So, I began hooking up my Kato n-scale #6 turnouts to DS64's earlier this month. The first problem I've encountered is that, when I send a single thrown/closed command, a turnout will sometimes respond 3 times. Either it receives the same status command 3 times in a row (I can hear 2 additional pulses after the turnout rails change position), or it receives both commands in alternating sequences (closed-thrown-closed or thrown-closed-thrown). Would anyone know what causes this? I'm also wondering if there's a recommended configuration for the DS64 opswitches for these turnouts. I've read that the defaults are fine, but if anyone else says otherwise, it'd be good to know. Second, as a result of JMRI freaking out and repeatedly throwing and closing turnouts multiple times (unrelated to the previous issue), I think it may have messed up the solenoids or wiring inside a few turnouts. Whenever the rail that feeds the power-routed frog has DCC power, I can hear a buzz from the turnout. My thought on this is that the two copper wires that lead to the solenoid have shifted (perhaps in reaction to the solenoid's repetitive activation), and end up touching the little piece of metal right next to the solenoid that the frog mounts to, which causes the AC DCC power to short into the solenoid. So far, for two of my four effected turnouts, I've put in small pieces of kapton tape on the piece of metal, insulating it from the two bare copper wires, and have had mixed results (mostly successful). So, I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced this kind of behavior, and what you did to resolve it, if anything. I'm trying to avoid messing around with the turnouts' internal mechanisms and wiring any more unless someone can help me figure out what the exact problem is that causes the buzzing, just so I don't end up making the problem worse. I really hope that I don't need to replace $100 worth of turnouts Thanks for any possible help!
Don, You aren't the first to hear the buzzing on #6s. I had that problem for a while, and then it went away after I glued the tracks in place! Whether a small stray short, or whatever, I described it as the rails "singing", as it followed down the track a bit. How are you sending the switch close/throw command (JMRI, panel button, other throttle) and how is the DS64 getting the commands (rail power or loconet)? If you have the loconet enabled on the DS64, make sure you are powering the unit with DC supply, and not from the rails. If not, you have two commands being received (one each from rail and loconet). Also, double check the DS64 OpSw settings, just because the "default" settings will work, doesn't necessarily mean those are what are in the DS64, unless you did a reset.
