Would some please explain the difference between insulfrog and electorfrog Peco turnouts? And why would you use one over the other. What about using them with DC cab control and DCC? which is better for each? With all the controversy surrounding the new Atlas track aand the fact that I have a LOT of older equipment I am thinking of going with Peco when the new door layout starts - for now I'll stick with my Unitrack for the Kitchen Table Connecting RR.
Peco ElectroFrog switches use metal for all the rails in the frog assembly. The rails are all electrically connected (soldered?) so that there is electrical continuity on the inner rail all the way through the switch, i.e. from the stock rail, through the point, through the frog, and out onto the diverging or mainline rail. Peco InsulFrog switches use a plastic frog assembly in place of metal. In this case there is a break in electrical continuity on the inner rail between the power at the stock rail/point and the power at the diverging or mainline rail beyond the frog. I can't address track wiring for DCC, since I have never used it. However, track wiring for DC block control is simple. With ElectroFrog switches you must ALWAYS place a gap somewhere in both the diverging and mainline inner rails beyond the frog. This is so that any power on those rails does not feed back through the frog, through the point, and onto the stock rail, causing a Dead Short!!! The InsulFrog switch prevents this feedback because the plastic frog provides that gap. I prefer ElectroFrog switches because there is continuous electrical pickup throughout the frog so my smaller engines always have power. With InsulFrog switches, smaller engines will stall on the frog if they are not going fast enough. I hope this answers your question and that I haven't made it too confusing
I would not dream of using anything other than live frog turnouts. I used them on previous exhibition layouts in HO scale, and now on my N scale layout. They ensure jerk-free running through the turnout. But as Hank says - don't forget the insulating gaps
I use the live frog and cut the gap far enough away from the frog to stop an engine at full bore before it plows into the other train going over the switch. Murphy's law! Happened twice to me. The first time was a visitor's stupid brat couldn't keep his hands off the control panel! The second was when my shirt sleeve rotated the other power pack throttle. It CAN happen! If the gap is at the frog, you're not safe from a wreck.
A word about Peco insulfrog's. The frog it self is not powered but the points do route the power past the plastic frog down either track. If you wish you can cut the jumper wires underneath the frog and run your own control wires for block control or dcc.
For DCC track switches present a problem especially for anything with metal wheels. It doesn't matter if a powered frog or an insulated frog is used, there is still the problem of a short occurring as a result of a derailment at the switch. This could result in a meltdown of the switch or a locomotive truck (I have seen both) The powered frog switch has both point rails the same polarity. Thus one of the point rails is in close proximity to an opposite polarity stock rail. The gap is sufficient that no contact is made between the two but a derailment can cause contact between the oppositely charged rail and a short occurs. In a non powered frog the problem area is not at the points but beyond the frog. Here the diverging route frog rail is the opposite polarity than the other frog rail. Again usually no problem as there is a gap and no contact. A derailment can change that and a short occurs. In straight DC operation the DC voltage is usually not sufficient to cause a problem and most power packs have circuit breakers which will sense the problem and trip the power. I have seen it occur with DCC. I assume that the DCC equipment is circuit breaker protected so I cannot account for the event. Naturally one could reduce the risk by limiting metal wheel sets to locomotives but the problem , although reduced, still remains.
Since that is the case why not try Atlas turnouts,they can be simply modified just by cutting the point's metal henge plate at the stock rail that way the point will not even be energised on the route not sellected, without power no short. just a thought.
