Tomix turnout power routing problem

[Jes]

Hi all,

I'm building a small layout using Tomix track with 140mm radius turnouts.
One of the turnouts now has stopped routing the power in one direction. One direction is ok, but in the other direction the train stops immediately after the turnout.
Has anyone else ever encountered this problem? How did you solve it?

Replacing the turnout is a problem as the track is permanently fixed to the baseboard and ballasted, so I hope it can be cleaned/repaired in another way.

 

Thanks!

Jesse

 

 

[kvp]

It could be caused by ballast or glue getting into the turnout mech. You can try shaking or gently vacuuming it to get it out. If it's the ballasting glue though, that's a bigger problem.

[Jes]

Thanks! Vacuuming didn't solve the problem, unfortunately. I don't think it was caused by the ballasting glue as I ballasted the tracks months ago, and it's only since a few days that the power routing has stopped working.

[kvp]

Did you loose power on the frog rail, split frog plate or just after the joiner? The latter is the best case as in that case the turnout is ok.

 

I still think the switch contacts might have something in them. Or you have used a more than 1 amp controller and shorted through the turnout contacts. The fix for that is to just gently scrape the contacts of the black residue after removing the bottom. Or just try to throw it manually a few dozen times and see if it helps.

[Jes]

I have managed to cut an opening in the baseboard and open the turnout mechanism from beneath.
As you suggested, some glue had gotten on the contacts. After a clean, the turnout now works flawlessly again. Thanks for the help!

[AllScales]

On 8/19/2018 at 2:12 PM, Jes said:

I have managed to cut an opening in the baseboard and open the turnout mechanism from beneath.
As you suggested, some glue had gotten on the contacts. After a clean, the turnout now works flawlessly again. Thanks for the help!

Can you do that again please? Now with a YouTube video so us mere mortals can do it too?

[Jes]

Oh, that's not that interesting 🙂

 

I just cut an opening in the base board (blue foam on Forex).

 

And then opened the turnout and cleaned all metal bits.

 

And afterwards no traces of the operation from below...

 

...or above 🙂

 

 

Edited September 7, 2018 by Jes

[AllScales]

And here was me thinking that would have lots of bits flying everywhere! I fixed a Fleischmann point once, some muck had snuck into the mechanism... It took forever and three hands to put it back together again!

[Jes]

The two long bent metal strips are the only loose parts inside. As long as you carefully put them back in place before screwing the lid on, you should be fine.