# Has anyone ever put a metal cap on AF switch frog?



## ChopperCharles (Jan 3, 2012)

Whenever my diesel or my 300 locomotive goes over the bakelite frog on the switch, it stalls. Well, the diesel only does it in one direction, but it will always do it, and immediately trip the reversing unit. 

This is regardless of the fact it has a pickup shoe and another wheel that is making contact, I have no idea why that particular truck refuses to play nicely over the switch, but alas, it's not the only loco with the problem. the 300 does it as well. I've cleaned the HELL out of the wheels with a scotchbrite pad, in the case of the diesel I've also cleaned the pickup foot. I've made sure the 300 tender wheels are properly gauged. 

So has anyone ever put a bit of metal over that frog and connected it electrically with the movable switch portion of the track? 

What about making the drivers on a 300 power pickups as well? Perhaps using the same brushes that are used for the armature?

Charles.


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## ChopperCharles (Jan 3, 2012)

Wow, okay so I took some aluminum foil and some double-sided tape and electrified the frog point. my diesel would ALWAYS stall on the frog point when coming from a particular direction... well, with the tinfoil there, it doesn't stall at all. i can just creep through it. 

I may dremel the plastic frog point down and glue in a brass or stainless plate on top of it, and then wire that to the switch circuitry...

Charles.


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## Rich_Trains (May 23, 2010)

Charles,

I'm looking at trying some permanent fix too. I'll let you know if I have one that works.

Rich


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## Nuttin But Flyer (Dec 19, 2011)

This may seem like a dumb question, but is it happening on all switches or only one in particular? Also, are these AF switches or some other brand 'S' gauge?


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## ChopperCharles (Jan 3, 2012)

Well, I figured out the problem with the GP. The bracket on the drive truck was loose, allowing the pickup to walk a little, and the spring was messed up and would catch. Anyhow, I replaced the pickup foot and the spring, cleaned the metal box that the pickup foot slides in, and then used solder to make the connection to the truck plates more electrically sound - which also now keeps the box from wiggling. The GP is much more reliable over the switch now... however, due to the pullmor wheels one side only has two pickups, while the other side has three. Therefore it's udnerstandable why the GP is more reliable through a switch on the side that has three pickups. 

Still, my 300 is having issues with the switch, so I will still electrify the frog. I'll start with a switch I've bodged back together first though, so no loss if it fails miserably. 

Charles.


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