Jump to content
 

Peco small radius points - modifying for DCC


meatloaf
 Share

Recommended Posts

Ive decided im going to modify my points and add frog switching for maximum reliability. The medium and large radius points have an exposed rail and stock rail on the underside where they can be bonded together. The small radius are different - see pic.

 

Do I need to cut away the plastic sleepers and if so where would you recommend doing it?

20200313_210339.jpg

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold
42 minutes ago, Butler Henderson said:

Suggest solder the necessary wires to the outside of the rail where needed rather than potentially weakening the framework of the point.

I would not worry about that. After all the medium and large radius turnouts come with the webbing already cut for you.

  • Agree 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

I found point clips to be a pestilential nuisance.  If they don't get gunged up and fail to work, they weaken and fail to make contact or they move and cause a derailment.  Either leave them alone or "bond and snip"!

 

Harold.

  • Agree 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

Is it possible to put to bed the "modification for DCC" title?

 

It is a modification for better switching reliability - regardless of DCC or DC/analog.

 

Cheers,

MIck

  • Like 1
  • Agree 8
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium
21 hours ago, RFS said:

I would not worry about that. After all the medium and large radius turnouts come with the webbing already cut for you.

 

If in doubt, stagger the sleeper cuts from one side of the point to the other.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, hobbyhorse said:

Very simple mods, with very reliable running.

Simon

IMG_2704.JPG.200ab11ce8482d0537f63c764b5e4eca.JPG

 

I would go a stage further with those connections. Instead of just bonding the rails together, why not connect them directly to the bus? It doesn't seem any more difficult to me.

  • Like 1
  • Agree 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium
1 hour ago, Pete the Elaner said:

I would go a stage further with those connections. Instead of just bonding the rails together, why not connect them directly to the bus? It doesn't seem any more difficult to me.

 

Ans also put a small dab of epoxy resin adhesive in the gap.

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Pete the Elaner said:

I would go a stage further with those connections. Instead of just bonding the rails together, why not connect them directly to the bus? It doesn't seem any more difficult to me.

Cuts down on the amount of wires to the bus. Although at times it sometimes gets out of hand with two wires to each section of rail.IMG_0837_2.jpeg.51e46f91e795ccd8d5de7af68ab6ebf8.jpeg

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
On 17/03/2020 at 07:15, hobbyhorse said:

Very simple mods, with very reliable running.

Simon

IMG_2704.JPG.200ab11ce8482d0537f63c764b5e4eca.JPGIMG_2703.JPG.ee02d6cf63bb24a520862a3863eebdfb.JPGIMG_2705.JPG.74e9155195af0601a0e3d8d927a9ced8.JPG

 

 

Sorry first ever post on this forum so please accept my gratitude for all I've learnt over the years.

 

I've been confused by electrofrog points for years but just when I thought I understood them, and knew what to do with frog polarity etc, I came across this posting which has baffled me again.

 

It looks like you have connected the stock rails directly to your power feeds (picture 3), then connected the stock rails to the outer rails (picture 1), then cut the stock rails to prevent shorting (picture 2). Correct?

 

If so then doesn't this mean there is no power going to the frog at all?

Link to post
Share on other sites

Welcome to posting.

 

The frog does have a separately feed via the point motor.

The reason why the switch blade have a power feed is it's only relies on two bent down tabs to transfer the power.

The outside rails also have power feed, it's very much belt and braces but over the years this system has worked faultlessly.

 

Simon

Link to post
Share on other sites

44 minutes ago, Red Baron said:

All of this makes me wonder when we will shift over to the loco's being re-chargeable with the power source internal to the chassis.  Dare I say it - just like the real thing?

 

A battery RC model railway system is available now, but they use bulky batteries which do not last very long.

This makes it far more practical easier to provide power via rails/wires. Dare I say it - just like the real thing? 

  • Funny 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Pete the Elaner said:

 

A battery RC model railway system is available now, but they use bulky batteries which do not last very long.

This makes it far more practical easier to provide power via rails/wires. Dare I say it - just like the real thing? 

 

Not sure the real thing provides power via the running rails....  

  • Funny 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, bartram108 said:

Of course it does - how about the London Underground, plus all the EMU's using the 3rd rail principle!

 

I don't think you are grasping the wheel to steel interface aspect of running rails. :)  

Link to post
Share on other sites

On 17/03/2020 at 08:32, Pete the Elaner said:

I would go a stage further with those connections. Instead of just bonding the rails together, why not connect them directly to the bus? It doesn't seem any more difficult to me.

 

On 17/03/2020 at 11:28, hobbyhorse said:

Cuts down on the amount of wires to the bus. Although at times it sometimes gets out of hand with two wires to each section of rail.

 

Just extend the dropper from the bus to bond the rails. Only one wire per rail.

 

 

  • Agree 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...