HO Electrofrog Turnouts


McLeod

Forest Lurker
I have read some very unfavorable discussion in regards to the installation of electrofrog turnouts on any given layout. I won't mention the names of authors, but, I have read similar to this:

- Electrofrog turnouts are banned from the clubs layout.
- If you want a nightmare, install Electrofrog turnouts.
- My own nearest retailer advised against the installation of Electrofrogs due to very poor feedback from the hobby community.

I would like to know the reasons why? What is going wrong with the Electrofrog turnouts?
Is it a case of them being wired incorrectly? Are the insulated rail joiners not being installed? Or, is there a real, describable issue with the turnout?

Photos:
Turn1_01-20-2021.jpg

Turn3_01-20-2021.jpg

Turn2_01-20-2021.jpg


I have installed Electrofrog turnouts into my new layout table. They were purchased MO previous to hearing there may be an issue.
With the little testing I've done running a single HO locomotive over them, they seem to be doing what they are supposed to do.

Hope I get some feedback on this subject. TIA
Guy
 
The Peco Electrofrog switch was designed in the days of analog operation with the ability to power sidings depending on which way the switch rails were aligned. Drive a locomotive into the siding and then set the turnout for the mainline route. We could rest assured that the locomotive wouldn't creep away on us - assuming there were no additional track power feeds to the siding. The turnout would function as an electrical switch in addition to its duty as a track switch.

 
Thank you, Stumpy.
Looks like only those with DCC would have an issue with the Electrofrog. Not insurmountable, though.
Since I'm DC only; not too much to worry about.
 
I will be interested to hear the responses as they come in as I have installed Peco Electrofrog turnouts on my DCC layout. I think I have about 22 of them. They were modified as per instructions to operate on a DCC layout with tortoise switch machines providing power routing. The advantage I was told to using electrofrog turnouts is to provide power to all parts of the turnout so that even very short wheelbase locomotives such as switchers would not suffer power interruptions.

I have have had absolutely no trouble with the turnouts, they work flawlessly.
 
I have read some very unfavorable discussion in regards to the installation of electrofrog turnouts on any given layout. I won't mention the names of authors, but, I have read similar to this:

- Electrofrog turnouts are banned from the clubs layout.
- If you want a nightmare, install Electrofrog turnouts.
- My own nearest retailer advised against the installation of Electrofrogs due to very poor feedback from the hobby community.

I would like to know the reasons why? What is going wrong with the Electrofrog turnouts?
Is it a case of them being wired incorrectly? Are the insulated rail joiners not being installed? Or, is there a real, describable issue with the turnout?
There is absolutely nothing wrong with electrofrog turnouts (peco or any other brand with hot frogs). As near as I can tell, in general, the people who have trouble with them are just not comprehending the interaction of all the track power feeds. Doesn't matter when it was designed, as electricity is electricity. It just has a hot frog. Has nothing to do with DC or DCC. It has to do with where the turnout is in the layout and how the layout around it is wired. That's all.

My personal preference is Electrofrog.
 
How about some unfavorable discussions about the Insulfrog, now Unifrog turnouts!

If anything, the problem lies with the Insulfrog and now Unifrog turnouts. People are constantly reporting shorts where the metal tread bridges the gap where the frog rails are close together.

My preference is Electrofrog as well. The thing that sucks is Peco is discontinuing them as the tooling wears out. The latest victim are the code 83 #6 Electrofrog, now discontinued, so I had to go on the hunt to find enough for my layout that I'm building.
 
I have now given up and am now installing keep/stay alive capacitors in any HO steam locomotives with turnout power problems.

At the moment I am 100% Peco turnouts. I use a mix of Electro-frog, Insul-Frog Unfrog, USA Code 83, UK Finescale Code 75 and a pair of Set Track curved 18/22 R turnouts. I am waiting for a tighter radius USA Code 70 but that may be 2023 before it shows up. I use everything but the 16.5 mm gauge Bullhead Rail UK style turnouts.

Engines with a keep alive clank through Insulfrog, Unifrog and switch rail power routed electro frog turnouts smoothly just like on a real railroad. It sort of leap frogs over the whole frog problem.

Galvani was right. You can make a dead frog jump by attaching power leads....
 
I use Peco Electrofrog and when I read that Peco was going to stop manufacturing them and make unifrog instead I decided to buy all the Electrofrogs and then some I will need for my layout.

I'm a beginner who started with Atlas Snap Switches. I now know those inexpensive turnouts were responsible for my problems. I probably could have replaced them with Peco Insulfrog but I went with Electrofrog and they have been working perfectly and I like the idea of no dead spots on my turnouts. BTW, I'm DCC
 



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