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Question about Peco insulfrog, NCE DCC and Digitrax auto reversal

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  • Member since
    May 2006
  • From: N.E. Lancashire (off Jnt. 12, M65.
  • 215 posts
Posted by john.pickles87 on Monday, September 5, 2011 2:53 PM

Hi Hank,

You're on an 8x4 board which gives you some real tight radii, I'm gessing you are using medium or small points right, I've been using Peco for years( nothing else when I started)and insul-froggs are renouned for the frog point wearing away.  I'd go for elctrofrog points mate, and put insul-fishplates on all rails at frog end of points with feeders on spur ends or mid rail on loops.

Steer clear of small radius theys more trouble than they are worth.  As for shorts on blades if your wheels are to NMRA gauge you wont get any.

Be in touch.

pick.

 

?
  • Member since
    May 2011
  • 15 posts
Posted by hankm on Sunday, September 4, 2011 7:58 PM

I will power each section.  Thanks for the help.

 

Hank

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • 8,878 posts
Posted by maxman on Sunday, September 4, 2011 7:21 PM

Motley

Nope, I have both insulfrogs and electrofrogs. They do not have power to "off" side. You need to run feeders at both diverging and straight routes.

Okay, you are correct.  I was checking one of my curved insulfrog turnouts and I do have power beyond the frog no matter which way the points are thrown.  But I see that I had soldered a small jumper wire between each stock rail and the corresponding closure rail.  I had forgotten that I had done this.

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: Denver, CO
  • 3,576 posts
Posted by Motley on Sunday, September 4, 2011 6:50 PM

maxman

 

 Jacktal:

 

Peco turnouts are the power routing type so that they feed current beyond the frog to the track they are switched towards so that there isn't any power to the "off" side unless you add feeders to these tracks.

 

 

I'm not sure that this is correct.  I believe that PECO electrofrog turnouts are power routing, but the OP said he was using insulfrogs.  I think those have power beyond the frog all the time, but I could be wrong.

Nope, I have both insulfrogs and electrofrogs. They do not have power to "off" side. You need to run feeders at both diverging and straight routes.

Michael


CEO-
Mile-HI-Railroad
Prototype: D&RGW Moffat Line 1989

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • 8,878 posts
Posted by maxman on Sunday, September 4, 2011 6:42 PM

Jacktal

Peco turnouts are the power routing type so that they feed current beyond the frog to the track they are switched towards so that there isn't any power to the "off" side unless you add feeders to these tracks.

I'm not sure that this is correct.  I believe that PECO electrofrog turnouts are power routing, but the OP said he was using insulfrogs.  I think those have power beyond the frog all the time, but I could be wrong.

  • Member since
    October 2002
  • From: City of Québec,Canada
  • 1,258 posts
Posted by Jacktal on Sunday, September 4, 2011 6:28 PM

Peco turnouts are the power routing type so that they feed current beyond the frog to the track they are switched towards so that there isn't any power to the "off" side unless you add feeders to these tracks.Unless these tracks are part of a loop,polarity is the same as at the frog's entry point.However,if the turnouts is part of a return loop,you'll need a polarity reversing switch so that switching the turnout doesn't create a short.

  • Member since
    May 2011
  • 15 posts
Question about Peco insulfrog, NCE DCC and Digitrax auto reversal
Posted by hankm on Sunday, September 4, 2011 4:42 PM

My layout is a 4 by 8 table with a large oval, two spurs crossing over to make figure 8 and a yard.  I adopeted the plan from Atlas plan 11.  I am using Peco insulfrogs rather than Atlas turnouts and the Digitrax reverser.  So I have 4 turnouts on the ovals leading two or from the spurs, a turnout leading to the yard and 3 turnouts in the yard.  According tgo the Atlas plan all I would need is one wire wiring connection on the main and one each on the insulated spur---assuming I was using Atlas turnouts, 

My problem is that power between the turnouts is on or off depending on how the turnouts are set.  Do I need to add power between each turnout, and should each of the sections be insulated?

Thank you for your advice. 

 

Hank. 

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