What is wrong with this point and can it be repaired, please?

S

Sarah Winfield

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Below hopefully are pictures of the top and the underneath of a point I bought off ebay. I knew it wasn't working. The white piece is a repair to a sleeper.

Would a member advise me if the point can be repaired, please?

I think it is possibly something to do with the linking electrical connections.

Thank you (again).

Sarah Winfield
 

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Sarah Winfield said:
Below hopefully are pictures of the top and the underneath of a point I bought off ebay. I knew it wasn't working. The white piece is a repair to a sleeper.

Would a member advise me if the point can be repaired, please?

I think it is possibly something to do with the linking electrical connections.

Thank you (again).

Sarah Winfield
Click to expand...
There are two ways LGB get power to the movable rails. First as you show the 2 parts that one has white on top. The other way is just where the points move apart to make a smooth joint when you change the points. You should ba able to notice a small ridge that is what makes the electrical connection. Inevitably because it is up to the air it gets somewhat tarnished, also tarnish gets into the other part a common problem with 2nd hand and long time in the outside world LGB points.

I have posted you a picture (on one of your other threads) to help you understand the way that the 4 rails are fed, on this picture you can see that I have permanently wired the faulty parts that you have on this point. A job that I have done to many R1 points over the years.

I have also done similar with other radius points but only when they cause problems.
 
Greg and Jon, thank you. I feel I have outstayed my welcome on this forum so I will, as they say "exit stage left", until I know more about what on earth I am trying to accomplish.

Thanks to everyone who posted replies to my questions.

Sarah Winfield
 
Sarah Winfield said:
Greg and Jon, thank you. I feel I have outstayed my welcome on this forum so I will, as they say "exit stage left", until I know more about what on earth I am trying to accomplish.

Thanks to everyone who posted replies to my questions.

Sarah Winfield
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Please not be silly, always happy to help if I can.

Re reading many of the replies we have all made should help you get where you wish to be. We all had to learn and asking dumb questions is how we all made our way in the Model Railway journey. Remembering and identifying the correct answers is the real trick!
 
Sarah Winfield said:
Greg and Jon, thank you. I feel I have outstayed my welcome on this forum so I will, as they say "exit stage left", until I know more about what on earth I am trying to accomplish.

Thanks to everyone who posted replies to my questions.

Sarah Winfield
Click to expand...

Sarah, please reconsider.
I have been messing with LGB stuff since 1975 yet I've learned a few things from reading your posts and replies.
I suspect the same may apply to others, especially forum members who are shy of posting about any issues they may have.
 
I've learned something too!

I thought it was only LGB radius 3 points that had a pivot partway along the blades . . . and, indeed, my (modern) LGB radius 1 points pivot at the frog, and each blade is a single piece. What Sarah has (and I've found one in my "spare stock") must be an earlier design where even the radius 1 points include a pivot midway along the blades. I don't know where I got mine from, but it has multiple repairs to the underside, reinstating electrical connections where the original bonded connections have failed.

Not very helpful, I'm afraid, but proof that even those of us with some experience of LGB trackwork can be surprised from time to time. And NOTHING that has all its rails in place is beyond electrical repair

Best wishes

David
 
Sarah Winfield said:
Below hopefully are pictures of the top and the underneath of a point I bought off ebay. I knew it wasn't working. The white piece is a repair to a sleeper.

Would a member advise me if the point can be repaired, please?

I think it is possibly something to do with the linking electrical connections.

Thank you (again).

Sarah Winfield
Click to expand...
Sarah, a question.

When I look at the white plasticard repair, I can see something else in the hollow of the end of that sleeper - what is that? Is it just epoxy / araldite overflow?

If it is, then no worries.

I suppose that the other question that none of us seem to have asked, is 'which bit isn't working?' :emo::emo:
 
Hi Sarah
Just noticed this thread. As I mentioned in the soldering iron thread, I experienced a lot of problems with electrical continuity with LGB points. I found the contacts under the points would often deteriorate over time. Maybe it was the wet climate in this part of the UK or maybe it was my cement based ballast oxidising the connections. I ended up bonding all the various components on each point to solve the problems as shown in my blog post - https://riksrailway.blogspot.com/2012/09/how-i-repaired-lgb-pointwork.html

BTW - Please don't give up the forum. We like people asking questions cos it makes us feel good if we can answer them.

Rik
 
Henri said:
This is how I fix conductivity problems. With Massoth railconnectots and a piece of wire.

View attachment 238308
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That is a super non soldering way to do things. As ever Henri you are well in front of the game.

2 pics below are I hope 2 help Greg’s query.
image.jpg image.jpg
 
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Greg Elmassian said:
Does someone have a closeup of the "points" end where the points themselves pick up power?

Greg
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Greg I have tried to do this with my pics in the previous post, There clearly are R1 points of 2 different designs. Mine and the ones that Henri has shown. His fix will workmon both types.
 
Greg Elmassian said:
So the points ride on 2 metal strips just after the throwbar, so this is similar with many model switches.
Click to expand...

Yes, but this is not necessarily how the moving blade is powered.. - Some power via the pivot-screw.

We had a problem with the Peco track on the 'Harz'. - The intermediate station has sprung points at each end of the loop..
I had to solder a flexible jumper between the fixed rail, and point-blades, as we were getting connectivity issues..
 
Greg Elmassian said:
Do you believe the extra work to put metal in was just for wear then? I think that getting power from 2 places was the goal, the hinged part seems to be less reliable than the flat plate under the points, at least in my experience with mostly Aristo...

Greg
Click to expand...

In the case of the Peco track.. It could well be??
This track is on an 'exhibition' layout, and the baseboards were over-engineered! the point in question was not only (very) securely mounted, it was ballasted / scenic-ed as well.. The area was built-up above the 'main' baseboard level, and a nightmare to get at from underneath! - Heaven help us when the pivot screws finally give-out! :(:eek::eek:
 
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