Short somewhere help


Hawkesburytrain

Hawkesburytrain

Well-Known Member
Hi,

I started running a locomotive and had no problem for the entire run, than I wanted to run it on the other track so when I switch the turnout, it made a little spark and the train stopped. So I switch the turnout back and the train started again.
My question is how do I find the short or what ever is causing this?

Thanks
 
Is it a crossover and do you have anywhere you may have missed an insulating joiner. A pic of the turnout area would help.
 
Based on my limited knowledge it sounds like an insulated joiner issue. What kind of turnouts do you have (brand, type) ?
 
Thanks everyone,

Got home late last night. When in bed, I kept thinking of the problem and decided to replace the turnout that was making sparks or the next one which was a used one and see if the problem would go away.

That didn't solve the problem. BUT since none of my turnouts are glued, they do move around a bit, so by accident I move the turnout a bit to the top and it all stop and the train is now running no problem and no sparks and no hissing electrical noise. I assume it was a contact problem creating the short.

Now I can continue testing the rest of my tracks and I hope that it did solve the problem

I use Pico inulated frogs and it's a new layout, there's no insulated joiners, the problem was at a specific crossover.

Thanks everyone
 
I have mostly all Peco switches but one of the Peco seemed to have a insulted frog problem. I looked at it and realized the frog was off just a tiny bit which was causing shorts. I extended the insulted frog some what by adding a little clear nail polish. That fixed the problem. Try to extend the frog like I did.

George
 
I removed all my turnouts to drill holes for the tortoises and put back the turnouts as they were and now the short is back, the spark and hissing electrical noise. When I remove the last crossover the short seem to have stop, so I changed all turnouts of that crossover, but it's still there. Did that to all crossovers, but no luck. I then tried removing one cross over and connect the rails straight through, that didn't solve the problem either.

Right now no feeders are connected, the current is connected directly to the track at one end. All my turnouts were Peco Insulfrog SL95 and SL96. But my last batch of turnouts were Peco Electrofrog 88 and 89.

Did I make a BooBoo by getting Electrofrog? Do I have to do a special install with those turnouts?

Thanks
 
Plus,if you're powering the frog with the tortoise, you need to remove the tiny jumper wires from the point rails to the frog rails.
 
Hawkesburytrain said:
All my turnouts were Peco Insulfrog SL95 and SL96. But my last batch of turnouts were Peco Electrofrog 88 and 89.

Did I make a BooBoo by getting Electrofrog? Do I have to do a special install with those turnouts?
Click to expand...
No. No booboo. Yes, special installation is required. On Electrofrog turnouts (or any turnout that has a hot frog) the two rails coming from the frog have to be insulated unless the track coming off is stub-end with no feeders further down the rail.

So:
If there is track in a loop around that goes back to the points end of the turnout - must be insulated.
If there is a crossover to another track that has been powered - must be insulated. In this case if the other turnout in the crossover is an electrofrog there have to be two insulators. One on each rail.
If it is a stub end siding where an electrical feeder has been placed on that rail - must be insulated.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Honestly, it depends on your electrical knowledge and how much work you're willing to do. To a person who's familiar with basic electronic and electrical circuits and how they work, wiring an electrofrog is easy, though it does require a little extra work to install. For various installations, electrofrogs require that frog rails be isolated, power routed to the frog through the turnout machine, etc. If you're just wanting to do (or think you can only handle) plain, straightforward wiring without the special wiring and insulators required by the electrofrog, then yes they were a booboo.
 
Sorry for the delay, I've been out with a back spasm for the last few days (can't sit, stand or lie down.....ouch)

Thanks for your replies, definitely a difference in turnouts.
So by the looks of it, I NEED INSULATORS.

I'll get back with the layout sketch to show where my Electrofrogs are. Now back to lying down, can't sit for long.
Later
 
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