He who should not be mentioned here reports another reason for Electrofrog is that because the frog is metal, it stands up to wear over time, whereas the plastic frog can eventually wear down under a lot of prolonged traffic.
I’ve seen this mentioned several times on various forums, BUT I have yet to find a single person who has actually experienced it in person.
And if it did occur over a long time, perhaps the traffic would experience a little bit more of a bump than they now experience with the deeper flangeways in some turnouts.
I’ll pm you the name of someone.
I might be wrong here, but I don’t think code 83 has that additional tab?
Bill
I don’t utilize this code track, but I would be interested to know the answer to this?
Got one right here in my hands. There is no tab for contact on the moveable points, it’s just contact between the point and the stock rail.
–Randy
Interesting, that might make utilizing them in their ‘stock form’ more questionable from a wiring standpoint.
Bria, the tab is not that great. Good new but if they ever get bumped say during cleaning, they are very difficult to get back into the correct place. Too high and it lifts the point rail, too low and it doesn’t help.
Don’t stress over Peco. They are the go too track system in the UK, Australia, New Zealand etc. My own layout pre-dates Peco code 83 so I used Walthers Shinohara but I will be using Peco for the rebuild I have just started.
Bill
As compensation, the Code 83 ones have cutouts in the ties underneath where the jumpers are and where the alternate jumpers/feeders get soldered to the rail, so they are easy to modify as shown on Wiring for DCC without melting ties or having to attempt cutting into the structure of the turnout.
I have no doubt these turnouts will be as solid as any others I’ve used. And with Peco coming out with a Code 70 North American style track, it will be even better, easy to make sidings using a lower profile rail.
–Randy
I use all Peco turnouts on my layout and have never had a single problem. I use some PL13 switches with the PL10 solonoids and have not had problems with them as of yet either. One thing I will say is, all of my Peco solonioids are powered from NCE’s Snap-it switch motor controllers, which come equipped with CD units. If the onboard CD is not enough, you can patch in a larger one, but I have never had to do this. The turnout snaps quickly, firmly and positively every time. I power the Snap-It card from the rails so I have DCC control of the turnout from my NCE Powercab, I have installed local push button control switches to operate the turnout locally, which simply operates the Snap-It board via the push buttons instead of the Powercab. I can also operate the turnouts manually if I desire. Completely happy with this setup. The cards are not expensive and if you buy one or two every week or so, you will not even notice it.
Some years ago our club put in a Peco three way turn out. I fired it with a CDU.
Works fine.
Rich
These Snap-it units cost about $20 each?
https://www.modeltrainstuff.com/nce-524115-snap-it-accessory-switch-machine-decoder/
Add that to the price of the solonoid and the turnout itself, and you are talking an expensive package per turnout.
Anything that is ‘1 per turnout’ is going to be relatively espensive - the firware in the device and most of the hardware is capable of operating a lot more than one, so units that can operate multiple solenoids are significantly cheaper on a per turnout basis. EG, Digitrax DS64, it’s $48 and runs 4, so $12 each instead of $20. And it still has the local buttons.
–Randy
It is assuming you already have the turnout and the turnout motor, or you would not need it to start with. The Snap-it, at about 18-20 bucks is something that works, and it’s still only about 5-10 % the cost of a good DCC/Sound Locomotive. That’s what you pay for automation. Just don’t buy 10 at once. Spread it out over some time and you won’t even see it. You can also buy the Snap-it Quad for about 55-60 bucks. Better than 80.
P.S.
If you think this is bad, wait until you see what it cost to install working signals!!! [:O]
‘Cleaning Up’ Peco PL10 switch controllers?
Has anyone had the occassion to need to ‘clean up’ older, used controllers? I got a whole box of them recently that probably came off someones layout, and then set around for quite awhile. Some work perfectly smooth, and others are the slightest bit stiff.
Could they be soaked in something, then left to dry out totally before use.?,…somthing like that CRC electronic cleaner??