I am considering options for HO turnout control. The turnouts I am using have live frogs - that is, the frog electrical polarity must be switched to match turnout position.
I am using Tortoise motors on mainline turnouts, but want to consider something less complicated ($$$)for industrial locations. Several mechanical options are offered. My question to you folks is about the Caboose Industries ground throws with electrical contact.
If all that’s being powered is the frog, is a relay required? Stated another way, what is your experience with using the Caboose electrical contact to power a frog directly?
Does anyone have pictures of a completed installation using this ground throw? The pictures on the manufacturer’s website are not very helpful.
I’ve often seen notes about using N scale ground throws for HO scale, as the HO scale throws appear oversize. Does anyone have experience with the Caboose Industries N scale only throws with electrical contact? (p/n 224S)
Finally, any general advice for reliably and inexpensively controlling live frog turnouts would be appreciated.
I am using the CI (Caboose Industries) HO ground throws with the electrical contacts and powering the frogs directly from them. No problem. Not that much current is needed for a frog since only one locomotive truck will be on one at a time, and a single locomotive is not going to draw a lot of current.
Installing them is a little tricky, and you have to be fairly fast when soldering wires to them because the stems are mounted in plastic.
I am also using slide switches mounted on top of the layout at the front edge, with a wire going from the handle to the turnout throw bar. This works fine, but if I would have seen the CI ground throws before I used them, I would have went with the CI’s.
Here is a very economical manual T/O machine from Fast Tracks and it comes with the switch for your frog. The good news is it is only six bucks. I just ordered three of them unassembled. Took me about twenty minutes to put all three together.
I just completed a test mockup using a Caboose Industries N gauge sprung throw on an HO curved turnout. It doesn’t have the electrical contacts; therefore, I cannot comment on that aspect. It functions just fine except that I made the mistake of not checking the required throw dimension before I bought it, and it doesn’t throw the points quite all the way without the assist of a finger push on the throwbar for the last fraction of an inch. They do make a model with a longer throw. Check your turnouts for the throw required (it appears they vary from model to model) and buy accordingly.
