Subject:
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Re: Switch points stiffening...
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.trains
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Date:
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Wed, 28 Sep 2005 19:59:55 GMT
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Viewed:
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1622 times
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Hello Dave,
In lugnet.trains, David Koudys wrote:
> I'm not sure if it's from overuse or from something else, but some of my wye
> points are not sliding as smoothly as they used to when the train is coming into
> the wye from the curve.
>
> I actually have to have the switch point in the proper position or sometimes the
> point'll force the loco or rolling stock to skip the track.
>
> When I push the point with my finger, it feels pretty smooth, and the spring
> inside appears to be doing the proper job. But when a train comes from the
> curve into the point, it doesn't move properly.
>
> Anyone have any suggestions?
>
> Dave K
As far as I know, this comes from the friction between plastic parts. Each
friction removes a very little bit of plastic at each movement and leaves that
white plastic dust on the moving parts. I reduced this problem by lowering the
friction forces with the addition of a small amount of oil between the surfaces
in contact. The trick is to add as few oil as possible, using a small paintbrush
for instance, and to avoid spreading oil into the electrical contacts into the
switchpoint. I use oil that do not contain any solvent that could intefere and
somehow dissolve the ABS in the long term. The best oils I have tested are
either vaseline oil or paraffin oil. The volume of oil you should add is only
few microliters. For information, the volume of a drop of water is about 20
microliters, far too much for what you need. So it is only about one tenth of a
drop that you should use for one switchpoint.
This solution will only reduce the friction and it will not remove it, so the
problem will take longer to appear, but it will re-appear anyway. The delay
depends mainly of the level of usage you have with the switchpoint.
Hope this helps,
Philippe "frogleap" Label, Freelug member
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Message has 2 Replies:
 | | Re: Switch points stiffening...
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| In lugnet.trains, Philippe Label wrote: <snip> (...) I lubricated the switch just a bit and it appears to work very well. Thanks for the suggestion! Dave K (19 years ago, 3-Oct-05, to lugnet.trains)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Switch points stiffening...
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| I'm not sure if it's from overuse or from something else, but some of my wye points are not sliding as smoothly as they used to when the train is coming into the wye from the curve. I actually have to have the switch point in the proper position or (...) (19 years ago, 28-Sep-05, to lugnet.trains)
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