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Post by tjdreams on Jan 25, 2023 20:25:15 GMT -5
It was just a thought like I said I've seen that in HO but never in Z. Its nearly impossible for us diagnose this kind of problem with out pictures and close up video of what's actually happening. Even with them it can be very difficult to figure out what the real problem is. Are their any other Z scalers, Clubs, or Groups in your area? Maybe a 2nd or 3rd set of eyes on it in person could help diagnose what is causing the problem and how to fix it. If not it may be easier to just buy a couple new turnouts.
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Post by modelwarships on Jan 25, 2023 21:58:47 GMT -5
Maybe incomplete turnout throws due to momentary switch problems? I use a Circuitron Snapper to throw my turnouts as I use to have a lot on partial throws leaving the points ripe for picking. It is not 100% effective, more like 99% and I have been using it for about 4 years now.
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Post by BAZman on Jan 26, 2023 0:10:31 GMT -5
A quick history: MTL came out with Turnouts for a many years ago and they ran fine (mostly MTL locos then, so they were the ‘originanam” When AZL brought out diesel locomotives, some of them would not run correctly through the turnouts. This turned out to be the guard rail at the Frog was just slightly too tight for the AZL wheel gauge difference between AZL wheels and MTL wheel (extremely small dimensions difference). Solved by a couple of wipes of a jeweler’s file to the inner guard plastic. The MTL turnouts had a much cleaner, simpler look. But then they lost their manufacturing (along with several other railroading company products in China and took them a couple years to get back into production. However several of these turn out well maybe quite many of them, had problems mainly missing parts or or else and we’re replaced by new release versions.
Then Rokuhan came out with their turnouts. These look like the components in a märklin turnout with the floating power contacts in the frog but the height variations throughout the turn out make a lot of wheel and truck travel when running through. We also had quite a few that were out of gauge on the points plate (when measured in the middle between frog in point tips). Many manufacturers due not have one straight rail and on curved rail (2 different stocking parts instead of one). This caused some AZL locos to pinch on wheel flanges and randomly stall certain locomotives that had the minuscule difference in gauge.
I take a look at several of my Rokuhan turnouts and I see what I remember that the points bury themselves into the relief of the stock rails (as designed). So it is *impossible* for the points to be picked because they’re within the stock rails inner edge. It can only be picking if the points are ‘moved, like if 1st wheel presses down which would only be done with low point tension to the outer stock rail.
If somehow the looseness of the points plate moves somewhat as you say you hold aside manual tension to it.
I also noticed three of my seven turn outs have a small bend outward of each point side which would not let it completely hide in the stock rail notches. (Visually it does embed enough to stay flush on the inside.
So I don’t know what to say to make it work correctly without me physically looking at the movement of the points when the locomotive approaches and having a wheel gauge to ensure that the wheels are in gauge (we have not heard about any gauge problems for a long time but but but) you can get a wheel/coupler gauge from Micro-Trains and the notches in the cast material are exact. So if the flange fits in the tiny notch it’s perfect, if it’s touching the edges slightly it’s probably good enough but if it’s really on the outer side walls, that’s the problem.
Again, a bright light source and a crawling loco tells a lot.
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