Wiring Insulfrog SL-90's

[dogbox321]

Hi, as we approach a New Year, I am just at the point of laying the track and wiring a first layout.  The layout is mainly designed to give my son the ability to "run" some trains, whilst giving me the opportunity to learn the skills required to produce a layout of a life time....based on Exeter and South Devon.

 

If support from fellow modellers is positive, when I get chance I will start a blog, to give a little back to the hobby and hopefully inspire others to have a go.  I have made some pretty solid baseboards in my Garage Loft and have planned for a 4 track mainline using a Gaugemaster Model Q controller, so DC for now, although DCC in the future may be a possibility.

 

My issue is wiring up two double slips on two of the mainlines which connect between all 4 main running tracks.  Just tried to put a photo in, but for some reason it wont permit it (unfortunate, because I am a firm believer in a picture saying a thousand words), but basically the formation is a Peco Right Hand Medium Radius, Double Slip, Double Slip and Curved Point onto the 4th track.

 

Firstly, my question relates to how I need to wire it and whether I need to use Insulated Rail Joiners, so that potentially all 4 tracks can operate trains over the double slips when required.  I just cannot seem to get my head around the matter.  

 

Secondly, on the underside of the point, there are connections between the rails.  Do these need cutting when utilising double slips with more than one controller, as otherwise some mainlines will supply power to other tracks?

 

Many Thanks for any assistance in anticipation....hoping you can help.

 

Happy New Year...and a 2017 understanding Double Slips...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

[amdaley]

Hi, as we approach a New Year, I am just at the point of laying the track and wiring a first layout.  The layout is mainly designed to give my son the ability to "run" some trains, whilst giving me the opportunity to learn the skills required to produce a layout of a life time....based on Exeter and South Devon.

 

If support from fellow modellers is positive, when I get chance I will start a blog, to give a little back to the hobby and hopefully inspire others to have a go.  I have made some pretty solid baseboards in my Garage Loft and have planned for a 4 track mainline using a Gaugemaster Model Q controller, so DC for now, although DCC in the future may be a possibility.

 

My issue is wiring up two double slips on two of the mainlines which connect between all 4 main running tracks.  Just tried to put a photo in, but for some reason it wont permit it (unfortunate, because I am a firm believer in a picture saying a thousand words), but basically the formation is a Peco Right Hand Medium Radius, Double Slip, Double Slip and Curved Point onto the 4th track.

 

Firstly, my question relates to how I need to wire it and whether I need to use Insulated Rail Joiners, so that potentially all 4 tracks can operate trains over the double slips when required.  I just cannot seem to get my head around the matter.  

 

Secondly, on the underside of the point, there are connections between the rails.  Do these need cutting when utilising double slips with more than one controller, as otherwise some mainlines will supply power to other tracks?

 

Many Thanks for any assistance in anticipation....hoping you can help.

 

Happy New Year...and a 2017 understanding Double Slips...

 

You'll find the double slip wiring diagrams here.

 

http://www.brian-lambert.co.uk/Electrical%20page%202.html#DOUBLE

[BR60103]

Dogbox:

you need insulated rail joiners in both rails in the points that join all the mainline tracks. That boils down to each end of the double slips.

You will also need to isolate each double slip from the mainline that it is in. For this, luckily, you can move the IRJs down the line a bit and solder wires to plain track, rather than a 30 pound point.

 

My preference for wiring a slip is called an X section. A DPDT switch on one of the point motors connects the small block with the slip to whichever mainline track the slip points at. The consideration here is how to hook up the simple points at the end of the ladder. This becomes more obvious if you have a lot of blocks and cab control on your mainline tracks. You need to switch the farthest track you're going to to agree with the starting track.

[ejstubbs]

You'll find the double slip wiring diagrams here.

 

http://www.brian-lambert.co.uk/Electrical%20page%202.html#DOUBLE

 

 

That diagram is for the electrofrog double slip.  The OP's title says that the question is about the insulfrog version, the SL-90 (note that there is no SL-E90, Peco only do an electrofrog double slip in code 75).

