Model Railroading > Turnouts and DCC

Our club is going to be using DCC on its new layout. I was hoping that some of you modelers out here in cyber space could give me a few pointers and lessons learned about using specific types of turnouts.

What is the most DCC friendly type of turnout. Are the ones with the isolated frogs the best for this purpose? What about power routing turnouts, are they DCC friendly?

Do you have specific brands of turnouts to recommend for DCC? Do you have any brands that you have had consistent problems with DCC operation?

Thanks in advance for any information that you can share.

Bob Perkins

Walthers makes a real nice looking HO track switch that is said to be 'DCC freindly', was about to install one this weekend. There is a thread in the archives with some info.

rlperkins Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Our club is going to be using DCC on its new
> layout. I was hoping that some of you modelers out
> here in cyber space could give me a few pointers
> and lessons learned about using specific types of
> turnouts.
>
> What is the most DCC friendly type of turnout. Are
> the ones with the isolated frogs the best for this
> purpose? What about power routing turnouts, are
> they DCC friendly?
>
> Do you have specific brands of turnouts to
> recommend for DCC? Do you have any brands that you
> have had consistent problems with DCC operation?
>
> Thanks in advance for any information that you can
> share.
>
> Bob Perkins

I have installed several of these "DCC friendly" turnouts and have had very good results with them. The frogs are insulated but the insulated area is almost un-noticeable as compared to the Atlas Custom line and similiar brands. It eliminates the need to add an insulated gap that was previously needed with non-ionsulated Walthers. Also no need to install jumper wires across this gap as in the past. The jumpers are built into the switch. I am thinking about replacing other turnouts with the new ones.

My experience may be different than others on the board but I'll add my comments.

From what I've noticed, insulfrog type turnouts seem to be the best with DCC. By best I mean less wiring involved, less rail gaps involved, and virtually no short circuits. This only works if your equipment is large enough to span the frog. If it isn't, there are ways to power the frog from most electric switch machines. Doing this is better than purchasing an electrofrog type turnout.

Atlas code 100 and code 83 turnouts are insulfrog with the option to wire the frog to a turnout motor such as Tortoise. You can use Peco motors with the Peco contact system to power the frog as well.

Peco code 100 and code 83 (and others) are available either electrofrog or insulfrog. Nice thing about these is that even the insulfrog ones are power routing. This can be a good thing even with DCC. Of course though if you use this feature, you have to watch the turnouts because if they aren't thrown for your path, there will be no power to the track.

After using Atlas code 100, Atlas code 83, Walthers/Shinohara code 83, Peco code 100 and Peco code 83 turnouts, the one that seems to be the best is the Peco code 100 or code 83. The ones I dislike the most are the Walthers/Shinohara ones, even the DCC friendly ones. I've had quite a few electrical issues with the Walthers/Shinohara ones and will never use one again. Dead points and short circuits seem to be the biggest issues with Walthers/Shinohara turnouts.

One other thing to think about is what regular track you already have. Even though there are standards for code 100 and code 83 rail, there isn't one for the ties. Each brand will have a different tie thickness. After much experimentation and even installation and operation using different track/switch combinations, I have found that it is best to use the same brand for the track and the switches.

For my new layout I'm using Peco code 83 flex and Peco code 83 turnouts exclusively. That way there will be no issues due to tie thickness or rail differences.

Rio Grande Fan
Denver, CO

RioGrandeFan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Peco code 100 and code 83 (and others) are
> available either electrofrog or insulfrog. Nice
> thing about these is that even the insulfrog ones
> are power routing. This can be a good thing even
> with DCC. Of course though if you use this
> feature, you have to watch the turnouts because if
> they aren't thrown for your path, there will be no
> power to the track.

we use Peco code 100 at our club, insulfrog. No problems with DCC. We actually like
the power routing feature cutting off your power if the switch is lined against you...
cuts down on derailments and shorts :) Although if you have a sound equipped unit, it
kills the sound.

One thing I think most of us will all agree on is isolated frogs, either via Peco insulfrogs or Atlas frogs. I'm not a great fan of the way the Pecos look, but they are very reliable and can be used without a switch machine (or ground throw) due to their over-center spring action that will hold them in place.

As to things I'll respectfully differ on: I'm no great fan of power routing. My personal opinion is that sending power through a set of mechanical contacts - aka points - is asking for reliability problems. My advice is to solder on feeders to all sides to assure reliable power flow. However, there are differing opinions on this, and you'll have to evaluate for yourself what you think is best.

You can use the older Shinohara-type turnouts that require gapping after the frog, but I detest them electrically. I've had too many failures getting the points to provide reliable power to the point rails and frog, so my preference is to provide power through switch machine contacts. However, if you don't have your switch motor contacts and points perfectly aligned on these guys, one switches polarity before the other and causes a dead short. This can be addressed by putting an automotive bulb (like an 1156) in the wire from the motor contacts up to the point rails, but I always thought this was extremely klugey. Goes back to that "power routing is a poor way to do things" thought above.

Nathan

I have three pair of non-DCC-friendly code 83 Shinohara on my layout. The remainder are a mix of Atlas styles. I am running only DCC.

The three pair include a pair on #10, a pair of curved 24 inner 26 outer, and a pair of curved 24 outer 18 inner. The first two pair are on Tortoise machines and the last pair is on Caboose Industries hand-throws.

Yes, you have to do some more wiring and deal with insulated rail joiners. On the other hand, you have reliability. If I had to do it all over again, I would be 100% Shinohara.

DocJohn
Macon, GA

My whole layout was built with Shinohara turnouts.
They have been operating since 1996 with very little problems.
and yes with D.C.C...
Good track maintenance is # 1

My layout is Micro-Engineering code 70, 55 and a little had layed code 40. All the turnouts are Shinohara and in 25 years have had one turnout failure. And that was MY fault.

We use Peco 75 and 83 Electrofrog. I like the look of the electerofrog better than insulfrog and don't think you can beat reliability of Peco switches. It's easy to modify the electrofrog switches using tortoise machines or manual throw electrical contact so that the frog gets correct poliarity and all rails are live all the time. Good for DCC and if we run the train against the switch, it will usually short and stop but in any case that's operator error, not electrical problem. Of course a B of I will be held to determine fault of the crew.