Frog Electrical Isolation

[Anonymous]

I finally scratchbuilt my switches, came out pretty nice, not bad for the first time. In the book I followed, they mention filling in the frog with solder, and then filing out grooves for wheel flanges. If I do this, which I havent yet, do I have to isolate the frog? I am using DCC for control. Just curious before I go and mess this up. THanks for the help!

Matt

[Anonymous]

Check out wiringfordcc.com This webstie has an excellent commentary on this point.

[Anonymous]

Matt: I use to build my switches many years ago, they also turned out nice but developed prpblems later. I am unable to advise you on your question as I am not using DCC but would like to ask you a few questions.
What code of rail are you using? I was building in code 100, the problem that I ran into is with the throw rods and rails, they were just too stiff, bad enought on number 6's but very bad on number 4's. They would work good for a while but would let go at the throw bar. Someone told me that if I cut the throw rails just past the frog and put in a rail joiner this would allow the rails to swivle. Unfortunately this would wear and would loosen the rail too much, would loose electrical contact and eventually with loosening would cause derailments. I managed to pick up some good commercial switches at a swap meet for very reasonable price and have used, and re used them numerous times. I would like to get back at building my own again as I am expanding a small area.
Do you cut the rail between the frog and the throw bars? If you do what do you use to keep the swivel tight and constant current? I understand that the thinner the rail, code 83 or 70 you have less problems.
What book were you using?

Jim: many thanks for the site, am contemplating using DCC and this will sure help.

Many thanks to both.. Ron...

[Anonymous]

I scratchbuild my turnouts and use DCC. I find it best to insolate the frog. I fill the frog with solder and use a short piece of hack saw blade to cut the flangeways. To help hold the 1" piece of hacksaw blade I cut a grove in a piece of wood dowel and glued the blade into it. Using the hacksaw blade really cuts the solder. I used to use file but the files would just get loaded with the soft solder and I would spend alot of time cleaning them. After I solder the frogs and cut the flangways I run a pair of truck that have perfectly gauged wheels through the frog and listen and feel for any clicks. I should note that you must have the gard rails in at this point. If you find clicks and ruff spots fix them, don't think any click is small and isn't worth fixing. Fix it now and you will never have trouble later. Also, if all of your cars have RP-25 wheels then cut the flange ways deep enough to clear the NMRA standard gauge. if you do these steps up to this point you will have a quite smooth switch. Next I cut the rails on both the front and the back of the frog. To cut the rails I use an Atlas razor saw that I modified by cutting the blade so it is only about 1/2" to 3/4" long. This allows me to get the blade to cut all the way through the rails with out hitting the outter stock rails. I fill the gaps with thick ACC. I leave my frogs dead, no power to them. With DCC, if you have powered frogs and someone run through it, and the power is routed for the other route, the short created will shut down every track connected to that tracks booster.

[Anonymous]

Ron,
I have cut gaps both before and after the frog to completely isolate it. I used a good amount of spikes to hold the rails in place, and it provides a very clean movement time and time again. I use code 55 rail from Micro ENgineering. Code 100 rail is very tough to bend, and will even break solder joints to throwbars after a while. Code 55 bends easy and conforms to just about anything you would want to use it for. CHeck out the book "Trackwork and Lineside Detail" (Kalmbach). That is where I get all of my info from. Unfortunately though, it was written before the age of DCC, and that is what I use.

Good luck,
Matt