I am considering using Peco turnouts on my next N Scale layout but I’m really not familiar with them. Do I need to use the mounting bracket for the Peco switch machine? Does the machine mount under the board or do you cut into the board and drop in the machine? Are they much better than Atlas? Thanks for your help.
Peco has two versions, Insulfrog and Electrofrog. The rails that move to switch track lines is also spring loaded with tiny tiny springs that have just enough tension to keep the frogs? aligned, meaning easy manual operation. Just use your fingers. This needs to be watched of course, as I’ve heard of some rolling stock getting hung up on the springs. They are better than Atlas. Couldn’t find any info on the switch machine, the rest I already knew. I’m sure someone will come on and also explain the differences between the Insul and the Electro, I forget them. Hope I helped.
The switch machine fastens to the underside of the turnout. If you look at the two long ties you will see a square hole in the end of each one. The prongs on the ends of the legs of the switch machine go in these holes. The Peco switch machines are designed for both N and HO turnouts, so for N you will use the prongs on one end and the ones in the middle. The older ones had plastic prongs that snapped into the holes but now they have metal tabs. After inserting the metal tabs into the ties and making sure that the actuating pin goes into the hole in the tie under the moving points, twist the metal prongs about 45 degrees to lock them in place. You will have to create a hole in your base and roadbed for the switch machine to drop into. Note that the hole will extend out one side more than the other. You can cover the hole with a piece of thin styrene or cardstock where it sticks out the side or make a mask with a hole in the middle for the actuating pin to cover the entire switch machine. I made a template from a piece of plastic to make an outline for cutting the hole.
To wire the switch machine, two of the four lugs have to be joined tobether. Note that there are two coils, one at each end. Join together one lug from each coil on the long side of the switch machine. This goes to the common terminal of your power source. The other two terminals go to a momentary switch to select the route. Peco turnouts take more energy to operate them than Atlas turnouts, so if you plan to operate more than one at the same time (crossover or ladder track) you should use a capacitor-discharge supply. Like any other twin-coil switch machine, use only a momentary switch or pushbutton or you’ll burn them out.
As someone pointed out earlier, Peco turnouts have an over the centre spring built into them which allows you to operate them by hand and the points stay against the stock
Kajo, The Peco turnouts are imho far better than the Atlas , in N scale anyway, They may be more expensive up front, but should be pretty much trouble-free once You fine tune the frog points. I tried using the Atlas to’s on My old N scale layout & wound up replacing them with the Pecos. The Atlas to’s in ho seem to work just fine & that’s what I’m using since I’ve changed scales, but for N scale I would rec. the Peco. You can still use the Atlas flex track with them.
They are great turnouts and work flawlessly to a point. Since you didn’t say you were using the Code 55 or Code 80 but this piece of advise only applies to the Code 80. The turnouts are designed for European standards not our NMRA standards. What does that mean to us here in North America, our flanges are thinner and what can happen is the wheel can ride too close to the frog point and roll up and over the point causing a derail. Reason this happens is the space between the guide rail and rail is wider for European flanges. So what you will need to do is glue in a small piece of styrene to the guides and you will have yourself a flawless turnout. I’ve attached a pic for you to see what I mean.
Thanks, Seamonster, your reply was exactly what I was looking for. I’m just getting back into the hobby after about 20 years, so much to catch up on.
Thanks, Seamonster, your reply was exactly what I was looking for. I’m just getting back into the hobby after about 20 years, so much to catch up on. Just one more question, what’s the mounting bracket for, is it used in all installations or just special situations?
Thanks for your reply, we’ll be using code 80. I would guess that you used CA to glue the shims in place. The picture sure helped to clear things up.
Thanks for your help, we’ll be using Insulfrog’s, eventually we’ll be going DCC.
Thanks for the info, most people I’ve talked to agree Peco’s the way to go. This is for a club layout and we’re really concerned about reliablility. I think all of the club guys are leaning towards the Peco’s. Four of us are working on three yard modules using NTrack standards. All 3 track will have a thru siding, with track 3 having additional spurs off of it’s siding. The total length of the yard modules will be 10 feet.
I would strongly recommend that you use the electrofrog version of their turnouts, especially if you have any short wheel-base locos. With the insulfrog versions, there is a chance that you’ll have some of your locos stall when they cross the insulated frog and lose electrical contact. I only use the electrofrog version for this reason.
I agree with Maverick about installing styrene shims in the flange-ways to prevent derailments. I used super glue, the thin type, to hold the shims in place. This seems to solve the derailment problem, if there is one. I have also used Atlas code 80 flextrack with the Peco turnouts with no problems. I plan to manually operate most of my turnouts, so the sprung points are a real plus.
Bob
I believe if you go back many years and recover the magazine’s series on building a BN layout based on the Prairie du Chien area of Wis, you will see the writers explain how to derail proof the Peco turnouts (code 80) by gluing styrene strips much like the previous contributor illustrated.
You’re welcome. If I am right about what you call a mounting bracket, it’s designed to enable you to mount the switch machine under the layout so you don’t have to make that big hole for it. You have to extend the actuating pin and make it longer to reach up through the layout to the turnout. I tried mounting them that way and gave up. One, it was impossible to get the pin through the hole in the tie from under the layout by myself. Even with a helper up top it was hard. Two, I could never get the coil assembly aligned properly so that it pushed the points at precisely a right angle. Too much hassle. I’d rather cover the big hole.
BTW, if you make a template for cutting the hole, you can install the coils onto the turnout and pre-wire them at the workbench then just drop the turnout in place. It’s a lot easier that way than trying to push the coil assembly up through the hole and get the four legs and the actuating pin all aligned lying on your back under the layout.
Gordon Odegard got me hooked on N gauge Peco turnouts in his classic N gauge MR series on building the Clinchfield Railroad. I have no doubt that he considered them to be the best. This series came out about the same time that I was planning to build my first serious layout in HOn30. It is also about the same time that I was influenced by Frary and Hayden’s HOn30 Layout which used Peco N gauge track and turnouts to simulate HOn2 gauge. Since then I have converted to Peco HOn30 ( HOe scale) turnouts. I have been using Peco HOn30 and standard gauge turnouts ever since and I have had many years of trouble free service using both powered under turnout mounts and manual operation. Peter Smith, Memphis