Trains.com

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

How to solder to Atlas turnout frogs - solder won't stick?

2315 views
11 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    January 2004
  • From: Crosby, Texas
  • 3,660 posts
Posted by cwclark on Tuesday, August 31, 2004 9:35 AM
and yes..that is a good question...why would you want to power the frogs anyway?..it works fine just the way they are just as long as you don't stop the engine directly on the frog....Chuck

  • Member since
    June 2001
  • From: Holly, MI
  • 1,269 posts
Posted by ClinchValleySD40 on Tuesday, August 31, 2004 9:21 AM
Originally posted by michealfarley

The advantage to powering the frog is for locomotives with short wheelbases. The frog is electrically dead in an Atlas turnout, and that's a significant distance for the small switchers, both steam and diesel, in our scale. Powering the frog with the correct polarity to match the route insures continuous movement by even the smallest locomotive. You must have some sort of switch that changes the polarity of the frog with the movement of the points.

Understand, thanks. I run P2K SW9's over Atlas #505 and #506 switches all day and they never give me any problems at all. I was just wondering.
  • Member since
    January 2004
  • From: Crosby, Texas
  • 3,660 posts
Posted by cwclark on Tuesday, August 31, 2004 9:09 AM
yes..there is a small bar that comes with the atlas metal frog..you need to install the bar to the frog then solder the wire to the bar..it is impossible to solder a wire directly to the frog on an atlas metal frog turnout...Chuck

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Brunswick MD
  • 345 posts
Posted by timthechef on Monday, August 30, 2004 6:37 PM
I powered my frogs with the screw and metal strip that came with my relay kits from atlas. That has worked very well.
Life's too short to eat bad cake
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: Fargo, ND
  • 136 posts
Posted by michealfarley on Monday, August 30, 2004 2:35 PM
The advantage to powering the frog is for locomotives with short wheelbases. The frog is electrically dead in an Atlas turnout, and that's a significant distance for the small switchers, both steam and diesel, in our scale. Powering the frog with the correct polarity to match the route insures continuous movement by even the smallest locomotive. You must have some sort of switch that changes the polarity of the frog with the movement of the points.
Micheal Farley Fargo, ND NCE Powerhouse user Modeling the BN in ND, circa 1970-1980
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, August 30, 2004 10:53 AM
I agree with Michael Farley, I have been tapping the holes 2-56 and installing a short brass screw. Then I solder a feeder wire to the brass screw. I use these switches in staging yards only, so I insert the screw from the top. This would still work well, as Michael stated, if the screw was inserted from the bottom.
  • Member since
    June 2001
  • From: Holly, MI
  • 1,269 posts
Posted by ClinchValleySD40 on Monday, August 30, 2004 8:14 AM
Why do you want to power the frogs?
  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
  • 13,757 posts
Posted by cacole on Sunday, August 29, 2004 9:03 AM
I believe those frogs are aluminum, which is why you can't solder to them. Using a small screw or nail down through the hole to pressure-fit the wire is the simplest solution.
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: Fargo, ND
  • 136 posts
Posted by michealfarley on Friday, August 27, 2004 6:23 PM
Tap the frog hole for a 2-56 screw, and install a metal screw with the wire attached up from the bottom. Cut-off the portion of the screw above the frog and file smooth. My dad powered tons of Atlas frogs this way and never had a problem.
Micheal Farley Fargo, ND NCE Powerhouse user Modeling the BN in ND, circa 1970-1980
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, August 27, 2004 5:39 PM
Yes, I use flux, I've been soldering for years
  • Member since
    November 2001
  • From: US
  • 732 posts
Posted by Javern on Friday, August 27, 2004 5:17 PM
what type of solder you using and are you using flux? must use flux
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
How to solder to Atlas turnout frogs - solder won't stick?
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, August 27, 2004 5:13 PM
I thought I would take the easy step of powering up some Atlas #6 frogs and amy stymied by not being able to solder to them. I am trying to solder to the bottom of the round (screw hole?) wing on the frog. I have tried scraping it with a screwdriver and even cuting into it (from the bottom) with a knife. The solder simply will not stick. What am I missing here? Any other ways of attaching a feeder wire?

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Users Online

There are no community member online

Search the Community

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!