Hi All, I recently (finally) wired up the second block (of four) on my layout yesterday. In testing, I found my loco stalls out when transitioning from one block to the next. This happens in either direction. Both blocks were set to the same CAB, and the second CAB was turned off. So no interference there. I am using MTL turnouts, which have been giving me loads of problems since the beginning. I'm this close to ripping them all out and replacing with Rokuhan, but I am but a poor millennial in need of rent money. Attached is my wiring schematic for reference. Thanks! -Josh in Philly
Is your polarity correct from one block to the next? Did you put a meter on the blocks to see if you get the same readings?
Yes. I am getting an even 9V between blocks 1 and Two. I am noticing, however, one of the turnouts is reading 0.00 when the switch is thrown. I’m getting 9V on the straight, but not the turn. Perhaps this is a defective turnout? This does not explain why it stalls on the other turnout, which reads 9V on all points. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Josh, You're design schematic looks rights. Since there are a lot possibilities, a couple of questions to try to narrow things down. Which locomotive are you using? When it stalls, can you push it along and have it start up again? When it stalls do you still have 9V across the rails? The one turnout may be defective as the MTL units are not power routing and they should have 9V across the rails (not necessarily between the rails and frog) on all end. Mark
Being an HO guy, I'm not familiar with the turnouts you're using. Some turnouts pass electricity along from one end to the other all the time, and some are made so a train approaching from the wrong direction runs out of electricity before it hits the misaligned points. The points themselves pass electricity along to one leg or the other. If you have the latter, and your meter seems to be telling you that you do, the switch machine must move the points tight against the rail, and the point of contact between them must be clean, or the power will not pass. If the locomotive runs on the block, but stalls on the crossover switch, this is likely the problem. If the locomotive runs on the siding you wired but not the other siding served by the same switch, clean and tight points may not be enough. You may need to wire both tracks. Anyone familiar with Z scale MTL switches? Am I on the right track?
