I noticed in the new Walthers Flyer some DCC “friendly” switches…
Things that make you go hmmmmm? Anybody see those and or have put one to the test?
The turnouts in the Walthers Flier appear to be the same ‘built by Shinohara for Walthers’ type that they have been selling - the ones that are frequently out of stock.
How ‘friendly’ they are is a matter of how they interface with your favorite powered rolling stock. Since I run EMU and DMU (and one steamer that picks up from one rail with a very short wheelbase trailing truck) I find all insulated frogs to be unfriendly. Others, with different pickup geometry, have been happy with them.
Some people consider hot-frog turnouts to be ‘DCC unfriendly.’ My take on that is they are sloppy operator unfriendly. If the switch points aren’t thrown to allow your locomotive clear passage, you should stop well short of the clearance point and wait until they are properly aligned. Bulling through should be confined to spring switches.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with hot frog handlaid specialwork)