Finetrack double crossover

[Mania]

I recently purchased a Finetrack starter set (layout A) and added a set D to it, which includes a double crossover. A few questions: using the layout that they provide for combining A+D, I get a bit of slowdown and sometimes stalling and just general hiccups every now and then when the train crosses the piece. Is this normal? I only have two feeders, since that's what's included in the sets, and I placed them where they show inside the instruction manual (not too close to the crossover piece) Also, there are these extra little pieces you add to the sides of the track piece (4 in total) as you can see here:

 

 

What exactly are these for? Just decoration? I've noticed with one of the 4, when I add the piece it slightly interferes with the movement of the track so that when I flip the switch the track doesn't completely move to one side, which adds to the slowdown problem. When I take the piece off, it can still occasionally hang up on that one side, but not as much as with it installed. Are these pieces absolutely necessary? What can I do to fix it so that the piece can reliably move to either side?

 

This is my first post here so hello everyone and thanks in advance!

[Martijn Meerts]

The additional pieces are just decoration, so you can leave them off if you want. As for your problems, I have removed my double crossover from the layout because trains kept stalling and some older trains were causing shorts on it. It seems to be one of Tomix's lower quality pieces. Either that or we're both unlucky and got one from a bad batch :)

[Mania]

Oh, thanks a lot; I guess I will just have to get used to it then...

[Ochanomizu]

Hello Mr Mania,

 

Please advise which product (train) you are using with the double crossover.