Bachmann Online Forum

Discussion Boards => General Discussion => Topic started by: richardm on September 29, 2020, 11:46:26 AM

Title: EZ track turnouts
Post by: richardm on September 29, 2020, 11:46:26 AM
Can EZ track turnout frogs be powered. My turnouts have a plastic frog.
Title: Re: EZ track turnouts
Post by: Quentin on September 29, 2020, 02:35:02 PM
I though they were already powered? Or am I mistaken? This question might have to be answered by someone who is older and wiser than my 16 yr old self.

-Quentin
Title: Re: EZ track turnouts
Post by: rich1998 on September 29, 2020, 05:33:00 PM
Quote from: richardm on September 29, 2020, 11:46:26 AM
Can EZ track turnout frogs be powered. My turnouts have a plastic frog.

Not without a lot of work. Plastic does not conduct electricity.

I just did a Google search for, powering plastic frog turnouts, and found forums with discussions on this issue. Some members have a lot of experience and some here do also.
I doubt you would want to try this.
Replace the turnout with a powered frog.

I have hand laid my own turnouts some years ago. Stub turnouts 1870 era. Quite different. No frog.

Rich
Title: Re: EZ track turnouts
Post by: Gary Allen on October 14, 2020, 12:51:02 PM
Why would you want to power the frog?  My train works fine with plastic frogs.  The crossovers have metal frogs, but they are insulated from the rails.  If you power the frog, you have to switch the power between the two rails based upon the position of the switch.
Title: Re: EZ track turnouts
Post by: WoundedBear on October 14, 2020, 02:28:25 PM
Start running short 2 and even 4 axle equipment over #6 or #8 turnouts, and you will quickly discover why powered frogs are important.

All the turnouts on my layout are powered frog, and switch polarity using the extra contacts on the toggle switch that controls them.

It was a lot of work but well worth the effort.

Sid
Title: Re: EZ track turnouts
Post by: Trainman203 on October 14, 2020, 06:53:09 PM
The switches with plastic frogs are the ultra sharp radius ones meant to replace a section of 18" radius track.  Those are too sharp for very realistic operations anyway.  Consider replacing with number 4, 5 or 6 switches.  These do have metal frogs that can be powered by attaching a little lead wire supplied under the switch.  You do have to watch out for opposing polarity on the trailing side while operating but the elimination of stalling on a dead frog is well worth it.  
Title: Re: EZ track turnouts
Post by: Gary Allen on October 16, 2020, 07:30:28 PM
Is there a trick to attaching a photo to these messages?  I got mine down to 45K and I keep getting a message that the upload folder is full.
Title: Re: EZ track turnouts
Post by: Len on October 16, 2020, 09:07:26 PM
Quote from: Gary Allen on October 16, 2020, 07:30:28 PM
Is there a trick to attaching a photo to these messages?  I got mine down to 45K and I keep getting a message that the upload folder is full.

I wish they'd just get rid of that "Attach:" thing under 'Additional Options'. You can't upload pics directly to this forum. You have to upload them to a picture hosting site like Flickr or PhotoBucket and use image tags to link to them there.

Len
Title: Re: EZ track turnouts
Post by: Gary Allen on October 16, 2020, 09:30:35 PM
https://www.flickr.com/photos/190657318@N07/50496134891/in/pool-14760616@N23/
Title: Re: EZ track turnouts
Post by: Gary Allen on October 16, 2020, 09:34:45 PM
I really don't know if that worked or not.  Trying to share a photo of my grandson's train on our dining room table.  No basements in Oklahoma and no room in the garage.  Afraid we're limited to 18-in radius and short locomotives and cars.  He doesn't seem to mind.  He's 4 but does a good job driving the two trains.  Hasn't yet mastered switching the turnouts and crossovers.  A bit of a challenge using the Bachmann DCC controller we got with the first train set.
Title: Re: EZ track turnouts
Post by: Gary Allen on October 16, 2020, 09:36:06 PM
I don't have any train layout design software so I drew it up in AutoCAD.  Worked extremely well.
Title: Re: EZ track turnouts
Post by: Terry Toenges on October 16, 2020, 11:40:25 PM
Once you upload a photo to a site, open it up and right click on it. Click "copy image location" from the menu that comes up.
Then click the "image" tag in the box above the message area when you are typing your message. Paste the "image location" that you copied between the two image tags.
Like this but without the spaces: [ img ] image location [ /img ]
Title: Re: EZ track turnouts
Post by: Gary Allen on October 17, 2020, 11:24:24 AM
(https://www.flickr.com/photos/190657318@N07/50496134891/in/pool-14760616@N23/)

