I wish I could get a Direct answer, not like a politician!!! someone please tell me… if I use code 83, either Micro Engineering, Shinohara, or Atlas for my Modern Diesels and Steam Locomotives, and code 100 on the outside for my main lines… is that Ok as long as they are separate??
Then for DCC, if I buy Peco Outlets, Which one is for DCC, Electrofrog, or Insulfrog? Not just friendly but is set up for DCC with out changing anything… or is that just a Myth.
We should have a big discussion on this topic as, there is so many different opinions… Thanks David, New Guy
you can use code 83 and code 100 together. when transitioning from one to the other, you can opt to purchase the ‘special transition track’ or file to top & side of the code 100 rail to match the code 83 to have a smooth transition.
electrofrog is better for short wheel base locos as there will be more ‘live’ rail at the frog to pick up power. insulfrog is electricaly dead at the frog. both should be DCC ready. which one fits your situation better is your choice.
all turnouts / switches / outlets need to be fed power from the point side of the switch. some will power the rails past the frog and others won’t (power routed VS non power routed). a recommendation is to have power feeders at both ends of the switch (3 ends total). again, the choice is your depending on how you intend to operate.
I agree with “Wazzy”! I will second his thoughts on making sure the transition portion of the tracks is totally smooth in all dimensions.
You made me laugh! In the many years I’ve been on the forum I’ve never had a problem with “politicians”. Most everybody has no hesitation in calling a spade a spade - although some are more tactful about it than others.
Why, if your going to buy that piece not just buy the atlas joiners to go from code 100 to code 83? They are cheaper and, in my opinion simple because you just lay track like you would but instead just use a transition joiner as opposed to a regular joiner.
The Atlas transition joiner is just a joiner that can be bent in the middle so you can align the tops of different code rails. They will then need to be shimmed to support the ties of the smaller track piece.
Ok I hope I explained myself correctly… I have a Rivarossi Big Boy, and also Athearn Big Boys and Challenger…coming in the future, when they are delivered… So, I need to run the Rivarossi on Code 100 (is that Correct)… and the new Athearn and Broadway Limited Big Boys and Challenger can be run on both Code 83 and Code 100… just use the transition the Special Transition Tract… and this way the Rivarossi can always be on the Code 100 and the Diesels and other smaller and Newer Locomotives can run on both…
So I like the Peco Outlets as they have a Spring action that you can feel snap into place… but your saying that if I get them I will still have to Run wires from the Bus line to them for DCC…Same as I do for the tract.? Did I get that right?
Thanks so much for answering and I hope you can answer again to confirm… Thanks David
hello Thanks for answering, thanks for the lecture, Sorry, to get the word, Outlet confused with Turnout or even Switch… being on the Los Angeles Fire Department for 32 years, I am sure if you had a Problem I would be the one you would want to call… maybe at 72, I am slowing down and the learning curve is a little slower… hahahahaha ok and thanks for the information… I built my first Koi Pond, 40 feet long, 20 feet wide and 7 feet deep, moved 5 to 7 tons boulders into my yard, Hired a Back Ho Driver, a huge Crane and built a great pond, and didn’t even have a written plan… So I am sure to get this right also, and Yes I am studying and asking questions, as electrical is not my suite…David
To me, DCC friendly is more of a marketing thing. Someone here may say differently. Anyway, after laying around 100 turnouts for DCC layouts using Shinohora, Atlas and Peco, I have found they all work good as long as normal turnout rules are followed. One thing that makes the turnouts and DCC not work well with each other is when the wheel treads bridge two track sections near the frog. So, making sure the wheels are in gauge and the guard rails keep the wheels over from the frog are key. Several times I’ve had to add shims to the guard rails to keep the wheels from picking at the frog to avoid derails. This also makes things DCC friendly.
