Short at a crossover - Peco N scale electrofrog turnouts

[ridetherapid]

I am currently wiring a small n-scale bookcase layout for DC operation. I am using Peco small radius electrofrog turnouts. I've insulated the rails of turnouts that are placed frog-to-frog.

I tested the entire layout with an Atlas GP-9 and it worked fine at all speeds. I decided to try out the rest of my roster. I tried a Life-Like SW9 and a Kato F-3, both locomotives shorted in the middle of the crossover. What caused this?

Is there a specific distance that the frogs need to be from each other? Is it possible that these locos, both with shorter wheelbases than the GP-9, are bridging the frogs somehow and causing a short?

Thanks!

[retsignalmtr]

are you powering the frogs or using the points to pick up power from the stock rails? when you throw the switch the point must make good contact with the stock rail to feed the frog if you don't use pecos slide switch that mounts on the bottom of the switch machine. you may not be getting a short circuit there just a dead spot.

[ridetherapid]

Thanks for your reply. I am wiring from the point end. Do you think it just a poor contact issue?

[retsignalmtr]

when the locomotives stop on the switch use something metal to touch the tip of the point to the stockrail. if the loco starts to move you have found the problem. i also use a brass wirewheel in my cordless dremel tool to polish the inside of the point and the stockrail to improve conductivity there. if you are using peco machines you could use their auxiliary contacts mounted on the switch machine to apply power directly to the frog to eliminate the problem.