I am considering the possibility of incorporating a Walthers [HO-scale]
3-Way Turnout in my track design.Might some of you have any experience w/ a 3-Way Turnout. I'd appreciate a quick opinion [good or bad] as to using one of these turnouts including the ease or the challenge of wiring one for electrifying the frog, etc.
Many Thanks! Matt
I have 3 3-way turnouts on the layout I am building. I have not wired them yet, but it looks to be interesting. They work real well when running rolling stock thru them. I am going to use Tortoise Switch machines, but have not figured how to do the 3 way switches w/it. ALso the power routing is another challenge. Also I would like to know anyone's experience w/running the switches w/Tortoise Switch Machines. Jai
Thank you in advance
Two individual turnouts are certainly easier to lay, wire and maintain. The prototype uses three way turnouts where space is restricted and that has to be the reason to use them on a model layout.
My experience has been with Fleischmann and Peco 3 way turnouts. With the Peco turnouts I wire them for route control rather than with four push buttons because there are combinations which are not allowable. The add on switches for the point motors allow you to set up sequential throws. There are three frogs to switch.
The wiring is not excessively complicated but I found it useful to sit down with some coloured felt markers and a stack of A4 paper to figure both the route control and the frog switching. You need two SPDT switches on each motor.
I am going to drop the 3-way idea. I think I would be better suited to handle your suggestion instead.
Most Appreciated! Matt
You don't want to experience ALL the fun parts of wiring your layout the first time around! Leave something for later. ;-) Do give Peco a try - they're pretty good!
Regards, Greg.P.
While my 3 way turnout is an odd shaped type (home made large radius double left hand, basically to large radius left handers merged together) it operates the same a std 3 way. After fixing to the layout I stood leaning on the layout with chin in hand studying the thing trying to nut out the wiring (for DCC, polerized frogs) and I tell what it is easier than you might think. Give me a day or two and I'll draw the diagram and post it on my web site. Peco insulfrog double slips are easier still.
Cheers Nigel
The code 75 double slips are available with live frogs! :-)
I start my wiring planning by drawing a grid on paper
- point positions on one axis plus turnout motor additional switch positions.
- individual frogs on the other axis. fill each square with the polarity required, "+", "-"or "0" for doesn't matter. (the center frog of a three way in the straight position for example) With any luck, the switch positions and frog polarities will line up in an obvious manner, or you might need to add a relay.
in article snipped-for-privacy@ihug.co.nz, Gregory Procter at snipped-for-privacy@ihug.co.nz wrote on 12/9/04 15:08:
With my luck, any live frogs on any layout I build would hop away, thus rendering the turnouts useless....
Welcome to my world.
Dieter Zakas
Luckily, Peco make dead frogs too - plastic ones which they stick down so they can't get away from you! Some of us electrocute our frogs so that they stay around where they should be. We change the direction of current flow from time to time so that we can direct them to the precise spot that we want them to sit.
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