I have several Atlas and Kato locomotives on my N scale layout. I also run all metal wheelsets on my rolling stock. I use Peco Insulfrog turnouts exclusively. I have an issue with my Atlas locomotives shorting across the frog on the diverging end on certail turnouts. Non of my Kat9 locomotives do this, not does any of my rolling stock, and it doesn’t happen on all the turnouts, though it does in several ( I have about 80 total turnouts on the layout). Any ideas on a simple remedy for this problem?
If Peco’s N scale turnouts are anything like their HO scale ones, there are a few ways to fix this. The two that come to mind at the moment are filing down each of the rails on an angle toward the frog so wheels traveling along one branch of the turnout cannot contact the rail on the other branch. The other is to take some clear nail polish and coat just enough of each of the frog rails to prevent the same thing, but this does need touch up from time to time depending on use.
This is a known issue with Insulfrog’s - The tread on some wheel sets is wider and makes contact with both rails as it crosses the frog. The usual ‘fix’ is to ‘paint’ the offending rail with some clear nail polish. Jim
By coincidence, I just did that nail polish paint job yesterday. It worked perfectly. I used black nail polish. You only need to “paint” about an eighth of an inch where the rails are closest together right after the frog.
I’ve got another troublesome Peco turnout that got the same treatment at least 5 years ago. I haven’t had to re-apply the nail polish.
Although you have found a solution, you might still check the gauge of the offending loco’s wheelsets with an NMRA standards gauge. If theyre a bit narrow, they can cause these problems.
Checking the wheel gauge is always a good idea. One of the issues here is Peco code 100 turnouts conform to European NEM standards and your Atlas engine’s wheels are built to American NMRA standards… Jim