Hi once again!
In the building of a new HO layout - using a lot of turnouts from the previous layout - I noticed I have three kinds of Atlas code 100 turnouts (4s & 6s). All of course have insulated frogs.
What I believe are the oldest ones are derailment prone with the 10 drivered steamers, so they are not being used. This leaves what I believe is the last generation and the current generation of turnouts. The biggest visual difference is the previous one has a black frog, and the newer ones have a white metal frog. Also, the newer ones have - apparently - better clearance at the frogs.
I laid out 6 #6 turnouts, 5 of the new ones and 1 of the older ones. I've now found that the DCC locos will all short at the frog of the older one if they are going very slow. They never do this on the newer ones. It appears that the newer ones have a little extra clearance at the frogs, thus preventing shorts from the wheelsets.
Soooo, am I correct in my assumptions? Have you experienced this situation?
If the last generation turnouts are truly not so DCC friendly, I'll just have to replace them all.
Thanks,
Mobilman44
ENJOY !
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
I guess you sort of answered that yourself, through actual testing.
There is an ultimate solution to this, and the same problem as experienced with certain Peco turnouts as well, that's more permanent than painting the point of the frog area with nail polish, which wears off eventually and needs to be re-applied. And it will wear off at the worst possible time - when you are showing off your layout to family and friends. That solution - use switch motors with contacts, and put insulated joiners in both rails that meet at the frog point, or otherwise add gaps, and power that now isolated section with the contacts on the switch motor. No loco wheel can possibly short it out then, as both rails that meet will have the same polarity. If the frog is metal, also connect it to this set of contacts and the shorty locos won;t stall on the dead frog anymore. In fact, if you make that gap in the frog rails far enough up the line, a train coming the wrong way will stop before it hits the misaligned points and won;t derail. Throw the switch and your train can proceed.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Hi again!
The lower level turnouts are powered by the basic Atlas machines, which for me have been extremely reliable over 13 years of service on the previous layout. Turnouts on the main level will use a combination of those, undertable machines, and ground throws - depending on what works best for the location in question.
What I wrote as the original poster is what I believe to be true, but I sure would like some others to confirm or otherwise comment on it.
Forgot to mention........
I have three NMRA gauges and know how to use them. All SIX BLI locos' wheelsets are perfectly in gauge. The Atlas turnouts are also in gauge with all the proper clearances.
HOWEVER, the older Atlas turnouts (with blackened frogs) have slightly less clearance than the newer ones (with white metal frogs).
There is enough of a difference between the older and newer Atlas turnouts that will cause a short on the older ones and not on the newer ones. My question remains, has anyone else experienced this???
Hi!
Well, I figured out the problem, and thankfully only a few of my older turnouts are culprits.
The ones with the problem have very little clearance between the two inner rails (from the "2 track" end of the turnout) at the point closest to plastic at the frog. A in gauge wheelset with lateral movement can touch both rails at the same time, hence the short. As my previous layout was DC, I never noticed this problem before.
The newer Atlas turnouts have significantly more space between these two inner rails at their closest point to the frog, which of course corrected that situation. I tested this with some metal wheelsets hooked up to a connectivity tester, and could easily "short" with the problem turnouts, but could not do so with the newer ones.
David, I understand (and validated) your point, and appreciate your input. Its a shame you aren't down here in North Houston, for you would be a much valued visitor to my layout - especially during my DCC growing pains!
ENJOY,