MAINTENANCE

MAINTENANCE

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All track repairs are fully guaranteed for 12 months including postage both ways.

SWITCH REPAIR

All repairs are subject to the availability of parts. Availability will be confirmed with the cost estimate and is valid for switches received for repair within 15 days.

There are three basic series of 731 switches.

Prior to 1938 the non-derailing contact rails were between the switch point assembly and the switch frog. The 1935 rail ends were not drilled for bolting and had short guard rails which were not adequate to guide wheels with scale flanges. 1937 guard rails were extended to reduce derailments of the new 700E.

Original switch motors did not have a fixed voltage plug socket. Many of these switches have been converted to fixed voltage operation, but the power to the trip rails may cause a E-Unit of a locomotive that coasts onto the switch not to cycle until the switch voltage is killed.

First series repairs are limited to:
Upgrade to fixed voltage motor
Replace broken point rail assembly
Replace damaged rails.
Replace broken end ties
Replace failed fiber insulators
Drill or correct rail end drilling of 1935 switches
Straighten warped (not swollen) base castings

All later switches had insulated non derailing short straight and curved rails and a Bakelite insert between the point assembly and frog. The 1938 and 1939 production had cast switch motor covers. The motors were bolted to the switch base with 10-24 flat head screws. The third series had Bakelite motor covers and used 4-36 screws to mount the motors.

Later series repairs are limited to:
Straighten the motor contact plate to eliminate interference with the slide switch.
Upgrade the motor to a metal slide switch to eliminate binding from a warped fiber board slide. Includes contact plate repair.
Replace broken point rail assembly
Replace damaged rails.
Replace broken end ties. Go to END TIE REPLACEMENT for do-it-yourself instructions.
Replace failed fiber insulators
Replace fiber rail end insulators
Straighten warped (not swollen) base castings
Correct “rocking point syndrome” (where pushing down on the active point rail causes the other rail to lift off the base and rub Hudson worm gear housings)
Upgrade cast motor covers to motors with Bakelite covers

All repaired switches will have the narrow tip of the point center rail coated with clear Teflon nail polish to prevent post war electro-magnetic couplers from opening.

INSULATED RAIL REPAIR (772S)

Replace fiber rail end insulators
Replace broken ties
Replace failed fiber insulators

TRACK REPAIR

Replace broken ties. Go to TRACK TIE REPLACEMENT for do-it-yourself instructions.
Correct improperly drilled rail ends
Precision drill rail ends of 1935 track
Replace failed fiber insulators