Peco Electrofrog mysteries

Mattun Jul 17, 2011

  1. Mattun

    Mattun TrainBoard Member

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    Hello everyone,

    I'm having some trouble understanding my Peco Electrofrog turnouts, which I have tried to illustrate thus:

    Electrofrog1.jpg Electrofrog2.jpg

    The basic problem is that the turnouts I have, are not the same. They are different from each other, and also from the illustration in the manual and, from what I can gather, different from various 'optimize for dcc' instructions on the internet.

    1. From the first picture, one can see the first differences between the two turnout types I own. (Note: the lower turnout has already been partially modified by me, the differences I describe here are the ones not created by me.) They are both the same model by the way, just left and right versions.

    - The upper turnout has the rails cut in only one location, the lower turnout in two.

    - The upper turnout has wipers under the points, the lower turnout does not. These wipers do not, however, touch the stock rail, so they seem pointless?


    2. From the second picture, one can see the following additional differences:

    - The manual-illustration shows wire links and moving point rails connected with metal tabs to a circular metallic bit on a tie.

    - The upper turnout shows wire links (which I cut), but not the tab-connection on the point rails. Also, the stock rails have an area to attach a wire link (I think), but the point rails next to it are covered by the tie-web.

    - The lower turnout shows no wire links (as the rails are not cut, as seen in photo 1), but does have the tab-construction on the point rails. Also, as above the stock rails have an area to attach a wire link, and here the point rails next to it are also not covered by the tie-web.


    3. All intructions to optimize the performance of this turnout type say: 'cut existing wire-links (or cut rail where those should be), and add an extra wire link between stock and point rail, add feeder to frog.

    - One of these turnouts allows me to cut the wire links, but not (easily) add the new wire link. The other lets me easily add the new wire link, but needs it rail cut. The manual only mentions cutting the wire links, which one of the turnouts it came with doesn't even have.


    Conclusion

    All this has left me thoroughly confused. If anyone can clear up why all the differences are, that would be great, but what would really help me is if someone could take my first photo and draw in it:
    - where to cut (if needed)
    - where to add new wire (if needed)
    ... to get an 'optimal DCC turnout'. I have Cobalt turnout motors to switch the frog polarity for me, so don't need instruction on that (I hope!).

    Thanks!

    (I hope I got the terminology right...)
     
  2. Mike Sheridan

    Mike Sheridan TrainBoard Member

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    I think you first need to tell which actual turnouts these are (Code size at least, model no. if known) as Peco make several ranges and even within a range the different sizes are not necessarily the same construction.
    Secondly, how old are they? The detail design of the 'same' part number may have changed - for example I got the impression that the wipers under the switches had been abandoned a good many years ago and the snippable links are a fairly recent change too.
     
  3. Mattun

    Mattun TrainBoard Member

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    Sorry, missed out the obvious: they are Peco streamline code 100 turnouts, models SL-E91 and 92. They were bought this year. I can see how there will be different versions around, it just baffles me that nothing I have is the same as the manual or internet says they should be. :)
     
  4. Flash Blackman

    Flash Blackman TrainBoard Member

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    Code 100? This is H0 scale, I believe.
     
  5. Mattun

    Mattun TrainBoard Member

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    Yep, that's right.
     
  6. DCESharkman

    DCESharkman TrainBoard Member

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    Go to Alan Gartners website and see the discussion on Peco turnouts.

    www.wiringfordcc.com

    You will find a lot of information there.
     
  7. Mattun

    Mattun TrainBoard Member

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    I had been to Alan's site: it shows illustrations and instructions that do not match either of my turnouts. However, I now also looked in the 'code 55' section, and what is described there looks very much like one of my turnouts and will suffice for working out the other one as well.

    Thanks for your pointers, consider issue solved :)

    (Though I still find it curious Peco had a design that was excellent and apparently changed it. Must have had good reasons for it, but at least update the manual then eh?)
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 18, 2011
  8. Mike Sheridan

    Mike Sheridan TrainBoard Member

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    I must confess that although you bought them this year I wonder if they are actually very old stock. Were they from a LHS? (They are more likely to have old stock buried in the back.)
     

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