Shinohara Code 83 track DCC Friendly now???

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

I have come accross Walthers Code 83 Shinohara track that is “DCC” friendly… Does that mean it now has insulated frogs? (I hope), I am building my lay out and am going tottally DCC so this is very important to me. Also when ordering how do i know I am getting the DCC friendly Vs the non-DCC friendly walthers Code 83 track? some sites dont tell you what kind they are selling, and some dont know what DCC friendly is, and “Walters” hasnt responded to my e mail yet…

2

yes they have a new line of DCC ready turnouts. be warned they use the same stock numbers as non-dcc ready, except they’ve added an 8 on the beginning. so 801(non-dcc) is now 8801(dcc), so look for 4 digit stock numbers.

Jay

3

“DCC friendly” is pretty much a meaningless term. We have Walthers code 83 turnouts with uninsulated frogs on our DCC-operated MR&T club layout and they work just fine. The wheels have to be in gauge, but they should be anyway, and the point clearance has to match the NMRA gauge too, which it does. Does a train short out if it runs into a turnout that’s not set correctly? Yes, but as long as I’ve been in model railroading I’ve thought the idea was to line the turnout BEFORE you run the train over it.

I build my own turnouts at home with insulated frogs and the points and closure rails hard-wired to the stock rail feeders. I don’t do that to be “DCC friendly,” even though I’m using DCC. What I want is a positive current path without relying on the points contacting the stock rails, and a more prototypical point clearance than the NMRA standard.

It makes sense to pay attention to how your turnouts look and how they work electrically, but don’t be misled by worrying about them being “DCC friendly.”

So long,

Andy

4

I just dont want it to be “Power Routing” as a couple of parts on my Layout will be essentially a big loop, while the Passanger train is making the rounds so to speak I dont want to have to stop all my switching operations, or constantly through switchs to keep form getting shorts. I know Power routing is GREAT for DC, but DCC makes it pretty much obsolete. so Just what is the Difference between the Non0DCC friendly and DCC Friendly walthers Code 83 turnouts?

5

just got my reply back from Walthers, the Code 83 stuff now has insulated frogs!!!

6

Power routing is easy to deal with, just put insulated rail joiners on the two rails that go to the frog. Your regular feeders will take care of everything else (12 guage, with feeders every 3 to 6 feet, 20 guage no more than 10" long).

E-mail me if you want a sketch…

7

What is my problem? When I try to search the Walther’s Catalog by “Track”, I only get Shinohara Code 100 and Code 70, but if I type in the stock number given above, it will show me that Code 83 item?

Am I missing something?

Rob

8

Hi Rob;

Shinohara makes code 83 for Walthers, who market under thier own brand.

9

try walthers as the company and then track as the item in the advanced search.

Jay

10

Ah… my problem was I was seaching on Shinohara (Mfr. 669) when Wathers Shinohara Trackage is Mfr. 948.

NOW I found it.

Anybody know about the availability of this stuff? I see some things listed as out of stock (strange that RH turnouts would be out of stock, when left ones are in stock!)

I just don’t want to get into a situation where I’ve chosen my track system, and then I can’t get the track I want. :frowning:

Rob

11

The hobby shop I used to deal with before the owner retired said he sold four (or more) right hand turnouts for each left. He claimed it is because we are a right handed world and it is more natural. Maybe it is because of two through tracks so the only direction to go is away from the track and most of us make facing point turnouts. Other than that I have no answer.