# Short Circuits with New BLI Steam Locomotive



## cam0527 (May 23, 2013)

Hello,
Looking for ideas before I call Broadway Limited support tomorrow. I purchased a BLI 4-6-2 steam locomotive and have had short circuit problems that I don't have with my Genesis 2-8-2 or diesel locomotives. None of those have sound etc. At first I thought maybe the Paragon 2 just needed more resources so added a couple more sets of feeders. Then thought maybe I had too many turnouts so removed one.

What I have found is when the 4-6-2 passes through an unswitched turnout and the front trucks of the tender come through the insulated gap of the frogs, the short circuit occurs. The loco stops and then goes. Frustrating. This doesn't happen if I run it the other direction, but that defeats the purpose of having turnouts. Again, no problems with my other locomotives.

Any suggestions? Thanks.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Could it be that the tender wheels are bridging the diverting rail and the straight
rail at the frog on the turnout? I have had to apply clear fingernail polish to act as an
insulator for one of my locos that does this on my Peco Insulfrog turnouts. Apply a
tiny drop to cover the small section of frog where this can occur. Others have filed
one rail down at the frog to prevent the short.

You might also check that the tender wheels are in gauge.

Don


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## GN.2-6-8-0 (Jan 10, 2013)

Is this a Dc or a Dcc layout?


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## cam0527 (May 23, 2013)

DonR said:


> Could it be that the tender wheels are bridging the diverting rail and the straight
> rail at the frog on the turnout? I have had to apply clear fingernail polish to act as an
> insulator for one of my locos that does this on my Peco Insulfrog turnouts. Apply a
> tiny drop to cover the small section of frog where this can occur. Others have filed
> ...


Bridging the gap in the frog makes sense, though I would think it would happen when the locomotive is running in the other direction too. May try the nail polish idea, though this also made me think of trying wax since that is something I can remove if it doesn't work.


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## cam0527 (May 23, 2013)

GN.2-6-8-0 said:


> Is this a Dc or a Dcc layout?


It is a DCC layout.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Logic would say the wheels should short in either direction...
but tell that to my GE 70 tonners.  They shorted on the
Peco Insulfrogs only in one direction. You only want to
put a drop on the point where the rail tips are close together.
No need to take the nail polish off. It'll wear off and need to
be replaced from time to time.

Don


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## cam0527 (May 23, 2013)

DonR said:


> Logic would say the wheels should short in either direction...
> but tell that to my GE 70 tonners.  They shorted on the
> Peco Insulfrogs only in one direction. You only want to
> put a drop on the point where the rail tips are close together.
> ...


Don, Thank you so much! You're absolutely right. I don't really understand how, but I put a small amount of clear "hard" nail polish in the gap and that did it. Can't even see the nail polish. Never would have known!


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Glad it helped.

By the way, I discovered the shorting when I noticed the
loco wheels were sparking as they went over the frogs fast
enuf that it didn't trip the DCC short sensor.

Some of you other guys might turn the lights down and check
what your trains are doing on turnouts. 

Don


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