 

I'm told that it helps if you think of a double slip as a pair of turnouts back-to-back (or toe-to-toe if you like).  Basic wiring rules would then suggest that you should apply power at the outer rails in centre of the slip (ie at the toe end of each 'turnout').  With insulfrog you shouldn't get any polarity switching issues requiring IRJs, but with the sort of setup the OP describes you would very likely find yourself powering bits of track from controllers you didn't expect, or even two controllers at the same time.  The simplest way to avoid that would probably be to operate each slip as a small power section in its own right, so IRJs on all rails in and out of each slip after all.

 

There's another couple of threads about insulfrog double slips here and here.  Other sources of online information can be found by Googling "wiring peco insulfrog double slip".

[DCB]

As BR60103 says IRJs on every corner.       Feed wires ideally need to go to the outer rails which can be difficult and you may need to solder to the point,      You probably need dpdt switches as a minimum to switch the feed between circuits or controllers, either point motor mounted or panel mount, a three four way rotary might be useful with an Off position and facility for indicator lights as to which controller it was wired to.

I often use pairs of change over micro switches instead of a DPDT on point motors or point tie bars.    Double slips are easier to wire than Live frog diamond crossings, and run nicely on the straight roads, they are just a bit tight on minimum radius

 

A  wiring diagram and track plan would be really helpful.

[amdaley]

You'll find the double slip wiring diagrams here.

 

http://www.brian-lambert.co.uk/Electrical%20page%202.html#DOUBLE

 

 

That diagram is for the electrofrog double slip.  The OP's title says that the question is about the insulfrog version, the SL-90 (note that there is no SL-E90, Peco only do an electrofrog double slip in code 75).

 

I'm told that it helps if you think of a double slip as a pair of turnouts back-to-back (or toe-to-toe if you like).  Basic wiring rules would then suggest that you should apply power at the outer rails in centre of the slip (ie at the toe end of each 'turnout').  With insulfrog you shouldn't get any polarity switching issues requiring IRJs, but with the sort of setup the OP describes you would very likely find yourself powering bits of track from controllers you didn't expect, or even two controllers at the same time.  The simplest way to avoid that would probably be to operate each slip as a small power section in its own right, so IRJs on all rails in and out of each slip after all.

 

There's another couple of threads about insulfrog double slips here and here.  Other sources of online information can be found by Googling "wiring peco insulfrog double slip".

 

Yes you're right & I should have made it clear that he doesn't need to switch the frog polarity. The only difference is that in the insulated version you don't need to switch the frogs.

Seeing the op is running a Gaugemaster Model Q controller I take it he's separated all four mainlines of his layout into power sections so it would be better for him to treat each double slip as a separate unit with its own power feed fed from whatever power section he desires. Otherwise as you say he may end up feeding a slip from more than one power sections at a time.

[Silver Sidelines]

Lots of advice, some links that might be useful:

 

First the instructions

 

https://flic.kr/p/P1my1h

 

https://flic.kr/p/NjfkTN

 

and then a single slip in place.

 

https://flic.kr/p/Pmg3AC

 

PECO are quite clear analogue DC (Gaugemaster Q) you need insuated rail joiners and separate feeds to the opposite rails.

 

If you are not yet familiar with 'cab control / sections'  you might need to swat up and get the best out of your layout.

 

https://flic.kr/s/aHsjyP3VJS

 

A lot to take in - I can see 2017 being a busy year.

 

Good luck

 

Regards

 

Ray

[dogbox321]

Hi All,

         Happy New Year to you all.  Many thanks for all your kind input, as requested here is a photo of the main junction, if it is of help.  I have managed to get a file to load to RMweb, via a print screen and a word document!    You can see the 4 main lines and the point work I'm proposing.  (You can also see that without the double slips, there is not enough room!)

 

Any further comments appreciated.

 

Thanks!

 

 

 

 

 

Main Jcn Picture.docx

[Silver Sidelines]

Hello (again)

Any further comments appreciated.

 

I have attempted to add some pointers onto your layout.

 

The double yellow arrows show where I think there should be pairs of insulated rail joiners.  (There will also need to be some pairs on the opposite sides of the 'circles of track ' but that comes with Cab / Section control.)

 

I have shown red arrows for track feeds from the Common Return.

 

Then I have shown four blue arrows which will come from seperate track feeds I suggest controlled by single pole switches.  You will need a separate switch for each controller - although there may be other cunning ways, perhaps a rotary switch if you are using all four outputs from the 'Q:'

 

Regards

 

Ray

Main Jcn Picture Suggestion.docx