Kato #6 Turnout Problem

[Bfagan]

My #6 Kato turn out stopped working in one direction.  It's not powered, I use the slide to change direction.  It only works when straight, when diverged it only throws part way.  I tried moving it with my finger but it won't go all the way.  Thought something got in the slide hole, vaccued it out.  No luck.  Turnout is ballasted in.  Help!

[Mike C]

  Try loosining the screw that holds the point rails and work it back n forth .  Had a few that did this and they worked perfecthy when I sold off my Unitrack ......Mike

P.S. not sure but I bet that you could remove the points all the way and clean under them also ....

[Steveruger45]

If that don’t work try taking off the back metal plate and take a look inside at the linkage/switch/spring arrangement.
Something may have  broken or just come off/disconnected.

[peteski]

I also thought it should be an easy fix, but "turnout is ballasted in" thing makes it difficult to do any maintenance underneath it.  It might have to come out.

[Point353]

My #6 Kato turn out stopped working in one direction.  It's not powered, I use the slide to change direction.  It only works when straight, when diverged it only throws part way.  I tried moving it with my finger but it won't go all the way.  Thought something got in the slide hole, vaccued it out.  No luck.  Turnout is ballasted in.  Help!

Can you try blowing some air into the slide hole, perhaps using an airbrush?
If that works, then maybe try the vacuum again.

[Dave V]

You might try shooting some powdered graphite or Teflon in the slider hole.  Kadee Greae’Em is one brand, but you can also find it anywhere Pinewood Derby car materials are sold.

[Maletrain]

Does the turnout move freely and then hit a "hard stop", or is it tight and binds before reaching the thrown position?  The first case sounds like it might be a piece of your ballast that has worked its way into the mechanism.  If you are really lucky, you might find it on the outside surface, where you can remove it without taking the track up so that you can get to the innards from the bottom.  On the other hand, if it is tight and binds part way to the thrown position, it might work with some additional lubrication, at least for a while.  Even for the second case, it could still be a piece of ballast that got inside and is rubbing between some metal and plastic parts.  Good luck.

[Steveruger45]

Oops, didn’t see the “ballasted in” bit.
Ok, I too have ballasted in #6kato turnouts on my layout and have had a similar issue on two of them.
What fixed it was a combination of the following:
Vacuum it out from the lever slot, work the mechanism, spraying wd40 in to it work the mechanism, wait 10 minutes, spray CRC plastic safe electro cleaner into it (clean out the wd40) and work the mechanism.  Repeat repeat repeat.
Not sure it will work in your case YMMV, but it’s worth a try otherwise it may have to come out.