Hey Mike, A few years ago, I had a complex situation installing Peco "Switches" when I was building our clubs new "Ballard Why". Someone gave me this link that answered all my questions on Peco "Switches". http://www.wiringfordcc.com/switches_peco.htm If you look down the page you can see how they are wired and it may help you with your issues. We have to keep E-L yards running smoothly !! On another note, It was explained to me once that many modelers use the term turnout so as not to confuse the term with switches, as in electrical block switches on a panel. As in "Throw switch 5 for me quick! Ooops! Dang it, I meant Turnout 5. "
Did you know they were Electro frogs when you installed them? I ask because you previously said they were Insul frogs. It does make a difference when you wire them. Look at the frogs of every one and see if the frog is metal or plastic. Hopefully it will be one or the other and not a combination of both because that would be a complication of the problem. In any event if you have locomotives on different tracks moving at the same time you obviously have an electrical path to those tracks that you did not intend to have.
Sadly, that's true. It just shows perhaps our ignorance. The "Throw switch 5," is the correct way to ask. If you need a block opened or closed electrically as in "Yard track #5 needing to be toggled over to Cab B.," you should be asking "I need clearance on track 5 to Cab B" and "Check my switch to see if I'm cleared to come in the yard". But no, we toy train thinkers managed to get our way and "Turnout," is more then likely here to stay. We had to re-invent the railroads. Just not on my layout. Never once did I hear my family of D&RGW and Santa Fe Rails ever use "Turnout" when referring to a "Track Switch". Never! On the Peco, reference used above, that is precisely the one I use on BarstowRick.com. Thank you for finding that and sharing it here x600. Keeping in mind I'm not the creator of said document. There's another way which leaves the switch alone and doesn't isolate the Electrofrog or require a reversing toggle to power it. No time now to get into it but I mentioned how I do that in a post above...somewhere. It is DCC compatible and works fine. I'm a proponent of and for leaving the track switches alone as delivered by the various manufacturers or producers. The more you mess with them the more likely they will come out of alignment and gauge. Then you find yourself wondering why you-are spending more money to replace them. Just leave them alone. Install them as is and do read the instructions on how to wire them. We over kill the resolution all to often. Later.
BNSF's construction documentation uses both "turnout" and "switch", though "switch" seems to be much more common. Certain NS radio controlled switches recite "Switch is normal, switch is normal" or "Switch is reversed, switch is reversed." when actuated. What aggravates me is improper use of terms. After a derailment in my region, the news media wrote endlessly that "a switch was flipped". A railroad switch is thrown, but never flipped.
That would be true. "...Switch refers to the moveable parts ONLY: the points and machine." The "Switch" would be either 'normal' or 'reversed' on a "Turnout". JMO
Aiiyiiyii! Not buying it George, just not buying into it. Although your half right. Harrumph! If you say it long enough it will sound like and become the truth for you. It's your toy train layout and you can operate it anyway you want. Turnout to my years is as foreign as the originator of said descriptive noun. Sigh!
But...very few of us come from a line of 'rails' That being said we are all 'modelers' in one sense or another. Sooooooooooo...they are 'turnouts'...
Just to clear things up, I went to my box of switches & they are Elctro-frogs. Sorry for the confusion. As I said earlier, I run DC. So guys with DCC wouldn't notice my problem.
Like I said before, "...if you have locomotives on different tracks moving at the same time you obviously have an electrical path to those tracks that you did not intend to have." Now, providing you gapped both of the rails behind the frog, one or the other of those rails should be powered and the other dead. If engines are running when they are not supposed to then you have either: 1. a stub siding where it is joined to the main at only one end and you powered the dead rail either by means of another feeder wire OR: 2. a double ended siding, where it is connected to the main at both ends and you did not gap the frog rails behind both switches. Both of those scenarios will produce the results you are experiencing. A third explanation is that you got a lot of bad switches. However, this is highly unlikely. In the event you cannot solve the problem I would suggest making a diagram of your track plan and taking it to a local hobby shop or model RR club. You will probably find someone there who can help.
Inkaneer nails it in the best said category. You do what he advises and you'll solve most if not all the problems. Now George...what can I say. He proves that without a doubt the toy train side of model railroading has bought into the British "Turnout," thing and he uses it like there isn't anything wrong with it... From an engineering perspective yep, they are called Turnouts and even the real 1:1 foot scale railroads of today are adopting it...much to my dismay. But, once again they didn't ask me. Your a funny and strange guy Mr. George. To Funny! Just in case you are wondering. George and I do this all the time. Gets our blood circulating our blood pressure back to normal and our heart rate up where it needs to be. So we can flatulate. To funny Mr. George!!
