Katier Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 Hi All, I'm currently assembling my first layout for ages and figure I'd make sure I'd get the wiring right. For now it'll be DC due to cost but in the future may be switched to DCC. I've attached the track plan with each planned segment being a different colour. I'm planning on having two controllers with each segment controlled by a DPDT swtich. Power coming in at the 'nose' of the points, in an effort to keep wiring simpleish Points are mainly unsulfrog at the moment - might be a couple of live frogs - just depends what I can get. What I don't quite 'get' is why we need to 'switch' the frog with live frog points. Surely you can power it from the nose and just use the built in wiring? If you need to power both 'forks' beyond the point then just insulate and put a new feed in? Currently due to cost it's 'hand of god' point switching - can't run to point motors and this is a fun get back to railway modelling layout. Point motors will come in with the next layout. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
amdaley Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 "What I don't quite 'get' is why we need to 'switch' the frog with live frog points. Surely you can power it from the nose and just use the built in wiring? If you need to power both 'forks' beyond the point then just insulate and put a new feed in?" As they come Electrofrog points can be used without alteration. Simply use two insulated joiners at the frog vee.One of the major reasons for switching the frog is because continuation of power to the switch rails & frog is dependent on the little tabs at the end of the switch rails.Over time these can become unreliable & lead to poor power conduction.The little tabs can become weak or a little bit on dirt between the rails can cause problems.Also depending on the type of point the hinge at the frog end of the switch rail can also become unreliable & can stop power from getting to the frog.The main reason for switching the frog is to improve reliability. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grovenor Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 I would suggest extending your brown section through the point and a couple of track pieces into the red, gives you a bit more flexibility IMHO. Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katier Posted April 25, 2011 Author Share Posted April 25, 2011 I'd set the brown section as a insulated section for release loco's that were unable to clear the points, so need a pilot loco to pull the train clear. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grovenor Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 Extending the brown section over the points won't make any difference to that move. Regards Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katier Posted April 25, 2011 Author Share Posted April 25, 2011 How would extending it improve things? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium NWJ Posted April 25, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 25, 2011 I agree about extending the brown section. This way you will only need to switch the brown and blue sections to reach the green section, at the same time you can have a train arriving or departing from the purple section via the red double slip to the yellow section. It adds to the operating flexibility that way. I have had a similar wiring set up to yours on a previous layout and found it restricitng, so much so that I rewired the loop in order to get the move that I suggested above. Neil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katier Posted April 25, 2011 Author Share Posted April 25, 2011 Ahh gotcha - thanks both. Rest looks ok? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium BR60103 Posted April 26, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 26, 2011 I would make the slip switch its own section, but automatically connected to either the appropriate red or purple section through the point motor. (See Linn Westcott's article "X Section -- the simplifier of Route Cab Control in Model Railroader about 1957.) This would let you run out of the purple section but leave a loco isolated in the red section. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grovenor Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 This would let you run out of the purple section but leave a loco isolated in the red section. You can already do that as the red section, except the slip itself, will be dead when the points are set to run to or from the purple section. Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katier Posted April 26, 2011 Author Share Posted April 26, 2011 You can already do that as the red section, except the slip itself, will be dead when the points are set to run to or from the purple section. Keith Not to mention, as I earlier stated, there are no point motors!! On that subject, most points are fleishman so would be surface motors too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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