I’ve read the “Wiring for DCC” article on turnouts. In the article it suggests that I look for my turnout type in the left hand menu bar to see if they are DCC friendly. I found Atlas turnouts and it says they are DCC friendly. Ok so, it shows that all you need to do is run a feeder from rail “A” and rail “B” to the main bus from the turnout and that you should also run a wire from the fixed part of rail “A” to the hinged part of the points for rail “A”, and similarly on rail “B”. I was wondering…could I get away without wiring the fixed rail to the moving part of the points? Has anyone got practicle experience in this? If so I’d love to hear your opinion.
Atlas turnouts are DCC Friendl;y - I have 46 of them on my layout(18 years) and have no problems. I have not needed to run a jumper between the points and the fixed rail. The reason to do this is if the rivet is making bad contact. If these are brand new turnouts andt hey have not been laid, adding the jumper is a good idea, but it is a pain in the *** to do later!
I’ve been told as long as you have the newer ones (without the point rail rivet) and you run a lot of feeders like your supposed to, you don’t have to use jumpers. It’s very EZ to mess up a turnout with a soldering iron.[B)]
I use the Atlas Custom Line code 83 turnouts and don’t have feeders to any of the turnouts (yet). They work fine. I can see that using feeders would be the better way, I think.
Thanks to the two Jim’s and loathar for your responses. My Atlas turn outs are new, so I think a pair of feeders from the fixed rails to the main bus should do it…I hope [:-)]
I just assembled a layout using #4 Atlas True Track turnouts which is a snap track turnout in reality. I had 1 of 12 that had a bad connection at the hinge point.
After tightening the flange under the hinge with a small screw driver, it worked fine. I’ll probably run the jumper wire before I make it a permanent fixture. Right now it’s in a temporary layout.