I have seen written here that the Atlas snap switches are unpowered, though the custom line ones are, relative to electric current running thru the switch. First- how can you tell the difference between each type? Second, if the switch is the regular snap type, can’t they become “powered” by running feed wires, connected to a power bus wire, up thru the plastic base? I ask because I have a bunch of switches from the “old days” and am not sure what is what, as I lay track. Cedarwoodron
Hey
I have all Atlas turnouts and their major drawback is that the frog is plastic (as I understand it) and on very short wheelbase units You can lose power. Since it is plastic the frog can’t be power routed. Also the movable rail can become corroded at the pivot and if it doesn’t make solid contact at the other end there will b erratic power flow on the movable rail also.
I have never calculated the cost difference between the Atlas remote controlled turnouts and power routing set ups, but if you add in the tortoise etc. it has to be several times the cost of the Atlas.
Just my thoughts.
good luck
Lee
Snap switches carry power through all the rails and out the other side, but as Lee mentioned, the frogs are plastic and can’t be powered. Customlines have metal frogs, but they are unpowered. You could drive them with a Tortoise, some sort of latching relay or a Frog Juicer. The relay would be the cheapest option. They’re a few dollars at electronics supply places.
All current Atlas turnouts are all-powered, they are NOT power routing. Not even the Custom-Line ones. The biggest differences are that Custom-Line turnouts have an insulated metal frog that can be powered via switch machine contacts, and Custom Line turnouts are actual frog angles, no curved throughout to fir the Snap Track geometry.
I use Custom Line turnouts and have power applied at all three ends, and this seems highly reliable, making sure the closure rails get power without relying on the rivets at the points. I installed wired to power each frog, but haven’t hooked any up - my smallest loco is a Bachmann 44 tonner and it goes through withotu stalling, even at creeping speeds.
–Randy