to add to my last post for switch read turnout. will changing the turnout change the polarety and or short the track
[#welcome] Welcome aboard, new-timer.
First, a bit of nomenclature to clarify what follows.
The turnout is the entire assembly that comes in a bubble-pack ready to install. The points and their attachments (all moving parts) are properly referred to as the switch.
If, as I surmise, you actually meant throwing the switch, it depends on the construction of the entire turnout:
Back in the dark ages, modelers depended on the points to carry propulsion power to the frog, which was usually made integral with the closure rails to which the points were attached by something that would conduct electricity. This is what Peco refers to as, “Electrofrog,” and does require rail gaps between the frog and any rail drop to prevent shorts. (Such insulating gaps are usually placed at the end of the frog-point rails if needed.)
More recently, so-called DCC friendly turnouts have been built with frogs either electrically dead or fabricated from insulating material. The points don’t carry any power and the closure rails are electrically connected to the adjacent stock rails. The rails forming the V of the frog are wired to carry the electrical circuit around the insulated part. The effect is that of having a simple tangent or segment of a curve where the turnout is located. Separate electrical gaps are not needed unless you are using track occupancy detectors for signal operation. However, if you might someday install such detectors it is a good idea to place insulating gaps in the frog rails at the clearance point of the turnout even though they aren’t needed for short prevention.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with hand-built, ‘Electrofrog,’ specialwork)
HI, I’m still a little confused on this bit with Peco turnouts, because I have insulfrogs but they seem to be routing the current like electrofrogs. Primarily I’m wondering if it is safe to join two insulfrog turnouts together point to point (or frog to frog with the diverging points touching opposite each other…) without having to insulate, or is this bringing the wrong rails into contact with each other and causing a short.
I can’t say with any authority, but I believe the Peco Insulfrogs are both insulated (duuuh!) and power routing. I find that I have to gap one of the two turnouts if I have them abutted to each other at the points ends. The gap would be at the two other exits on one of the turnouts.
This site, if you look in one of the text boxes dealing with Peco turnouts, gives the distinct impression that all Pecos are power-routing.
http://www.hobbylinc.com/prods/uk_pco.htm
-Crandell
Insulfrog turnouts can be dropped in any way you like with out worrying about shorts. This link is for the new guys.
http://www.wiringfordcc.com/switches.htm
Look around the site and read and heed. Even though it is mainly for DCC it will work just fine for DC.
Pete
While they may be DCC-friendly (frogs won’t short), if you’re putting in power-routing Peco turnouts frog-to-frog (as in a passing siding) you do need to insulate the frog ends of the turnouts or you’ll get a short if only one turnout is thrown. I insulate all four rails between the frogs and wire the insulated tracks between the turnouts directly to the buss. With DC you can wire one rail of each isolated track to a SPST switch to turn the track on and off. For further safety and efficiency, I wire the control wires of the switch machines to the same set of buttons, so that both turnouts throw at the same time.
Maybe it’s just dumb luck but I have passing sidings using Walthers/Shinohara DCC friendly and Atlas custom line turnouts and I haven’t insulated any of them. All work perfectly fine. I may be do to the fact that I have power drops on both sides of the turnouts and on every section of flex track being as I have given up soldering rail-joiners except on curves.