To piggy back on the above, there is no need for the extra cost of a transition track. Not only that but you don’t even have to buy the Atlas transition joiner! Just take a strandard Atlas joiner and grind the center out above the bottom. Then you can take some needle nose and bend a “step” into the joiner and you’ve got the same thing as the commerical product for no more cost than a standard joiner and a few minutes of your time. All you have to do is put the lower step of the joiner on the Code 100 and the higher step on the code 83 and then do a little tweaking to make sure the tops of the rail is flush in the and the inner sides flush. You can apply a little solder to lock it in place.
As far as running your Rivarossi “Big Boy” on only Code 100 - do you know if it is an early production (AHM box) or a later production (red box)? Bothearly and late types did come in red boxes. The original production of all Rivarossi steamers came with “European style” flanges on the wheels that were very deep compared with the standard USA RP25 wheels. You can tell that the wheel flanges look deeper and sharper than your American made equipment. Later Rivarossi production had wheel flanges that were in conformance with NMRA Recommended Practice #25. The difference can be huge for your purposes - late Rivarossi “Big Boys”, “Challengers” and their UP 4-8-4 models all had RP25 wheels and could run on Code 83 track (or even Code 70). The “European” flanges were the reason that many people comment that the Rivarossi engine will only run properly on Code 100 track. If you have RP25 wheel you don’t need to worry about mixing sizes. You might find it easier to trade off an old Big Boy instead of mixing track sizes. TYhe prices have gone down a lot on Rivarossi UP steam since other manufacturers came into the market. Personally I am currently looking to get rid of older Rivarossi UP engines for newer items.
I’m not so sure about your Rivarossi. It is more than six years old? If it was produced prior to 2000, it probably/might need Code 100, but I wouldn’t bet on it. If it was released as a production run any time after about 2004, it should only need Code 83.
Think of it this way: the higher the Code, the taller the rail. The older pizza-cutter flanges popular years ago required tall rails so that the deep flanges would clear track details below the heads of the rails. Nowadays, virtually everything in production across companies for release in the N. American HO market uses RP-25 compliant wheel sets for the NMRA standards. What that means is the flanges should not impede your smooth running down to about Code 70. Therefore, any taller rails, such as the popular Code 83 and up will be fine.
The adapter joiners for use between Code 83 and Code 100 that are not both Atlas (this is important) work well, but you may have to file down the edges of the rail foot to get them on without slicing your fingertips. You will have to press up or down on the smaller rail once they are in place to get the flush alignment between the running surface of the two, but then it is very important to slide something snug and relatively unyielding under the lifted Code 83 rail to support it. A small thin slice of stripwood will do, maybe cardstock. Whatever you use, make it small, and immobilize it with dirt or ballast around and atop it that is also glued into place.
I have a DCC(stock DCC) Rivarossi Big boy from the late 90s and it’s good for code 83. The problem with it is that only half the drivers pick up electricity. So to make it reliable I added pickups for all the drivers.
DTbarron – Perhaps you are expecting a “politician” answer because you’ve entered this hobby laboring under the mistaken impression that there is only one way to do things. That’s almost never the case here, and things usually boil down to personal preference or some kond of cost tradeoff. As I think you will see if you peruse the replies above. And I think you’ll find that most of us are eager to provide advice, as long as we understand the question. And, FWIW, I have completed many backyard projects without any more planning than a mental picture of what I wanted. I wouldn’t dream of trying to build a layout without a plan. Generally, projects involving a backhoe don’t require a lot of precision. In model railroading, ignore precision at your peril…
You can fudge and trudge your way building a model train track system right up to the point where you make the last curve to close your loop of main line, if that’s the general design. That last curve, though…if it is nice and broad, good for you, but if it is less than about 18" in radius, good luck. A plan helps to eliminate the “D’oh!!”
Michael, an outlet is a diversion of energy, a way of reducing tension (our hobby does that for many of us), an opening for the release of a material such as sand or water, or a device for allowing connection to household electrical power. I think our OP may have been thinking of turnout, but couldn’t recall the name, or he may have taken a stab. In any event, he corrected himself on the first page of posts.