# Really odd Fastrack 6-12046 switch issue



## L0stS0ul (Feb 6, 2015)

Howdy,

I purchased two of these switches for my new layout and it's my first experience with them. Both were described as new in box but look to be older stock as the date on the packaging says 2004. 

My left hand switch works perfectly. No issues. The right hand switch is having some odd issues. I have a short 20 inch test section of track with both switches hooked up on either side. Since they were new in box I just plugged them in to test off track power I did check to see if the track jumper was in and it was on both but I did not look closely.

Both switches were switching fine on track power but the right hand one's lantern is not lighting up. I unplugged the switch and flipped it over. The track jumper is connecting the aux in and aux grnd and not the track jumper port. I pulled the jumper and put it the way it is in the manual and connected the track. Now the switch is not working at all. If i put the jumper back between aux in and aux grnd it functions off track power.

So I decided to try non-track power. I connected the power and ground from my transformer to the aux in and aux grnd, powered it up, and the circuit breaker tripped. I checked out the lionel support site and they said you only really need the power it from the same transformer so tried that and it worked but the other switch lights all dimmed and it would no longer switch. 

all the while the switch lantern is still not functional. I did pop open the back and looked. The cherry switches are being fully engaged.

I have a ticket opened with where I purchased this to see if they can help me at all. Must be why I got them for half price :smilie_auslachen:


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

First off, there is a correction for aux power shorts for Fastrack switches, some of them were wired wrong from the factory. Attached is the Lionel document describing the fix.

The LED not working is a fairly common issue, for some reason they tend to burn out, in spite of the fact that LED's shouldn't do that in our lifetimes.


----------



## L0stS0ul (Feb 6, 2015)

Thanks John,

I will check the wiring and hopefully that is the issue. I was wondering if it was possible it was miswired. As always thank you . I saw that lionel has the FASTRACK REMOTE SWITCH STAND W/LED / PREWIRED for $6.50. When the replacement led is $3 it seems like a no brainer. We'll see what Trainz has to say. Maybe they will send me one heh.


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

The replacement LED is really about three cents, they're plain 3mm white LED's. I just replaced four of them in some of my switches.


----------



## L0stS0ul (Feb 6, 2015)

You were dead on. the wiring was backwards. Swapped the yellow and the red wire without the resistor and it's working fine now. The LED is still blown so that's the only issue to resolve. The LED's might be cheap but finding just one shipped for 3 cents is not  I found a pack of 30 on Amazon with free shipping for $5. You sent me a 3mm one a long time ago when I was working on my dad's train but I can't find it lol.


----------



## cjack (Jan 28, 2010)

Since I have to fix, literally, half the Lionel stuff I buy new...my wife said I should go to work for Lionel.
I said, I already do!


----------



## L0stS0ul (Feb 6, 2015)

Would these led's work? Prewired too. 

http://www.amazon.com/Wired-Clear-S...49163892&sr=8-30&keywords=Straw+Hat+White+LED


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Those are 5mm LED's, and you want bare bulbs, no wires.

Here's a US seller, five pieces for $2.49 with fast shipping: http://www.ebay.com/itm/3mm-DIP-Rou...702617?hash=item2ee901c3d9:g:j-IAAOSw~gRViC2o


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

How about an assortment for your next project as well? $2.85 with free shipping gets you 100 3mm LEDs in various colors: http://www.ebay.com/itm/100Pcs-3mm-...483407?hash=item33ad19d50f:g:isQAAOSwAYtWLZvX


----------



## L0stS0ul (Feb 6, 2015)

Thanks for the links John. I usually try to stay away from ebay but the prices are quite good for that. We'll see what Trainz says and if they tell me I'm out of luck I'll order some. I did take a look and it looks easy enough to replace. 

Thanks


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I buy a lot of stuff on eBay, usually it's as advertised, especially for components.

I just got my "final" answer from Lionel, they don't have any answers or solutions.


----------



## L0stS0ul (Feb 6, 2015)

I found that 3mm LED you sent me. I used it as the headlight for the j-class engine. I'll swap that out for one of my (many) 5mm and see if I can't get this switch fully working


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

You should lay in that hugely expensive $2.95 assortment of LED's so you have one for your next LED need. That's actually a very good deal, and lets you be ready when you want an LED or two for a project.


----------



## Todd Lopes (Nov 11, 2015)

Thanks for the tip, John, on the LEDs. Do you happen to know that ratings for these?


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

They're standard white 3mm LED's, 20ma is pretty universal as an operating current. If you just buy a 3mm white LED, you are 99.99% sure to get the right part.


----------



## L0stS0ul (Feb 6, 2015)

ok, so trainz had lionel ship me this part

6102045126	FASTRACK REMOTE SWITCH STAND W/LED / PREWIRED

Their customer service has been excellent. I got the new part in today and it doesn't work either. Not even a hint of lighting. The switch is working perfectly otherwise though. The lights on the controller work and after swapping the 2 wires it now works on track power or direct power. There must be something else dead. Any idea how to trace this?

thanks


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

First off, take a 1k or larger resistor and test the light in the light stand using the low setting on a transformer. See if the LED bulb is good first. If so, then you need to open up the bottom of the switch.


