Is this a DCC Friendly Turnout?


M

Myowngod

Pennsy Tuscan Red Blood
I got old Shinohara #8 curved turnouts with electric frogs. Big short in the DCC world, AARRGGHHHhhh! This is how I'm remedying the problem. Does anyone have any feedback?

This is one of the turnouts. There is a metal bar at the points and the closure rails at the frog touch, causing a short completely through the other side of the frog.
View attachment 5871

here's the metal bar at the points
View attachment 5872

Here's where I cut the frog
View attachment 5873

And here's how it will work with the polarity. Assume the left rail (red) is being power routed.
View attachment 5874

I've been to http://www.wiringfordcc.com/ by Allan Gartner, and there he has a lot more complicated way of doing it. He uses power routing switches, but I think it will work fine with the metal connected points.
Does anyone have yehs or nehs to this?

Thanks alot
 
I am not the electrical wizard but that appears that it would work. I know if it was me I would hook it up and see what sparks or hummms. Good Luck
 
Shinohara #8

Myowngod said:
I got old Shinohara #8 curved turnouts with electric frogs. Big short in the DCC world, AARRGGHHHhhh! This is how I'm remedying the problem. Does anyone have any feedback?

This is one of the turnouts. There is a metal bar at the points and the closure rails at the frog touch, causing a short completely through the other side of the frog.
View attachment 5871

here's the metal bar at the points
View attachment 5872

Here's where I cut the frog
View attachment 5873

And here's how it will work with the polarity. Assume the left rail (red) is being power routed.
View attachment 5874

I've been to http://www.wiringfordcc.com/ by Allan Gartner, and there he has a lot more complicated way of doing it. He uses power routing switches, but I think it will work fine with the metal connected points.
Does anyone have yehs or nehs to this?

Thanks alot
Click to expand...

There won't be a short but you'll be depending on the points for the the track power between the points and where you cut the frog. I have found on my layout that in this type of setup the points aren't very reliable. What I did was to put two plastic insulated rail joiners (peco are the best) on the end of the frog. I didn't cut anything, it's the same idea. Then I soldered a green wire to the frog and attached that to #4 pin out on the tortoise and the red and black wires to pins outs #2 and #3 or #3 and #2. You'll have to do a test to see which is which. Now you'll have the points and the tortoise powering the frog a the same time. The tortoise's internal switch is rated at one amp. If there's a slight short when you throw the switch. Then the tortoise is changing the polarity while the points are still in contact with the rail. (Slow motion switch machine.) You'll have to make a slight adjustment with the paino wire. This is what I did and it works great.

NYC_George
 
Well, I cut them and installed one so far. NO Problems! (crossing my fingers) yippy. It will be awhile before I can install the other 2. If anything bad happens I post the results and hopefully the remedy.

Thanks guys
 
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