ELECTROFROG VS INSULFROG
Dive into a discussion on the differences, pros, and cons of Electrofrog and Insulfrog turnout designs. Explore how these designs impact model railroad operations and learn which one may be best suited for your layout.
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Presentation Transcript
ELECTROFROG VS INSULFROG A discussion on the differences, pros and cons, of the differing turnout designs
Insulfrog note the plastic inserts which insulate the closure rails from the frog, and the point rails from each other.
Each closure rail is connected to its corresponding point rail underneath the turnout. The two bonding wires do not intersect.
And heres the problem that can occur with Insulfrog turnouts. While the outside stock rail on the diverging route is solid, there is a considerable gap on the inside rail between the closure rail and the point rail. In this extreme case the gap is about 3 cm, and this can cause a stall in close- coupled track pick-ups on locos, particularly shunters.
Insulfrog narrow insulation between the point rails Another problem with Insulfrogs occurs due to the closeness of the two point rails, which are of different phase.
The solution is to cover the offending section with clear lacquer, or file the gap between the rails with a narrow file and fill the gap with epoxy
One solution to the stalling problem - an Electrofrog point
Electrofrog all metal. Closure rail and wing rail are continuous, and the two point rails are connected, physically and electrically.
This diagram shows the power distribution for an Electrofrog. Note the phase of the left and right rails on the diverging track.
With wiring busses installed on all rails, the joined point rails cause a short.
The solution is to isolate the point rails from the power busses beyond the turnout. But this introduces a new problem look at where the power comes from for the switch rail/frog/ point rail on the through track.
The power for the switch rail/frog has to be provided through the contact between the stock rail and the switch rail. Problematic if you have oil or grit in the gap. Conducting tabs No conducting tabs Even when the turnout has conducting tabs, there can still be a problem with good contact.
Peco provide some design features in the Electrofrog that overcome the problem of power to the closure rail/frog/point rail. It involves making a positive connection between the stock rail and the closure rail. But this introduces another problem.
Solder links across the underside of the rails to join the stock rail to the closure rail If power is connected directly between stock rail and closure rail then we end up with both phases being provided to the toe of the frog through the underneath wire bonds, so we are back where we started.
The answer is to cut the closure rails just prior to the frog, so that power comes directly from the stock rail to the switch rail/closure rail, but not to the frog.
This is what the underside looks like after the modification.
But were back to the original problem there is now no power supplied beyond the cut in the closure rail until we pass the insulating joiners at the end of the point rail worse than an Insulfrog!
But there is a fix for this as well. Peco provide a pigtail connected to the frog that allows power, with the correct phasing, to be provided to that part of the turnout.
Peco provides a SPDT switch that can be connected to their solenoid switches, providing power of the correct phase to the frog as the turnout is switched.
Or you can use a more elegant solution by using the SPDT output from a Cobalt or Tortoise switch motor, or even Tam Valley s juicing board that automatically provides the correctly phased power for up to six turnouts. Frog juicer from Tam Valley Depot Correctly sets the phase of up to six frogs
There is yet another problem that can occur as steel wheeled locos or wagons pass over the space between the stock rail and the switch rail. This occurs if the gauging of the wheel/axle combination is bad, or a long unarticulated loco passes over a curved turnout.
BUT WAIT THERE S MORE Peco are now taking steps to overcome some of the complexities of having two turnout designs by introducing the Unifrog to replace them.
In the Unifrog, the stock rail/closure rail connection is incorporated at manufacture, and the insulated joiners, normally at the junction between the point rail and the next section of track, are brought in to the heel of the frog.
The wiring of these new turnouts is a development of both the Insulfrog and Electrofrog designs. For current users of the Electrofrog or Insulfrog versions of our turnouts the new Unifrog gives modellers the best of both worlds. As supplied, the turnout is wired completely live , except for the frog tip and wing rails, and can be used straight out of the packet without any further modification (and so behaves like an Insulfrog). The stock rails are wired to the closure rails at the factory, which in turn are connected to the corresponding point rail. This means the turnout is completely live (except for the tip of the frog), no extra wiring required. If the turnout is being used as a switch to isolate a section of track then it is simple job to remove the wire that joins the closure rail and stock rail and it will work like a current Insulfrog. Peco provides a pair of pigtails to allow wiring the turnout to behave like an Electrofrog. (They have been spot welded onto the appropriate places.) To change frog polarity the PL-13 or PL-15 change-over switch/microswitch, or the SmartSwitch SmartFrog PLS-130 with do the task. A Frog Juicer or a mechanical switch would also work.
