Insulfrog or electrofrog?

[liquidcross]

In the midst of planning my layout (N scale, for those of you keeping score at home), I ran up against some issues with choosing the proper turnouts. Atlas was my original plan, but everyone told me Peco was better. While learning about them, I've seen that they have both insulated frogs and non-insulated frogs. Which one is preferable? For the record, I'll be using DCC to control my trains.

[Big_Boy_4005]

....."That is the question". Almost sounds like Hamlet.[:D]

Electrofrogs will take a little more work to wire, but may pay off in smoother operation, especially with DCC.

[Anonymous]

I agree with Big_Boy_4005. Electrically active frogs allow slower movement through your turn-outs by eliminating dead spots.

[sparkingbolt]

The reason the electrofrog results in smoother operation is that they provide continous electrical pick up, where as insulfrog have a sizeable dead spot where locomotive wheels don't pick up current. This becomes more critical with smaller locomotives.

Take advantage early of everything that provides for better electrical pick up. It will pay off in better operation, way less frusteration. Dan

[liquidcross]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Big_Boy_4005

....."That is the question". Almost sounds like Hamlet.[:D]

Electrofrogs will take a little more work to wire, but may pay off in smoother operation, especially with DCC.

What's the difference in wiring?

[Big_Boy_4005]

You are going to have to provide a set of contacts to power the frog and the section of closure rail to the proper polarity. In one position it is part of the "north" rail, and in the other it is part of the "south" rail.

Depending on what type of machine you use to throw the turnout, there are different ways to accompli***his function. Some switch machines have contacts available, while others you will have to come up with your own.

It is at this point that my knowlege runs out, but I'm sure this topic has been discussed many times, and you can go looking for the topic, or someone will reply, or the folks at your local hobby store can help.

It has been a long time since I have done 2 rail trains, I'm still good at theory, but too rusty when it comes to practice.[:)]

[SteelMonsters]

I like power routing frogs with insulated rails shortly before the turnout. The reason being that it will short circut thus a breaker kills the power to the area when turnouts are in the wrong position. This cuts back on possible derailments, sometimes causing locos or rolling stock to fall off the layout onto the floor.

[snowey]

get a copy of the Kalmbach book "EASY MODEL RAILROAD WIRING" by Andy Sperandeo. He explains everything in easy to understand text , illustrations, and photographs. It's a great book!

[dknelson]

I have a bunch of insulfrogs and electrofrogs but I got them without the boxes.
Can someone give me a quicky primer on how visually to tell the difference?
Dave Nelson

[Anonymous]

You can see the difference in the two turnouts by looking at the rails in the area of the frogs. there will be small plastic separations beyond the frog of the insulfrog, where as the electro frog ha no break in the rails. Also, on the underside of the electrofrog frog, you'll see small wire running from the point rails to the frog and back. This is the way I tell the difference. Hope it helps.
***BTW, this is in regards to HO scale, I'm not sure if it's the same for N, just assuming so.

Rey

And to further the question on this topic, does the Peco switch machine include contacts for powering the frog, or is a separate relay required when using the insulfrog?

[snowey]

a simpler way to tell is, if the frogs are plastic, there insulated. If not, then they're electrofrog.

[Anonymous]

Note that Peco turnout radii are listed as 'small' 'medium' and 'large' However, the 'small' insulforg is 9" radius and the 'small' electrofrog is 12". We run small locos at slow speeds and had to use electofrogs, or else the engines would stall out completely in the plastic frog. We eventually settled on Atlas code 55 instead of Peco though. In tight spaces, you can trim off the ends of the Altas #5 and it comes out just a little sharper than the Peco 12"r.