Assistance with HO Piko Turnouts

[Edervarg]

Hi, I am looking for assistance or advice with respect to Piko A Track HO Turnouts using the Piko 55271 electric switches as right now I am of the view that many Piko 55271 switches for turnouts are defective.

 

I have a layout that is 100% Piko track on Woodlands Track Foam.  It has 8 turnouts of various models connected via a Digikeijs DR4018 to my Z21 with Piko 55271 electric switches. 50% of the turnouts work fine without a problem.  But 4 turnouts gave me an intermittent bug when switching.  Sometimes when switching the closure rails seem to bounce and then stay in the middle causing a derailment.  It doesn’t happen all the time, probably 1 in 10.  Also seems more prevalent when the turnout has been in a single state (so not switched) for a while.  The specific turnout models are a 55220, 55221 and a 55223.  A photo of the problem state is below. 

 

So in trying to resolve this I have made sure that the DR4018 has external power and that the wires to the switches are heavy enough gauge that there is no current loss.  I have made sure that the turnouts operate freely with no stiffness when used manually.   I have also gone through an extensive test program of using various switches (I purchased extra new ones) with different turnout combinations both on the track foam and directly onto the baseboard.  What I have found is that the 55271 switches have different numbers of the base, I assume they are version numbers (see pic).  During my testing I find that SM1.0 has a high failure rate.  The SM2.1 I have one that works fine and one that fails.  The SM2.2 all work fine.

 

I have tried emailing the Piko “hotline” email address with all the above information but got no response for some 3 weeks.  The response I finally got was to return the defective switches to my local dealer - I live in Singapore so most switches purchased online and the local dealer also is not being helpful. Piko didn’t even provide any advice on the SM versions and what are the differences.

 

My question to any folks out there who have Piko A track and 55271 electric switches - are you having problems like above?  If so how have you solved them?

[ISW]

2 hours ago, Edervarg said:

My question to any folks out there who have Piko A track and 55271 electric switches - are you having problems like above?  If so how have you solved them?

I don't have any of those point motors but I do have Peco turnouts installed on Woodland 'type' track underlay. The underlay is quite soft.

 

Looking at your photos it appears that the 55271 is attached to the track by only 2 screws, one at the switch toe and the other part way down the intermediate rails. There seems to be no middle/back support.

 

As the screws will be going into the baseboard (they won't attach to the foam) you could easily compress the foam and distort the track at the screw locations. That could twist the track and/or the 55271.

The lack of a 'back' support on the 55271 means that it could be rotated up/down perpendicular to the track. Both of the above 2 cases wouldn't be good for smooth operation of the 55271. Have you checked that the 55271 is 'accurately' installed in relation to the track and that it is not moving during operation?

 

Ian

[ISW]

You may think that a Piko 55271 is difficult to set up, try one of these:

 

Ian