A question to the knowing (I did do a topic search first and came up empty). I got a Walthers/Shinohara 6.5 curved turnout, but notice that my shorter wheelbase locos hesitate because the actual frog is gapped and unpowered. How does anyone handle this? Do you treat them like a Peco electro frog? Powering the unpowered frog from a switch or Juicer? This is the LAST turnout I need to configure for our stage 1 layout in the drought of Atlas turnouts (yes that was also me...we'll just let that go!). Since the Peco electros are working awesomely I wondered, does anyone drill/router/mill up under the frog rails and attach a feeder? There is enough plastic support to do it, has it been done? Does it need to be?thanks in advance for advice & experience!
Morgan S Long
Hi Morgan
I have about forty W/S turnouts and have put Frog juicers on three of them. If you are going to use switch machines you can provide power that way. Also check that there is no plastic flash lifting the wheels of the T/O at the frog. This was the problem on a couple of mine and I was going to install a juicer but didn't need to after a little work with the file.
Good luck.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Thanks for the insight Brent. I will double check for raised flash before I fix in place, I think I'll dremelaway some plastic under the frog and attach a feeder for a frog juicer lead.
I have about 20 W-S straight and curved turnouts moved with Tortoises. On each I added a frog feeder wire (and drilled a 1/4" hole in the cork/plywood), put it in place and powered the frog via the Tortoise contacts. The frog wire is attached via under table barrier strips, for ease in removal if necessary.
Paul
Modeling HO with a transition era UP bent
I drive all of my W-S turnouts with Tortoise machines. I use the contacts on the Tortoises to power my frogs.
When I first installed a few of these, I skipped the frog-powering step, deciding to do it later if necessary. I discovered that yes, it's necessary, it makes a dramatic improvement, and it's a lot easier to do during installation than as a retrofit.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
sorry, created duplicate reply
MisterBeasleyWhen I first installed a few of these, I skipped the frog-powering step, deciding to do it later if necessary. I discovered that yes, it's necessary, it makes a dramatic improvement, and it's a lot easier to do during installation than as a retrofit.
I agree wholeheartedly with Mr. B. If I was doing it all over, every frog would get a feeder attached to it before installation, even if I didn't hook it up right away. I would also go a step further. Alan Gartner suggest wiring up the point rails before initial installation. He offers several ways you can do this. It is just something else you can do to eliminate future frustration.
http://www.wiringfordcc.com/wirefordcc_toc.htm
Well, thank you one and all, I see a consensus! I've reviewed the Alan Gartner clip, was heading that way but because, unlike the Peco's (those crafty Britians, you'd think they invented trains...oh yeah, they did!) the Shinos are not pre-wired for a frog feeder (that would be a fly-wire???) so I thought I would ask before I over-modified. Really appreciate the input. Heating the soldering iron now!
I used Frog Juicers for a few of my curved W/S turnouts-only 3 or 4 locos had trouble with certain unpowered frogs. Simple job to install the wire: 22 awg solid as for my regular track feeders. I drilled a 1/16" hole next to the guard rail adjacent to the frog (they're connected), dropped in the feeder, soldered it to the guard rail and plugged it into the juicer. You can easily add them after turnout installation. I used the Frog Juicers because I use manual turnout controls, and the juicers are easier to install than wiring to the turnout controls (and possibly more reliable over time).
Dante
Interesting thread.
When I have a turnout with an unpowered frog, I never take steps to power it.
For those of you who do, once the frog is powered, where, if at all, do you cut gaps to prevent shorts?
Rich
Alton Junction
The frogs are already gapped on DCC-friendly turnouts. If they weren't gapped, they wouldn't be "unpowered."
MisterBeasley For those of you who do, once the frog is powered, where, if at all, do you cut gaps to prevent shorts? The frogs are already gapped on DCC-friendly turnouts. If they weren't gapped, they wouldn't be "unpowered."
Ahhh, that's right. Thanks, Mr. B. A senior moment.
Yeah, but us seniors remember the days when that was a perfectly valid question.
Thanks to all for responses, ESP. Mr. B and Brent. Wow, on close inspection that W/S trunout looked like the bearded lady in the circus (no offense anyone!!), couldn't even pass the nmra gauge through it without a 'laminectomy' after, its fine. Just finished connecting a Hex Frog Juicer to all the vulnerable turnouts and WOW! Seamless!! Worth the $$$$ thanks Tam Valley!