Insulated or Electric?


B

brooksie

Member
OK, so I finally made up my mind on what track to use for the majority of my planned layout: PECO Code 80. The loco service facility will be Atlas Code 80. The other planned 4 stages will be primarily two track main line with a few modest industrial yards. I will run a small SW2 in one industrial area and a couple of 2-8-0 steamers.
My question now is: which type of switch would you recommend using: Insulfrog or Electrofrog?
I plan to do manual switches. Let me know your thoughts. I am getting ready to start build up for the second phase while working the first.
Thanks!!
 
I personally like a hot frog, so I would say the electrofrog. When you have a hot ie, a powered frog, you don't worry about the loco stalling on the turnout at slow speeds because the insulated section is longer than the loco's wheelbase.
 
Cjcrescent said:
I personally like a hot frog, so I would say the electrofrog. When you have a hot ie, a powered frog, you don't worry about the loco stalling on the turnout at slow speeds because the insulated section is longer than the loco's wheelbase.
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I think the Atlas track is insulated. It can be problematic with smaller locos, especially steam. Both switches are the same price range.
I use mostly manual switches. I put insulated rail joiners at the middle of a cross over, so that should provide a separate power block for the opposing switch. When I do yards, I put the insulated rail joiner at the start of each stub.
What would be the advantage of insulated switches if they wire in the same as a standard Atlas manual switch? If there is no difference in wiring the track, why would anyone use insulated?
 
If you have a powered frog you will have to gap your frog rails to prevent a short. That may mean extra wiring to power the cut rails.
Insulated frog means no gaps to cut, probably less wiring, but the chance of stalling depending on how the engine gets its power.
 
I will use these switches primarily as manual switches with ground throws. Can I simply use insulated rail joiners to insolate switches from other power blocks? I am not DCC, just old school Atlas power blocks for two train operation. Thanks!
 
Yes, insulated joiners would work, you only need to insulate (gap) the frog rails.

DC or DCC, no difference for powered frogs.
 
Checked out a buddies layout that he is just got done putting in track and power. He is using insulated PECO switches on the whole thing except the area he started years ago with code 80 Atlas. There is some difference in appearance but they rails match nicely with solder and file and the insulfrogs handle even the old 0-8-0 Atlas switchers in his modest yards. Looks like all I have to do now is decide on the track plan and build the bench work and track for the first phase. By the time autumn rolls around there may be better track availability in Atlas Customline or I'll just go PECO for the main line runs.
 
Now that I've decided on what track to use, there seems to be an outage of PECO insulfrog turnouts. Plus, I am concerned with not being able to use track nails to hold the PECO in place, unless I somehow can tap a track nail through the plywood and into a track tie just enough to hold it. Or use glue. I can't win..............
How do you guys hold your PECO track in place?
Please help as I am trying to get the track for the layout bought in the next couple of weeks.
Thanks!!!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
brooksie said:
Now that I've decided on what track to use, there seems to be an outage of PECO insulfrog turnouts.
Click to expand...

They are shown in stock at modeltrainstuff.com and other on-line retailers.

brooksie said:
Plus, I am concerned with not being able to use track nails to hold the PECO in place, unless I somehow can tap a track nail through the plywood and into a track tie just enough to hold it. Or use glue. I can't win..............
How do you guys hold your PECO track in place?
Please help as I am trying to get the track for the layout bought in the next couple of weeks.
Thanks!!!
Click to expand...

You can just drill a hole through the tie if you want to use track nails from above, but many folks nowadays use caulk (stay well clear of the switch throwbar , of course.)
 
Boy, I have to really thank Mike at Fifer for his help on this! I got a few Peco turnouts to try with Atlas flex track. I am sure this is going to work. I just didn't want to waste money on stuff that would run without issue or create special problems while installing. Looks like everything is in place for the spike to hit the plywood!
 
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