I am using Peco c100 with insulfrog turnouts and want to use Peco c75 track in my yard, spurs and engine servicing areas. The problem is that Peco does not make insulfrog turnouts in c75. I am using DCC. In as simple a way as possible could you tell me how to convert the c 75turnouts to insulfrog. Thanks
Bob D As long as you surface as many times as you dive you`ll be alive to read these posts.
Sure. Using a small cut-off disk and a Dremel tool, cut gaps on either side of the frog. So, two gaps just before the frog point at the closure rails, and two gaps on the far side of the frog point where the frog rails begin to diverge from each other. Try to place the frog rail gaps far enough away from each other that a wide metal tire (on the cars, but some steamer front trucks have wide tires, too..) wont make contact with the other rail beyond the gaps where power is running to the rails. Otherwise you will bet a short.
If you need to power the frog, then it gets more complicated and you will need to solder a wire to feed power to the frog. You'll also need a toggle switch or something else to reverse the power depending on the orientation of the points rails.
They might explain this and have a good diagram at Tony's Train Exchange site.
-Crandell
Why not use them as electrofrogs? Use insulated joiners to isolate the frog in most cases. Stub end tracks don't have to be insulated from the frog.
I have both types on my N scale home layout and a few NTRAK modules. Quite frankly the electrofrogs give me little or no grief.
I agree entirely. I have used both and prefer electrofrog. Power in from the feed end and use insulatied connectors at the end of each turnout. I have never found a problem with DCC and long engines with electrofrog. I find Peco electrofrog very very reliable and trouble free. (Using HO code 83 by the way.) Hope this helps.
Barry
I use Peco Streamline Code 83 Insulfrog turnouts on my DCC layout and also experience no problems. No gaps or insulators, either.
Take your pick, I guess.
I understand what Selector is saying about cutting the gaps and why but what I don`t understand is why I would have to power the frog. The Peco insulfrog turnouts don`t have a powered frog and this is the turnout that I want to try and match.Also I assume that I would have to put the jumpers from each closure rail to the diverging rails behind the frog. I do not have a c75 turnout to look at
The Peco turnouts where the frog is severed from the rest of the turnout rails is designed to be used by people whose electrical pickup wheelbase length under their engines (or engine and tenders if steamers) is long enough that when part of the engine is in the dead zone on top of the frog, at least one other pair of pickups is functioning between one or more axles still receiving current from the rails on either side of the dead frog. And that is precisely why they work for me.
On the other hand, a tank engine steamer 0-6-0 or a 0-4-0 docksider is very likely to have a lot of trouble clearing the frog successfully due to its inherently short pickup wheelbase...no tenders on tank engines generally.
I use several Streamline Code 83 insulfrog #6's and have never experienced a problem, even with my small P2K SW8 and Heritage 0-6-0 switchers. They work well on my Fast Track #8's out on the main, as well. The Fast Track turnouts have dead frogs, although you can power them if you wish because they are isolated necessarily from the rest of the turnout.
The reasoning for adding jumpers from the points to the stock rails has just a little to do with whether they are electrofrog or insulfrog.
With electrofrogs, if both frog fails are insulated, electrical path is from the stock rail through the point, through the little metal rail joiner hinge, and to the frog.
Insulfrog, the path can be from either end as long as feeders are soldered to the rails at each end of the turn out.
Both types get power to the point rails through its contact with the stock rail and/or those little rail joiner hinges. Neither point is exempt from wear and dirt build up. Especially after using water soluble glues and wetting agents for ballasting. The rail joiners are close to impossible to get squeaky clean once corrosion has begun. Both points need constant attention once the dirt begins. This is the reason PECO switches are modified with jumpers whether Electro or Insulfrog.
Martin Myers