd a styrene strip & drilled new hole; it didn't work...wound up removing entire turnout and replacing.

 

Let me know if you get it to work.

 

The ME plastic throw bars are just too small and fragile.  A real weak point with my Tortoise stall motors since I have to slightly enlarge the hole in the throwbar for the Tortoise throw wire.

P51,

 

Broken switch points are a PITA.

Though I agree with the fellow who suggests a CA tie over the two broken sides, I have never done so myself. I can, however, give you some general layout advice. NEVER go for the quick fix. Always go for the permanent solution even if it means removing and fixing the turnout. 

 

If the turnout is accessible, you can try a manual throw with a different turnout.

Perhaps a San Juan turnout?

 

Another suggestion is the "Freerails" Forum narrow gauge section.

 

scrappy

If you cut a piece of PC board as a throwbar and solder it on (with a filed gap to prevent a short) instead, this should be a lot stronger than trying to glue on a styrene overlay. A lot of handlaid track in the smaller scales is made this way without any problems.

 

Peter

ACC worked well to connect it back. My plan is to use 2-part epoxy in a film over top of that. I've used that on 1:1 scale stuff. Once I used it to secure a nut from not moving along a bolt. I'm put that through ridiculous street and it's never even cracked.

I plan on trying that out soon enough, but I'll probably buy an extra turnout just like it, just in case. the nearest local hobby shop with On30 stuff is about 50 miles away...

Well, I was going to finish mounting my blue points, leaving this broke turnout until I can try the epoxy, when I ran the last blue point to an OK turnout. That had all the cables connected due to where it was located, and I guess the tension on that while I was trying to get it in place was too much. The piano wire running up from he blue point sliced that points bar in half as well, at the hole, just like the other one! The funny part is that they're adjacent to each other.

DANG IT!

So now I really need to try this epoxy fix! That'll happen tomorrow night...

The problem is they're both far enough from the edge of the layout that any such mods would required taking them out. If I did that, I'd just buy new ones as they all soldered into place...

Well, I tried for 3 hours to make these damaged turnouts work. One snapped immediately in half again so I'm done trying to fix it.
the other held well and I mounted the blue point under it.
but no matter what I did, even though the turnout points went the right way and looked to be pointing in the right direction, every car derailed and some just went the other way. I'm pretty sure I damaged one rail somehow I just can't see.
I'm done with trying to fix them. Out they'll come.
I'm going to buy two each replacements just to be sure I'll have one that'll work.
I came this far, just at the end of where I need to be ton run trains, to have new things happen to prevent it mo matter what I do.
I was so ticked last night. I keep hearing that this is supposed to be fun.
Hasn't happened yet.

I had to order replacements (I'm so unimpressed with the design, I've ordered two of each, just in case I have problems with them as well) for these turnouts but managed to get to my local hobby shop right before work yesterday to nab a one of the two i need to replace as I doubt the Micro Mark order will get here by this weekend.

One turnout had some ties pop off the rails permanently just from being taken out of the package. Micro Engineering's ad copy should read, "Convining modelers to hand-lay their own track, one product at a time," due to the ridiculously fragile nature of their products.

Just had to vent a bit. If this is all that happens, I'll be fine as some ACC will surely fix this minor thing. I've never seen any track products this fragile.

This weekend, the plan is to break out the soldering iron and try to figure out how to remove a turnout and re-install in the same place as I've never done that before when everything's soldered in place...

 

Possible solution:  place a piece of strip styrene over the throw rod tie, like a splint, then drill holes at both ends of the styrene strip into the tie.  Insert short sections of styrene rod into the holes with a tight, friction fit.  If necessary, secure the rods to the strip with styrene glue.  Drill a hole in the styrene strip for the switch machine connection.

It's possible you could get better strength using JB weld or epoxy between the styrene strip and broken tie-bar, instead of the film over it. Using the printed circuit board instead of styrene, and epoxy/JB would probably make it indestructible.

how about drilling small whole on each of the 2 halves where the tie is broken,  then inset the wire threw the 2 holes and tighten the wire. Then JB weld over and under the wires to complete the repair. You'll have to put was paper under or between the rails so the JB weld does not adhere to anything but what you want repaired,wait 24 hours and file or dremel to make the repair neat and not bulging. will be better then new!

Alan Mancus

If you want a quicker repair mix baking soda on the repair and wax paper as mentioned earlier, then drop a few drops of super glue you must drops the drops quickly as the mixture will get hard a rock instantly, then  you can clean up dremel  or files as was mentioned earlier, this will HOLD the repair

permanently and it will look like an off white color

Alan

Got a lot done last night.
I yanked out the two busted turnouts after wrestling with the solder iron.
I then replaced the turnouts, installed the final blue point and checked everything with some freight cars. They seemed to like the turnouts. The one turnout with the bad points had a rail almost completely borken free from the ties, which is why it'd never allign. I'm really glad I replaced that one especially, knowing this was the issue.
I'm going to test run a loco over them either tonight or tomorrow just to be sure before soldering the rails back together again.
The ones that were replaced are numbered 4 and 5 in the photo.

Once the soldering is done, my layout will FINALLY be ready for operation.
It was a pain to do and cost some coin, but at least now I don't have to worry about a fix breaking loose.

I have fixed other turnouts, like Old Pullman with the same problem.

 

pdx1955 above suggested the best option IM experience, using a piece

of pc board.

 

Firewood also suggested above JB Weld, I have had a lot success with

fixing temporary track problems with JB Weld, many fixes have lasted

so good, I have been slow to get around to the real repairs.

 

ncng