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LGB Switch Problem with LGB Decoder Installs on Older LGB Locos


LGB333
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Hi - I switched to a Piko Central Station and Massoth Navigator for my indoor layout over a year ago after using DC operations for over 25 years and love it!  I have no problems with my two Bachmann Climax/SoundTrax and one Bachmann Three Truck Shay/Soundtrax locos driving through switches.  However, when I installed an LGB #55021 decoder and LGB #65000 Sound Unit in an LGB #2063 D&RGW Diesel recently, it works fine except when crossing some of the LGB switches on my indoor layout, i.e., it will stop momentarily (including sound unit) and then go.  Most of the nine LGB switches I'm using are 30 degree but the two 22 degree switches cause the most problems.  Sometimes if the loco is traveling very slowly, it will stop totally and I must push it slightly to regain electrical connectivity and movement again.  I believe the two electrical pickup shoes are the cause of this.  LGB pickup shoes are fairly wide and appear to be slightly touching the opposite polarity track rail when going through some of the switches.  I had this same problem 11 months ago when I installed two LGB #55021 decoders and an LGB #65000 Sound Unit in my 25 year old LGB #20550 White Pass Diesel and ended up removing the two electrical pickup shoes and that solved the problem.  In fact, I recall this larger, longer diesel loco actually caused my Piko Central Station to short out.   When I discovered that one electrical pickup shoe was shorting out on a switch cure (depended which direction the loco was traveling), I removed the two electrical pickup shoes and that solved the problem.  However,  removing the two electrical pickup shoes on the small D&RGW Diesel appears more complicated due to the interior electrical layout within the motor block, and with only four wheels ( instead of eight on the larger diesel), the pickup shoes do help to ensure good electrical connectivity from the rails.  If the pickup shoes were just slightly narrower, the problem would be solved, and I've actually considered grinding them down to reduce the width.......some tedious, nasty work.  Wondering if anyone on this forum has had similar problems with LGB DCC decoder conversions on older LGB locos and developed a solution that I could use instead of having to either remove the LGB electrical pickup shoes totally, or reducing the shoes' width on a grinder and then reinstalling them? 

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I wonder if you could wire a poly fuse into the internal switch wiring to eliminate the shorts? Do the shoes bridge the gaps totally?

"When I discovered that one electrical pickup shoe was shorting out on a switch cure"

what's a cure? Are you saying the frog? or the points?

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The LGB plastic frog section of the switch..........this particular LGB diesel loco's electrical pickup shoe is too wide when it passes along the frog.  For example, the right shoe on the right rail will slightly touch the brass left rail (opposite polarity) coming into the plastic frog causing a slight short that triggers the decoder and sound unit to momentarily stop and restart........sometimes to stop and shut down totally.

Tom 

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Update:  I think I've finally discovered the issues.  First, I slightly bent up the two electrical pickup shoes on this small LGB diesel loco.......this prevent the wide shoes from touching the opposing rail (opposite polarity) while traveling through an LGB track switch frog.  But it still was stopping through some switch frogs at very slow speed.  Further investigation revealed that, due to the close proximity of the two pickup shoes to the front wheels, the loco was losing power contact through the switch frog because the left back wheel has a rubber tracking tire on it.  So, final solution is to remove the rear left traction tire wheel and replace it with a regular wheel.  I don't intend to pull heavy consists with the small diesel loco so operating the loco without a traction tires shouldn't be a problem.  Also, some of my track switches have been on my indoor layout for over 20 years and the plastic frogs are somewhat worn which may be contributing to the connectivity loss.  When I increase the speed to #3 on my Massoth Navigator controller, there's enough momentum to get through the frogs without the motor and sound unit stopping.  On some of these type electrical issues, you need to play Sherlock Homes! 

 

Tom

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