" TORTISE SWITCH MACHINES & CODE 83 ATLAS TURNOUTS"

[TrainsRMe1]

HI all, , I think there's a thread already on this subject, but I have this question, I'am building a staging yard shelf that will be below my classifaction yard , I want to use tortise switch machines for my turnouts, that are code 83 turnouts, now will I have to do any special wiring to the frog, or will I be okay with the way they are??     Thanks, Trainsrme1

[RR_Mel]

I’m using Atlas Code 83 turnouts and I don’t power my frogs but I don’t have any shorty (0-4-0) locomotives either.  I have a pair of roundhouse 0-6-0s that work without any problems.

 

 

 

 

Mel

 

Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951

 

My Model Railroad   

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

 

Bakersfield, California

 

I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

[gmpullman]

Hi,

TrainsRMe1

will I have to do any special wiring to the frog

You will not "have" to do any special wiring to the frog BUT in "best practices" you would want to have the frogs supplied with power, in this case, routed through the Tortoise auxiliary contacts. Especially if your switch is below the layout in a difficult to reach area. (chances are the track will not be as clean here which would make stalling even more likely)

Murphy's law states that if a locomotive can stall it WILL stall in the most inaccessable place!

So, in your case, the turnouts aren't laid yet so you can attach the frog wire before the turnout is in place, then wire the frog to the Tortoise later.

My longer Atlas 83s already have a solder tab to power the frog:

If you are using shorter turnouts you will have to thread a brass screw into one of the holes and solder the wire to that.

Plenty of references here about using the auxiliary contacts by routing the common off the Tortoise #4 to the frog and 2 + 3 to rail A or B (OR #5 to frog and 6 + 7 to rail A ro B) You should use a meter to "ring out" the respective polarity when you have the Tortoise in place.

Good Luck, Ed

[MisterBeasley]

Do it.  It is a lot easier to power frogs during the installation process than later on.  All it will cost is a little bit of time and a few feet of wire, since you've already got the turnout and the Tortoise in your plans.

I use a green wire from the Tortoise to the frog.  Maybe it's an odd quirk, but color-coding your wiring will serve you well in the future.

[rrinker]

 You can always do what I did - install the wire to the frog at the bench before installign the turnouts, but save the hookup for later. I ended up NOT needing to hook them up, none of my locos had an issue with the unpowered frog. But had I not had that wire installed and ready to use, you know there would have been problems.

                               --Randy