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

[Greg Elmassian]

Not to be argumentative, but the process and cost of embedding metal in the ties and then making electrical connection has to have power as the primary objective in my opinion. That swivel joint is not a large amount of conductive surface.

But anyway, there's all kinds of fixes and things you can do if there are issues.

Greg

 

[Martino]

I have to confess that when I was running track power, I soldered jumper leads to all my LGB switches/turnouts/points because I found the designed way of making contacts was unable to cope ‘in the wild’. When wired up, then worked fine.

By the way Sarah, don’t jump ship. Keep asking the questions. You’re only asking the things most of us have been wondering about....

 

[korm kormsen]

 

[phils2um]

Sarah - Please keep asking your questions. We're all still learning. I would not have thought of Henri's simple solution to the points conductivity problem. Thanks to you, I can file it away for the future when I run into the same problem. - Phil S.

 

[Rhinochugger]

I only have on turnout that is a dead end on my layout, and I wanted ti self-isolating because it is only a loco loading spur. The Aristo #6 has three power feeds along the blade, and I only removed these on the curved blade for the self-isolation, and left them in place for the main track.

My other turnouts are all loops, so I carefully put the isolating fishplates on the inside of the loop, so that the continuous rails on the outer sides provide power beyond the loops without any connectivity issues.

With garden railroading there are always issues, you've just got to scratch your head a few times and cogitate

 

[Henri]

Yes the stock used is also to be considered. My railbus with power pickup on all wheels, on both carriages, runs smoothly over all and every point.
My Feldbahn Deutz on the other hand, has trouble on some points, especially the one with the 'dead' part.

Stainz et all with a wheelbase of 75mm might run OK over the older switches, but not over the new ones with longer 'switching' parts... (Here goes the English again...)

And where's Sarah??

 

[dunnyrail]

Yes the stock used is also to be considered. My railbus with power pickup on all wheels, on both carriages, runs smoothly over all and every point.
My Feldbahn Deutz on the other hand, has trouble on some points, especially the one with the 'dead' part.

Stainz et all with a wheelbase of 75mm might run OK over the older switches, but not over the new ones with longer 'switching' parts... (Here goes the English again...)

And where's Sarah??

Looks like she has left us, I just hope she got/gets the track I sent her last Friday ok.

 

[Gerard]

Although 6 years later i like to add the following experience to this thread:
You don't have to wire all your track outdoor when you use Copper Grease/Paste in all joints and screw connections after cleaning them first using a steel brush and clean up to the original rail brass.
The grease conducts electricity very well and can cope with high temp up to 600 degr and cannot be flushed off by rain.
Even slight movements of track, relative to each other, causing some movement in the rail connection sleeves are no problem.
I'm using it for about 7 years now, never had big connectivity problems any more!