Z Stuff DZ 1000 issue replacing Atlas O switch machines

You'll have to provide a bit more detail. If you are using the DZ-1002 push button to control the switch machine, there should be no relevance to what kind of swicth you are using. Are you attempting to set up the switch for automatic non-derailing? That being said, I did have difficultly in getting a DZ-1000 switch machine to exert the proper "spring" in the throw. I had tried a DZ-100 after burning out some Atlas motors that melted on me. In the end, I bought new Atlas switch machines but am using a CDU to obviate the switch button problem. I pretty much have used the DZ-1000 only in conjunction with Ross switches. The DZ-1000s do "stick" at times and, in a few cases, I had to replace them after breaking the little pin while trying to pull it back in the opposite direction.

yes - using the DZ-1002 - but eventually want to control them through the Lionel legacy control system. But first things first - I have to get them working.

No auto derailing - just trying to get the switch to throw back and forth.

From your comments, it sounds like your issue was with the DZ-1002 rather than the DZ-1000 itself. Yes?

Something odd. I had tried a couple of the DZ-1000s - and they all had the same problem. But I did not swap out the DZ-1002. Do you think I should try that as well?

Lastly, in an effort to see if something was wrong mechanically inside the switch machine, I took off the bottom cover off a couple of them (it is attached via a small screw). I found a round piece of metal about an inch long and about the same thickness as a very thin sewing needle. It was laying across the motor. There was also a small 3 pronged plastic piece there as well. I believe it also fell out of the DZ-1000.  I've attached pictures of both. 

The plastic piece fits into the slots above the three wires on the DZ-1000.  No idea what the metal rod is. As you can see in this picture, the only thing I see like it is the motor shaft and hard to believe that is what you found.  Maybe one of these threads on it will help?  This one encourages higher than 14v for operation.

Strange as it amy seem, I've done a lot of trial an error wiring with the DZ-1002 and DZ-1000. You'll even read about folks who have to pull out and switch the LEDs.

Tortoise switch machines are extremely dependable.  Work year after year, layout after layout,  decade after decade.  New or used they all  perform the same.  Rock solid.

Upon special request I did install the Atlas 2 rail switch machines on a large layout only to rip them out and throw away over 90 of them.  Some worked, some did not and the controllers were cheaply made.   Temperamental, flimsy, waste of time.   The owner then let me replace with Tortoise.

Thanks for the replies guys.

In response to hokie71 - the straight metal wire I found in the switch machine could not be the motor shaft - that's way too big. And the motor shaft is still there. I'm going to write to z-stuff to see what they say.

With respect to the other posts/replies: as of yesterday afternoon, I appear (with the emphasis on the word appear) that have things working now - at least for the first switch machine I’ve tried to install.

It looks like the keys are the use of the spring wire with the tiny loop at one end (response received in one of my other posts), and the other relates to the positioning of the switch machine itself. It needs to be right up against the rail ties of the track. I may be declaring success too quickly, but this appears to do the trick. We’ll see as I try to install some others today.

Thanks again.

Were you not using the spring link initially?

Yes Tom - I was - but I was initially using the wrong one. Once I got the post reply above about the correct spring to use and with my placement of the switch machine itself directly against the track rails, that seemed to have solved the problem. I've connected 3 other DZ-1000s this morning and they all work properly.