I am thinking of comming to N-scale from HO I have digitrax dcc system and would like to know what to I need to do to peco code 55 turnouts to run them with dcc. Also if there is a better track choice I would like to here about it.
For good quality, reliable, good looking track, you can do no better than Peco code 55. (as a Brit, I would say that, wouldn't I?) I understand that insulated breaks at the frog end of the switches need inserting, as usual, with no alteration to the actual switch. I hope to go DCC, and I use Peco code 55, so I hope this is correct!
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>I understand that insulated breaks at the frog end of the switches need inserting, as usual, with no alteration to the actual switch. I hope to go DCC, and I use Peco code 55, so I hope this is correct![/QB]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Hi Alan, Yes, insulated joiners are needed with Peco Finescale code 55, whether you intend to go DCC or not, otherwise, a short would happen. cheers Paul
Our oNeTrak group uses Peco code 55 on about one half of our 16 modules and of those that don't, most use peco code 80 track and all use peco turnouts, as that is the agreed upon club standard. Since we have to run our modular layout with DCC (Many Trains x Single Track Operation = DCC), we have been doing a lot of searching in order to make everything DCC freindly and several months back we found what most of us beleve to be the most helpful site around for those of us who wish to go DCC. Try: www.wiringfordcc.com/ Allan Gartner has put together a very comprehensive site explaining DCC wiring in a manner that even a walking electronic disaster zone like myself can understand. Check it out. Happy modeling. Cheers! Terry
I scratch-build my turnouts, but the Peco "Electrofrog" turnouts are excellent also. The way I wire for my Digitrax DCC is to solder the rails on both sides of the turnout. Doing this will cause a short at the frog point. Take your moto-tool with cut-off disk, and slice through both frog rails, 5/8" back from the point of the frog. Then I add power drops before and after the turnout on all routes. This ensures good power flow, with no stalling on the turnout. The sliced gap is all you need to prevent the short, and even the smallest switcher will clear 5/8" before stalling. If you run into stalling on the turnout because the points rails aren't getting power. add another pair of power drops to the points rails, and that problem is gone forever. MOPAC 1
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by MOPAC 1: I scratch-build my turnouts, but the Peco "Electrofrog" turnouts are excellent also. The way I wire for my Digitrax DCC is to solder the rails on both sides of the turnout. Doing this will cause a short at the frog point. Take your moto-tool with cut-off disk, and slice through both frog rails, 5/8" back from the point of the frog. Then I add power drops before and after the turnout on all routes. This ensures good power flow, with no stalling on the turnout. The sliced gap is all you need to prevent the short, and even the smallest switcher will clear 5/8" before stalling. If you run into stalling on the turnout because the points rails aren't getting power. add another pair of power drops to the points rails, and that problem is gone forever. MOPAC 1<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Mopac... could you post a picture with your turnout mods... especially the frog mod... thanks Jen [ 20 June 2001: Message edited by: Jennifer ]
MOPAC, also a pic of some of your scratchbuilt turnouts? Im really interested in seeing other peoples scale track, so if you wont mind . Mike Antkowiak
This is for Jennifer: This is a #8 RH scratchbuilt turnout. It's not a Peco, but the principles are the same. Notice the sliced cuts 5/8" back from the tip of the frog. I call this a "dead frog" turnout, as the whole tip of the frog is electrically isolated. Just use your moto-tool with cut-off disk, and slice between the ties, about 5/8" back from the tip. Go easy, and cut slowly, or the rails will overheat and melt the ties. You can see I also make similar cuts, just forward of the frog on the points rails. The loco wheelsets were shorting together at the narrow gap. This section is also electrically isolated. Note; I also have power drops on the points rails to eliminate stalling because of dirty points. Hope this helps, MOPAC 1
This is for Atirns: This is another turnout I built. It's somewhere around a #12, as it's a high-speed crossover. I use Atlas code 80 flextrack rails as this mates just fine with the regular flextrack. But you can use the same methods, and just substitute code 55 rail. In fact, I got my ideas from a "Model Railroader" article on building turnouts with code 40 rail! You can also use this method to make custom turnouts, such as curved, wyes, or any length you need. My next project is a couple of #15's to be a high-speed crossover on our club's N-track layout. These are long enough, the pair will stretch about 3' of the 4' length of the module! The best part is the cost, I can build a turnout for only about $4.00, including the turnout throw from Caboose Industries! MOPAC 1
That large radius switch is beautiful I have done quite a lot of scratchbuilt switches over the years, but mainly in #1 scale and O scale! It is not nearly so difficult as it looks, and is very satisfying when you complete one and run a train over it
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by MOPAC 1: This is for Jennifer: This is a #8 RH scratchbuilt turnout. It's not a Peco, but the principles are the same. Notice the sliced cuts 5/8" back from the tip of the frog. I call this a "dead frog" turnout, as the whole tip of the frog is electrically isolated. Just use your moto-tool with cut-off disk, and slice between the ties, about 5/8" back from the tip. Go easy, and cut slowly, or the rails will overheat and melt the ties. You can see I also make similar cuts, just forward of the frog on the points rails. The loco wheelsets were shorting together at the narrow gap. This section is also electrically isolated. Note; I also have power drops on the points rails to eliminate stalling because of dirty points. Hope this helps, MOPAC 1<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> mopac.. thanks for the reply you do nice work !! it looks like you isolated about a 6 tie area of the frog... a small 0-6-0 wont stall onthis?? also how do you hinge the points?? and how do you support the rail to the tie... some of the ties look different.. what are they made of>>?? jen