----------



## L0stS0ul (Feb 6, 2015)

I swapped the entire stand with the other switch that is working. The new LED is fine. The original one is for sure burnt out. I have 2 good switch stand LED's that do not work when connected to this switch for some reason. 

What should I be looking for inside the switch?


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Sadly, it's probably the logic board, that switch is driven from the board. Look to see any obvious damage, but the only time I've seen this symptom, the board was bad and had no visible damage.


----------



## L0stS0ul (Feb 6, 2015)

oh that would suck. Everything else seems to be working on the switch. The anti derail, the lights on the remote switch, the switching itself. Just the light on the switch stand is a no go. I pulled it off track power and ran an accessory jack at 14v into it and tested it with the multi meter. On both sides I'm reading 4.91-5v dc. That looks right? So odd that the light works on the other switch but not this one.


----------



## L0stS0ul (Feb 6, 2015)

I checked my other switch and I see 3v DC at the contact points on the switch for the light. It looks like a resistor might be blown on the board. See the attachment. I have highlighted the resistor in pink.









I don't have the technical ability or tools to replace that resistor. Maybe I could pop a new resistor inline. Not sure what that one's value is. Looks like it's taking the voltage from 5v to 3v. Based off a calculator I found I think I need a 100 ohm resistor for that. My guess is that last resistor is specifically for the light but I have not pulled the board out to see if there are any traces on the back


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Try a 220 ohm resistor there, I think that's what that one is. I have heard of that one cooking, so maybe it's as simple as that.

You can just tack a thru-hole resistor to the pads, just make sure it doesn't short to anything. If that is directly in series with the LED lead, you could also just solder a wire across that resistor and put the resistor in-line on the wire to the LED.


----------



## L0stS0ul (Feb 6, 2015)

Thanks John, I think I'll stay away from the board and try the inline resistor. Hopefully that will fix it up. I think I have a few 220 ohm resistors laying around.


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

You can't really "stay away from the board", you'll have to at least jumper that resistor location. You can get the SMT resistors from Digikey for peanuts, and they're not that hard to solder on, that's not one of the really small footprint parts.


----------



## L0stS0ul (Feb 6, 2015)

ok, I was hoping that because I have voltage I wouldn't have to touch the board. I'll take another look at it.


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

It's odd that you have voltage, maybe you should measure the resistance across that charred resistor. I'm wondering what you have...


----------



## L0stS0ul (Feb 6, 2015)

I'm thinking it will be easier to create my own circuit for this led. I tried to solder on a 220ohm resistor in that spot and I can't do it with my tools. The good news is that I know for sure that corner group of components are for the LED. Now that the dead resistor is out of there I get no voltage at the led pad but everything else on the switch is functional. That was lucky for sure  I'll check to see what the resistance is on that bad one.

I'm figuring I could take power and ground from the source and do a diode and resistor to the LED's and bypass the board completely. I'm just not sure what resistor to use for the 3mm led. Maybe the 440 that I've used for other LED setups?


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

As long as you never contemplate converting this to command with the ERR kit, you can simply power the LED from track power as you suggest.


----------



## L0stS0ul (Feb 6, 2015)

Yeah I'm not planning on doing that. I just wanna get the LED working


----------



## L0stS0ul (Feb 6, 2015)

Looks like the new LED circuit is working. Odd thing is the lionel LED's will not lite when connected to it. I had to pull the 3mm led out of my J engine and wired that up in the busted stand and the light works fine now. The lionel 3mm LED seems to only lite with 3v dc. I measure 3v dc on the functional switch and I'm getting 4v dc with the 1N4001 diode and the 470 Ohm resistor on the new one. The lionel LED is not blowing out at 4v but is not working. Pretty odd. 

Anyway, put the standard 3mm LED in the busted stand and wired up the switch and voila. all working. Tested all functionality of the switch and it's all good. :smilie_daumenpos:

This fix works fine for track power or direct power. I've tested both and it works great.

Here was the wiring before as a point of reference. 









First thing I did was cut the green and blue wires from the harness. Green is ground and blue is hot. The green wire got soldered to the grnd connector and the blue wire got the diode and resistor soldered to it.









The blue wire then got a small length increase and was attached to the center connector for the transformer power. 









And finally testing it under track power. Works good. I have to take the light back out and re-align it as green isn't pointing straight.


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Are you sure the Lionel LED wasn't in backwards and expecting a different polarity? AFIAK, they're bog standard LEDs.

All's well that ends well, you have a lighted switch lantern.


----------



## L0stS0ul (Feb 6, 2015)

i'm not sure about that. I'll check the other switch wiring to see if the green and blue wires are reversed. I guess it's possible this switch has just been really badly mangled wiring wise lol. My luck with these things is horrible.


----------



## L0stS0ul (Feb 6, 2015)

One of these is not like the other...









Somebody had a bad day at work. This was a NIB switch and clearly had never been used. To fix this properly I need to reverse those wires on the left and redo the connections on the switch lol. Just my luck


----------



## L0stS0ul (Feb 6, 2015)

All fixed up and wired properly. Hope this is the last one I buy like this lol. Not only was the main track wiring wrong so was the lamp wiring. Wonder when that resistor went. One thing is for certain, its much better now lol


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Yep, your description sounded like a reversed wiring. If you were to short the LED drive, I suspect it might take out that resistor, but that's just a guess.


----------

