Well, I’m ready to lay track on my 6’x13’ layout, but, someone told me that I need to check out the different types of turnouts.
I was planing to use Atlas turn outs as they are inexpensive and available at the LHS.
But now I guess I must rethink my design to use the “right” turnouts.
I’m running DCC … just what is a DCC friendly tunout?
What about live “frogs”, insulated frogs etc. etc.???
Boy am I KUNFUSED
So… I’m pleading for some help right now
The quicker the sooner.
Atlas customline turnouts are just as “DCC friendly” as any of the ones who use that sales pitch to get you to buy a more expensive one. Personally, I use only Peco because I think they are much higher quality than Atlas and will last longer without causing problems.
Avoid the cheap Atlas turnouts. They are notorious for having electrical continuity problems due to the rivets working loose.
Ill Have to agree there by using Peco, When i started I used the 2.00 atlas switches. but found so many frog problems, especially when runing mantua’s over them.
over the years I switched out the old and went totally Peco. their line is great, and yes more expensive. but worth every dollar.
The Peco are the best and will give you no problems. On my layout though I couldnt afford 57 peco switches so I went with Atlas. They have also given me no problems, although they do make some clickity-clack when you run things with big flanges. A couple of IHCs in my case. Atlas are considered DCC freindly, I use DCC and havent had any problems.
DCC friendly?Cacole is right on target in my mind as I’ve used the same TO’s on both DC and DCC powered layouts and still have to find the difference.DCC,just like DC,uses two paths electrical wiring so why should it be any different?Short free trackage will work for both and shorts will shut down both just the same.So if there is indeed a difference,trackwise I mean,could someone explain it to us?
I’ve had experience with Atlas snapswitches…well,if unreliability,frustration and poor looks (unsightly motor with easy breaking wires) is on your agenda,you might try some of these.On the other hand,they’re cheap but you get your money’s worth.However,I’ve not worked with Atlas’s Customline TO’s but looking at them,I believe they are excellent.
I have installed many Peco TO’s of both types (Electrofrog and Insulfrog) on the club’s N scale layout and they all perform very well.There are indeed differences between them however but I won’t start descibing these on this post.Just visit Loy’s Toys website and click the Peco products section and you will have all the info you might need.This site also features a very neat DCC chapter too.
I used a couple dozen snap switches in yards. They are very reliable, the only time I get derailments is if the car’s wheels are out of guage or if the car is too light. I got rid of the tabletop motors and cut off the big throw bars that go to them. I use the Atlas under-the-table switch motors and the turnouts look just fine. I think your unreliability problems were problems with your cars, not your turnouts.
Jacktal, you are spot on in that if there if a turnout is subject to a short in DC then it will also be in DCC and visa versa. The difference is the impact of a momentary short in DC compared to DCC. Most DC throttles can handle a momentary short very well. There might be a slight hesitation as a loco crosses the short. On the other hand, most DCC command stations have sensitive short detection. They would shut down the layout (or power block) if a short was seen. The short is the same, the end result is not.
I am a Peco insulfrog user also. They are very reliable and because I like to hand throw my turnouts, I really like the sprung mechanism that means I do not have to add any other switch linkage.
Better design on the pivots and electrical contact area
Higher cost (get what you pay for)
We are thinking of scraping (selling) 80 Atlas and buying ALL Walthers Coder 83 if we can not come up with a good looking fix for the “FROG”.
