Micro Engineering turnouts

[richhotrain]

RayG8

You nailed it! It was the frog rail on the straight route touching the frog. Thanks.

 

Congratulations on finding and solving your problem!

Rich

[RayG8]

You nailed it! It was the frog rail on the straight route touching the frog. Thanks.

[richhotrain]

I don't own any ME turnouts but according to the Wiring for DCC web site, there are "old" ME Code 70 and "new" Code 70. All are power routing, and the new have an isolated frog, but the old do not, so the old version requires gapping.

Rich

[richhotrain]

One has to assume that the OP can tell a short from a stall.  But, then.........

Rich

[wp8thsub]

RayG8

All engines short every time, the divering leg leads to a stub end track.

 

Short or open?  Is there a feeder on the rail coming out of the frog onto the stub track?  ME turnouts do not have built-in jumpers around the frog like other brands.  Unless you add a feeder to power the rail beyond the frog, it will be dead.

Marlon's post above provides good advice on diagnosing the issue.

[richhotrain]

RayG8

All engines short every time, the divering leg leads to a stub end track. Thanks

 

In that case, it seems quite obvious that it is the turnout itself. This is going to require some detective work, up close and personal. What I do in a situation like this is to run a loco through the turnout on the absolutely slowest speed possible with my eyes up as close as humanly possible to see where the short is occurring on that turnout. Where is the exact position of the lead wheelset when the short occurs? Good luck!

Rich

[Medina1128]

Are you sure that it's a short? It's easy enough to verify with a multimeter. Set your meter to Ω or ohms. Turn off power to the layout.

• Attach the leads to the diverging rails and see if you read 0. If you read 0, then yes, you have a short.
• Attach the leads to the rails on both rails leading away from the frog. If it reads 0, then you need to cut gaps between the frog and the points where you're attaching your power leads, on both legs attached to the frog.
• After verifying whether you have a short, or not, power the diverging leg and measure across the rails. You should read the applied voltage. If you don't, you have an open. 

[RayG8]

All engines short every time, the divering leg leads to a stub end track. Thanks

[RayG8]

This is a ME code 70 #6. This frog is not powered (I disconected the Blue Point when I tried reversing the wires fron the BP to the bus and got the same result).

I will repower the frog and see what happens I did as you suggested and still get the short. Thanks.

 

[richhotrain]

cuyama

Does every engine short out? Every time? Is it possible that you have created a reversing connection? If that turnout connects to another turnout frog-to-frog, have you gapped in between?

 

Let me add one question. Are all of your other turnouts also ME turnouts? Trying to determine if the turnout itself is faulty.

Rich

[cuyama]

Does every engine short out? Every time? Is it possible that you have created a reversing connection? If that turnout connects to another turnout frog-to-frog, have you gapped in between?

[wojosa31]

The only thing I can think of off hand, is that the diverging frog rail, may be touching the frog.  Nudge the frog rail away from the frog an exacto blade width, and see if that works. 

Out of curiosity, how do you power the rails on the outside of the frog? if you use jumper wires, they may be making undesired contact. 

I use ME #6 Code 70, and while they generally work well, occasionally, they create a challenge.

Joe

[RayG8]

I am getting a short circuit on one ME turnout on the diverging leg. The frog is not wired, multiple DCC equiped engines traverse the straight leg with no problems. All the engines are 4 axle units and have no issues with any other turnouts. Any thoughts?