Switch Confusion...

Bigfoot21075 Aug 17, 2022

  1. Bigfoot21075

    Bigfoot21075 TrainBoard Member

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    I am trying to understand switches/turnouts. When I started this whole thing I was designing using Kato Unitrack in N scale with DCC. Now I have changed from that to HO. With the Unitrack you connected your track, plugged your switches in and presto, everything works great.

    With HO it seems not so much. Do I need insulated frogs to run DCC? So the frog has no connectivity at all?

    this seemed to say that - http://www.pcrnmra.org/pcr/clinics/Kolm-TurnoutsWhatYouNeedtoKnow-PCR2008-handout.pdf



    THANKS!

    Rob
     
    Last edited: Aug 17, 2022
    Hardcoaler likes this.
  2. Hardcoaler

    Hardcoaler TrainBoard Member

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    I'm a newbie to DCC, but not to N. Don't confuse powered frogs with power routing. You generally want powered frogs in DC and DCC to deter stalling of a locomotive on the turnout. Power routing is handy in DC because it can result in less wiring, but it DCC power routing is perhaps slightly less desirable, though if it's there with DCC, it's generally okay on most layouts.

    I'm curious to read what others think.
     
    BNSF FAN likes this.

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