Kato Unitrack #6 T.O. loss of power

[Yugamu Tsuki]

Besides the M1 Kato set, I also picked up a used #6 turn out. For both manually and electronically I can get the Turn Out to switch with no problem, but whenever my locomotive passes over it it looses power and sometimes one of the middle wheels derails. If I up the speed I can power through it on the straight, but when it turns it comes to a full stop the moment it reaches that section of track. I'm also receiving no current from the off-shot track when the switch should be routing the power there/

 

I didn't think you needed to provide power to the segment shooting off but I may be wrong. Does anyone have any ideas of how to fix this?

[inobu]

Use one of your freight or passenger cars and roll it back and forth over the rails. Using your sense of touch locate the problem area.

 

Remember with N Scale 2mm is one foot. 1mm is 6 inches, .5mm is 3 inches. 

 

Just imagine what a real train would do rolling over a rail joint 3 inch higher than the other.

 

Inobu   

[Yugamu Tsuki]

Thanks. I picked up a new one and will match it with a multimeter and a pair of pliers over the weekend to check. Maybe a used turnout for my first one ever wasn't a good idea lol...

[Kiran]

Is this the #6 single turnout or the crossover (scissors) turnout? The #6 single turnout is the most reliable Kato turnout IMO. But a couple of trains do have a problem with the scissors turnout. I have an Athearn F59PHI that stalls on the frog of the scissors turnout if I have sound on.  It works OK if it fast enough. The sound stops but the momentum carries it forward and the sound picks up again. If I turn off sound, it tends to work well even at slow speeds. Other trains have no problems. I suspect there is a voltage drop somewhere in that turnout's frog that I need to investigate. I have been putting it off in my case as it is only 1 locomotive out of 40.  

[Yugamu Tsuki]

It's a single turnout.

I hooked up a test track with the problem turnout and 2 other new ones. I straightened out one of the forks in the problem turnout and it seems to be working better. It's still slow at certain parts if I go at lower speeds but as soon as it passes the problem spots it picks up full voltage again so I am wondering if there is some grim I'm not seeing adding resistance to part of that track. To bolster that theory the more I drove on that line the easier it became.

[nicolahu]

I just had a similiar problem with one of mine, when i opened it i could use my multimeter and saw that the contact for one of the frog rails was not good. In the end i did put some cleaning agent (my guess was it corroded a bit) and did put in small plastic which is bended to act like a spring, this presses the small leg onto the rail and making better contact. I hope it stays now that way.