DCC and turnouts


A

AndyD

New Member
I have a quick question. I'm ordering track for my layout and I'm not sure what to order insulated or non-insulated turnouts. Any suggestions on which I should order? Thank you
 
If you don't know the difference I would go with insulated. Metal frogs are more durable over long periods of time but require special wiring. If you stay in model railroading long enough to wear out the plastic frog you will end up building a newer better layout anyway.

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Depends how far you are going to wire and what equipment you are going to operate. If your going to operate small 4 wheel switchers, streetcars (IE Bachmanns Birney) non-insulated is a must to keep power contact to the most wheels possible. Old Tyco bobber streetcar had only 2 wheel pickup. But run overhead yo'd rewire the wheels common so you get 2 wheel pickup and the wire. (poles) Non-insulated is always better but expect to do wiring (which aint that tough really)

Newer Atlas Customline switches are coming with a metal frog but insulated, so if you desired you can power the frog up. (smart) The Snap switches still have the insulated frog.
Most newer equipment today has far better wheel pickups than the older equipment like older brass steam using engine right wheel pickup and tender left wheel pickup, often they have enough pickup not needing modding.
So most newer locos will go right thru the insulated frog fine because of plenty of wheel pickup.
 
I use insulfrog , work well. Just be sure to keep track clean, talking the points as this is where the power allowances.
 
I used insulated plastic frogs on my home layout and we used metal non-insulated frogs on the club layout. The wiring for insulated pladtic frogs is extremely simple...that being said, the wiring for metal non-insulated frogs isn't that much more complicated....so my next home layout will have metal non-insulated frogs.
 
If you plan on using the turnout's closure rails to do your power routing to sidings/stub end tracks, then you need to make certain of very good closure rail point to stock rail electrical contact or you will loose power to that closure rail and it will be electrically dead. Peco turnouts are spring loaded to keep the points against the stock rail, whichever way they are switched. The use of point motors such as the tortoise slow motion type also apply light pressure to the points to keep them in contact. Caboose industries make ground throws to connect to the throwbar that do the same.
 
Insulated or not I cannot recommend buying NEW Atlas turnouts. I have 15 that will either be needing work or complete replacement! The dang frogs stick up above the top of the rail! They are less expensive than others and that is why. The frogs are absolutely way too big and cause many 'issues' from derailment to uncouplings and loss of power by loco's. VERY disappointing.
 
You can carefully file the the frog down. You shouldn't have to do that but quality control is not there anymore. I have 6 Walther's curved turnouts on my layout and unfortunately I have to tweak them occasionally too. For something so expensive you would think they wouldn't have these issues.

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I hit em with a sanding block and an old plane from the "gandpa" time and fight em down to where I can live with it. I have some old Atlas that are good and some old brass ones I got at a garage sale that have "Yugoslavia" on the bottom and they are sweet!
 
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