Problem with Atlas turnouts on DCC layout?

[wp8thsub]

If you look closely at the frog there are two rail ends attached that are very close together. These rails are opposite polarity. They are so close that a metal wheel tread can touch both… The solution is to paint the top of one of the rails for about 1/4 inch.

Which Atlas turnouts in HO? Current Altas code 100 and 83 turnouts (and any I’ve seen for the last 30 years or more) have a wide gap between the rails diverging from the frog, far wider than any wheelset can bridge. The problem you describe IS common with Peco insulfrog turnouts. Just curious if any older Atlas products fit the same description.

[zstripe]

One of the best ways to have a Atlas custom line turnout to be more reliable, is to power before the points, after the frog on the straight and also after the frog on the diverging route. Don’t relie on rail joiners.

Frank

Edit: I should have mentioned this but didn’t, for the upmost in reliability on Atlas custom line, add a jumper to each of the joints on the points where they hinge, you need a small watt pencil point soldering iron and copper braided wire, about #26, that is one of the weakest links on Atlas, is that hinge point. Best done before installing. Got that tip from Atlas years ago. takes some skill and patience though.

[richhotrain]

Redore
If you look closely at the frog there are two rail ends attached that are very close together. These rails are opposite polarity. They are so close that a metal wheel tread can touch both… The solution is to paint the top of one of the rails for about 1/4 inch.

Which Atlas turnouts in HO? Current Altas code 100 and 83 turnouts (and any I’ve seen for the last 30 years or more) have a wide gap between the rails diverging from the frog, far wider than any wheelset can bridge. The problem you describe IS common with Peco insulfrog turnouts. Just curious if any older Atlas products fit the same description.

Yep, Peco Insulfrog has that problem on occasion, not Atlas.

Frank is right on powering every end of every turnout, Atlas, Peco, whatever.

Rich

[Stevert]

If all of that doesn’t do the job then I guess I will have to look at powering the frogs. I am trying to avoid that because I already have 15 or so turnouts installed and I think it would be a real mess to try to get a wire attached to the frogs at this point without pulling up the turnouts.

If you’re using Atlas Custom Line turnouts, it’s not hard to do using parts that are readily available from Atlas.

Get a supply of #9200002 buss bars and #9200001 screws from Atlas. You’ll need one of each per turnout.

If you look at the bottom of a Custom Line turnout, you’ll see that one tie on either side of the frog, even with the screw holes in the frog, is recessed.

On your installed turnouts, just slide one of the buss bars into the recess until the hole on the end lines up with the screw hole in the frog. You can do this from either side, aligning the buss bar with the screw hole on that same side. Also, the holes in both ends of the buss bars are threaded so it doesn’t matter which end you insert.

When you have it aligned, just drop one of the screws through the hole in the frog, thread it into the bus bar, and tighten it up.

Then you can drop a feeder from the other end of the bus bar and connect it to the frog-powering solution of your choice - Tortoise contacts, Frog Juicer, etc. You can either solder that feeder to the buss bar, or attach it using another screw since both buss bar holes are threaded.

The Atlas screws are blackened, so they match the frog and are nearly invisible - No worse than the mounting hole you inserted them into. A little ballast and weathering will make the buss bars disappear, or at least less noticeable.

EDIT: Fixed grammar.