[Krpepe]

So today in my infinite wisdom while working on the track, I broke all of the alignment tabs off of the center joint of a left switch. Since I am cheap, I decided to try to repair the switch. I 3d printed 4 alignment tabs and a drill guide to be able to accurately drill the track to be able to install the tabs. I attached the tabs with 2- 2.5mm x 10mm hex bolts. Here are some pics of the repaired switch. 

   
   

I think this turned out pretty well.

 I also learned something that I probably should have known already about Carrera track. The little spring clips that connect the rails to one another are a separate piece from the actual rail. The reason I now know this is in the process of snapping the tabs off it also loosened the clips in the rails. So I printed up a 3.5mm x 3.5mm x 15mm piece to install in the clip to tighten them up. With them installed when the track pieces are assembled the rail connections are nice and sung and should have a very good connection. I will be trying these in the spots on the track where I have been having issues and am to lazy to add a power tap. If it works in those spots I might start installing them in all of the track as I have a reason  to take it apart. The pieces I installed in the rails can be seen in the above pics.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Kevin

[Scuderia_Turini]

Hello Kevin,
Greta ideas and a neat solutions. I think that I have never had a continuity problem with Carrera track, but you have got me wondering now. I have fitted jumper wires so they may be masking any connector issues.

When my tabs break off they tend to take the edge of the track as well so I don't think that your replacement tabs would work for me. Luckily I have never broken more than one at an end.

Leo

[Krpepe]

Hello Leo,

Thank you for the kind words!

I think some of my connector issues are due to the track being in the garage and seeing temperature extremes that come from living in Chicago. In the areas I was having trouble I was seeing 3-10 ohms of resistance between rail to rail connections and now I am down to .2 to .6 ohms. I also found the connectors to be loose in some of the rails because of poor crimps. The ones with poor crimps sometimes were pushed in to the track further than others. I will take pics and post to show what I am talking about later. 

I have been disassembling the track and adding these on every piece of track. I went from ohm readings of 3-10 ohms on some rails over 15 pieces of track to .6 to 1 ohm. Also found high ohm readings where the jumpers are between rails on the switch tracks. The copper that is installed in the rail was corroded and not making great contact. was seeing ohm reading as high as 10 on some switch tracks. Again this is probably a issue of the temperature extremes the track sees and age of some of the switch tracks.

Have a great day,

Kevin