Using Atlas Snap Switches


C

csxgandn

Member
Hi, everyone. After several weeks of not getting much done on my first dcc layout (and first layout in twenty plus years) I am back at it.

I have a couple of questions about the code 83 Atlas snap switches I'm using:

1. I'm aware that these are not the highest end turnouts available but it is my understanding that any issues with them can be corrected. I have several that are working fine, however my loco occasionally has a brief power drop when one axel is over the plastic frog of one of them. It usually passes over the switch with no problem but not always.

Can anyone offer some causes and possible solutions for this problem?

2. One reason I chose these turnouts is that I like the easy wiring of the switch machines. Rather than use the switch boxes that come with them I would prefer to wire the switch machine to double through - center off - momentary toggle switches. Can anyone describe how to wire this or provide a schematic?

Thanks for taking the time to read and for any info you can give.
 
You will need a volt-ohm meter to trouble shoot that. I suspect one of your rails is dead. You might try cleaning the rail real good where the points of the turnout press up against the rails.
 
Thanks for the feedback. I'm using the switch machine that comes installed on the turnout. I believe it's a twin coil but electrical isn't my thing.

I have checked it with a meter and am getting power to all rails including point and closure rails.
 
I echo what Ken is saying, sounds more like a momentary short than a loss of power. Wiring the switch motors with a SPDT toggle is about the same as using the switch boxes. Connect the center contact on the switch machine directly to the power source, let's call it the (-) side. The (+) power supply is connected to the center contact on the SPDT toggle. The outside contacts on the SPDT are connected to the two outer contacts on the switch machine. Make sure that your SPDT is a momentary type. Even when I used the Atlas switch boxes, I bypassed wiring the (-) to the boxes and connected all center contacts of the switches to a (-) buss. I use only ground throws now.

Willie
 
Thanks guys. I didn't think it was a short because my dcc system didn't go off and back on. If it is a short should I try to file the closure rails near the frog and or apply nail polish?

Thanks again.
 
Willie, I was at work earlier but I just read more carefully your instructions to use toggles. That doesn't seem too bad!

Thanks
 
You can confirm the possibility of a short by placing a second loco on the track and watching to see if the headlight dims.
 
That was a good idea, Ken. You guys were right, it is a brief short.
All my cars have metal wheels but it's only the loco and this one switch. The loco is a Walther's Proto GP-60 and not every time...Any ideas?

Thanks
 
Check the loco's wheel gauge. If it's too wide, it could be briefly touching a rail of the wrong polarity as it goes through the switch.

Willie
 
Thanks. As you probably can tell I'm a beginner. I'll check wheel gauge but this beginner doesn't have that tool yet. It'll have to wait until I can get to the train store again ;).

For or now I just swapped the troublesome switch on the main for another so I can run trains in the meantime.
 
I'll try to sneak down to my layout tonight and snap a pic of how I had to "fix" a couple of my snap switch turnouts. the contacts are just so close they sometimes need more clearance.
 
That would be great, KB02. If not tonight, anytime you get a chance would be a great help. I suspect I will encounter this problem again as I have many more turnouts in my plan and would rather fix any others that cause problems than replace them.

Thanks again, guys
 
KB,

I am eagerly awaiting your pictures regarding this. I have usually fixed this situation with cleaning. For some reason that seems to work...for the rest of that operating session. But then when I get the time to go back to the basement and fire up the layout. I then get this same issue all over again and I clean the turnouts. Obviously, you have a better solution for this
 
Okay, some will call this drastic... Heck, I call this drastic, but it fixed the problem.

After trying fix after fix for the shorting issue, I finally tracked down the short's location to the closure rails. as best I could tell, all my locos were within gauge, or at least really close. But when they passed through the turnout on the diverging route, the inside of the wheel would come close enough to the opposite closure rail that it would cause the short. How did I fix it? With a dremel tool.

42801594-43BB-4E82-A9BE-4D2A252F8A2B_zpsr61bsgum.jpg


I cut a small gap in the main line rail just far enough away from the frog to keep the wheels from touching both at the same time, but close enough that it doesn't effect pick up for the loco rolling through. Then I filled the gap with styrene and the shorts disappeared. Granted, all of my diesel locos have pickups on both trucks and my steamer has a nice, long, wheelbase getting power from both ends and a current keeper.

That's what I did, anyway.
 
Oh geeeeeeezzzzzz. The correct fix would have been to insulate the frog points so you would be able to make the entire point area polarity correct.
The tip of the frog point is a disaster. You'll probably have derailment problems with that.
 
D&J RailRoad said:
The tip of the frog point is a disaster. You'll probably have derailment problems with that.
Click to expand...

My response to that is: Yes. It is an Atlas Snap Switch.

But again, the fix I did was on the closure rail and not the frog. The frog point itself is plastic. It didn't photograph well, but it is there and solid and I have zero derailment issues with it. (I've done a fair amount of tuning on it, too.) I back huge frieght consists over it all the time in both directions.
The problem with isolating the whole frog area is that, again, it's an Atlas Snap switch and you would have to cut all four rails and then rewire the entire thing. It's far easier to extend the isolation just a little bit to avoid the shorts.

Not that I disagree with your opinion, it's just not as feesable with this style/series of turnouts (in my opinion, anyway).
 
I decided to try nail polish but still having problems. Maybe i didn't apply it correctly. Anyway, for $20 I think I'll replace this one.
 
I had limited success with nail polish. I was having to re-due it about every two weeks. Other people have applied once and rarely had to go back. I wish you luck.

Make sure you get the tip of the closure rails along with the frog.
 
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