I have this PECO long crossing, and I can't remember if it is an 'electofrog' or an 'insulfrog'. With DC, the train traveled C to B, and then coming the other direction A to D. There were no insulating joiners installed, and I didn't have to throw any switches. Now, with DCC, this crossing causes my Lenz system to shut down, which I assume is because of a short. Is there a way to wire this crossing so that I can eliminate the short? Or how should I do this crossing?
If it's a short due a kind of reversing loop, you can try to isolate your crossing and connect it to a reversing loop controller like the LK100 from lenz or the AR1 from Digitrax. You'll just need to be sure that the isolated section is long enough for all your locos... hope this will help. Seb
Looks like an Insulfrog - black plastic frogs and other bits. DC systems will often 'blast' through a momentary short, whereas the electronics in DCC will shut off in a very short time. I'd look at the rails coming into the nose of the frogs; they are close together and opposite polarity. Sometimes a wheel tread can just contact the other rail as it passes. If it is just one vehicle it might be a faulty wheel. If it is the crossing you could grind/file the top of the rails a bit to increase the gap between them, but don't overdo it as you will increase the dead length of the frog; then fill the space with something insulating. Similar thing could happen at the centre joints of the outer rails. If you have to start doing electrical stuff to overcome the issue you ought to consider swapping it for the Electrofrog version - gets rid of dead spots and looks better
- but then I will have to add some type of 'reversing' decoder because trains run in opposite directions across the crosssing?, if that makes sense...
Installed electrofrog crossing with a DPDT switch, awesome evening running two engines at once for first time on layout. Now I need to figure out how to replace the DPDT switch with one of those 'reversing' decoders. The trains run east to west, and then after a loop they run north to south. When I look at the diagrams for the reversing decoders it is for a simple reversing loop with trains always entering from the same direction...
Sorry for slow response Barry. I've been away a few days. What I meant was if you ended up putting a switch and extra wiring in to solve the short problem, then you may as well put the (superior) electrofrog unit in. But you've done it now anyway From memory it is the diamond in the middle that has the polarity changed by the DPDT switch (or do you isolate and switch the whole crossing? (I've only used the slip versions, which are a little different.)). A DCC reversing module simply detects a short and immediately reverses the polarity, so I'd think you can just replace the DPDT switch with a reversing module. Ie, the diamond (or whole crossing) becomes the reverse loop. (It's worth a try anyway.)
Just reading the April05 Model Railroader. There is an item in there about using a reversing module on a crossing, so it must be possible/OK
Just wired the Lenz LK100 to the crossing - worked perfectly! Even easier wiring then the MR article - I just wired one end of the LK100 to the main bus, and the other end to the two wires in the center of the crossing. Should be noted that the entire crossing is insulated with insulated joiners.