Jen, You raised an interesting question. I ran downstairs, and grabbed my old Bachmann 0-6-0 switcher, and you were right, the wheelbase of the drivers will fit/stall on that turnout, except it also picks up power from the tender trucks. If you are using a tank engine without tender, I would simply move the cuts in further. On the frog tip, you could go in 2-ties closer. The smallest locos I run are the Lifelike SW1200, and it's wheelbase is twice that distance. I mostly run large road power, like SD-60's, and soon SD-90's. Some of the ties are different. This is the turnout prior to painting and ballasting. The copper colored ties are made from Radio Shack printed circuit board, cut into tie-width strips. This allows me to solder the rails to the ties. The black ties are the original Atlas flextrack ties with the plastic nubs sliced off. These are slid into place after the turnout is installed, by gluing to the cork roadbed. The points rails do not require hinging. The are flexable enough to piviot, if you don't solder them too close to the points. Real turnouts don't have hinges either. I use the Caboose Industry throws 206-S when they are within easy reach, but I'm now installing Switch Master power unites to the turnouts located at the back of the layout like this one. They are easy to build if you take it in steps. You make a template on a piece of paper. Masking tape this to a small, smoothe surface (I use a piece of Masonite). You only need about every 3rd-tie to be a PC tie (except where structural strength requires more). You use wood glue to glue the PC ties to the paper. Then solder the rails to the PC ties. When done, remove the paper, and soak in the sink, and the paper drops off. I also scrub with cleanser and a soft toothbrush to remove all soldering flux, then install. If you'd like more info, just let me know. As I stated before, you can substitue any code rail for what I used, you can use code 55, or even code 40. MOPAC 1
Mopac, I am not sure why you feel the need to make the frog 'dead' on your handbuilt turnouts. One of the reasons I built my own switches years ago, was so I could have live frogs. It seems a pity to build the whole thing in rail, then make the frog isolated. With a live frog, all wheels are collecting power all the time. I am not clear why or where you get a short.
Would you believe me if I said, "I just hate frogs!" (LOL) If you look at a Peco "Insulfrog" turnout, you'll notice this entire area is plastic, or "dead" also. I experimented with a live frog by splitting the frog point with an isolating piece of plastic, so power went all the way to the tip. But the wheels of the locos go all the way over the top, and will short when they contact both rails. As I told Jen, you can modify this technique by moving your cut right up behind where the tip joins. I never gave it much though, as I run big power. By the time the rear truck of the SD-60 gets to the isolated section, the front truck is halfway down the siding ramp (white area). You will almost have to isolate the wing rails from the points rails, as you will always get shorts at the narrow gap. The gap has to be built that way to guide the trucks, but you can easily see that the metal wheels of the trucks will contact both rails and short every time. I have seen many articles on doing live frogs, but I don't believe the power problem stems from the frog, but the hinge point of the points rails. By eliminating the hinge points, I have never had a loco stall on a turnout. By using the dead frog system, you don't have to fool with micro-switches, or relays, or any fancy wiring that will some day fail. It's the KISS principle. These are a lot simpler to install, and never fail. MOPAC 1
When I was in HO scale, I changed from insulfrog to live frog which gave much better slow running through the turnouts. In N scale, the Peco code 80 are dead frog, but all the code 55 are live, also again these give better running. My friend has code 80 dead frogs, and the running is definitely not so reliable. There does not need to be any insulation between the two rails at the frog, they should be soldered together. The insulation needs to be beyond the frog rails, but only if these rails eventually get to another frog, as in a crossover, etc. The only thing to watch out for in a live frog turnout, is that the flanges of the wheels do not contact the 'open' switch blade.
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by MOPAC 1: Jen, You raised an interesting question. I ran downstairs, and grabbed my old Bachmann 0-6-0 switcher, and you were right, the wheelbase of the drivers will fit/stall on that turnout, except it also picks up power from the tender trucks. If you are using a tank engine without tender, I would simply move the cuts in further. On the frog tip, you could go in 2-ties closer. The smallest locos I run are the Lifelike SW1200, and it's wheelbase is twice that distance. I mostly run large road power, like SD-60's, and soon SD-90's. Some of the ties are different. This is the turnout prior to painting and ballasting. The copper colored ties are made from Radio Shack printed circuit board, cut into tie-width strips. This allows me to solder the rails to the ties. The black ties are the original Atlas flextrack ties with the plastic nubs sliced off. These are slid into place after the turnout is installed, by gluing to the cork roadbed. The points rails do not require hinging. The are flexable enough to piviot, if you don't solder them too close to the points. Real turnouts don't have hinges either. I use the Caboose Industry throws 206-S when they are within easy reach, but I'm now installing Switch Master power unites to the turnouts located at the back of the layout like this one. They are easy to build if you take it in steps. You make a template on a piece of paper. Masking tape this to a small, smoothe surface (I use a piece of Masonite). You only need about every 3rd-tie to be a PC tie (except where structural strength requires more). You use wood glue to glue the PC ties to the paper. Then solder the rails to the PC ties. When done, remove the paper, and soak in the sink, and the paper drops off. I also scrub with cleanser and a soft toothbrush to remove all soldering flux, then install. If you'd like more info, just let me know. As I stated before, you can substitue any code rail for what I used, you can use code 55, or even code 40. MOPAC 1<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Mopac... thanks for all the info.... i think im going to have to buy a soldering iron