Took me a few tries to figure out which one was the image tag but got it.  Hope this works better.  Thanks Terry.
Title: Re: EZ track turnouts
Post by: Gary Allen on October 17, 2020, 11:25:22 AM
Well that didn't work.
Title: Re: EZ track turnouts
Post by: Gary Allen on October 17, 2020, 11:28:53 AM
(https://www.flickr.com/photos/190657318@N07/50496134891/in/pool-14760616@N23/)
Title: Re: EZ track turnouts
Post by: Gary Allen on October 17, 2020, 11:31:52 AM
In Flickr under "Group pool," I just get the option "Copy link address."  I assumed that would be what I wanted.
Title: Re: EZ track turnouts
Post by: Terry Toenges on October 17, 2020, 12:08:29 PM
I'm not familiar with Flicker. Copy link address should be what you want. Did you click on the little picture above (When you are in the message box,  (Just below the I))? Then paste the address between the [ img ] and the [ /img ]?
Title: Re: EZ track turnouts
Post by: Terry Toenges on October 17, 2020, 12:13:33 PM
The is the address for a pic off the net -
https://api.timeforkids.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/feature-cover_-train-k1.jpg?w=1455&h=970
I put it between the image tags. (I put spaces between the brackets so it wouldn't show the pic yet.)
[ img ]https://api.timeforkids.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/feature-cover_-train-k1.jpg?w=1455&h=970[ /img ]
Now, I remove the spaces from the brackets.
(https://api.timeforkids.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/feature-cover_-train-k1.jpg?w=1455&h=970)
Title: Re: EZ track turnouts
Post by: Terry Toenges on October 17, 2020, 12:32:19 PM
I tried to copy a photo from Flicker but I'm not having any luck with that. Flicker doesn't have the "jpg" in their photo address so it's not working for me. I'm not a Flicker member so maybe that something to do with it. I don't know. You can find it if you right click and go down into "page info" but that gets too complicated to explain.
Title: Re: EZ track turnouts
Post by: Gary Allen on October 17, 2020, 01:35:40 PM
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50496134891_3e37ac9c46_s.jpg)
Title: Re: EZ track turnouts
Post by: Gary Allen on October 17, 2020, 01:49:18 PM
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50498683502_cc5b101be4_s.jpg)

Layout via AutoCAD.  Haven't figured out how to expand to full page.
Title: Re: EZ track turnouts
Post by: Terry Toenges on October 17, 2020, 03:31:42 PM
You're getting there. Are you copying a thumbnail instead of the full image?
Title: Re: EZ track turnouts
Post by: Gary Allen on October 18, 2020, 05:05:03 PM
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50503339892_412537cb42_m.jpg)

This might be a little better.
Title: Re: EZ track turnouts
Post by: Terry Toenges on October 19, 2020, 12:40:02 PM
It looks like you figured it out.
Title: Re: EZ track turnouts
Post by: Trainman203 on October 19, 2020, 01:18:35 PM
Now we can see what you have.  Your switches for the spurs are the sharp ones that replace a section of 18" R track, designed for train set ease of drop in without having to cut track sections.  They have plastic frogs.  You can't power them.   I have three of those switches one one of my layouts and and don't like them but keep them because they allow one more car in the hole.  But almost everything on my roster looks incredibly ridiculous passing through something so painfully sharp.

Your crossovers are probably no.6 switches and do have metal frogs but I'm unfamiliar with them.  Look underneath and there probably a little lead wire that you can plug in to power the frog.  My no.5's have it but not sure about the crossovers.

I have 2 point to point layouts.  While I conduct relatively realistic train operations with set outs and pick ups, looking at yours makes me want an oval again.  Where I can just lay back and go brain dead watching the train passing.  On point to point you have to be 125% alert all the time.
Title: Re: EZ track turnouts
Post by: Quentin on October 19, 2020, 11:19:17 PM
Still didn't work...

So you're in Oklahoma too? I'm in the Tulsa area, to be vague lol.

-Quentin

P.S. There are a few basements in Oklahoma......

.... because my neighbor has one.
Title: Re: EZ track turnouts
Post by: Gary Allen on October 20, 2020, 10:23:30 PM
My uncle, who is no longer with us, had one in Oklahoma City.  A much older house.  The clay soil acts like a big flower pot and causes the basements to flood unless on a hill with some good drainage.  Tulsa is a bit different than western Oklahoma City; Tulsa has "soil."  We don't have anything that could be referred to as soil; just rock-hard clay.

Good info about the possibility of wiring the metal frog on my crossovers.  One of my two trains often momentarily stops when crossing one of my two crossovers.  Always gets going again but it is annoying.  I will take a look for a wire.  If I find one, I might need some help as to where to connect it.
Title: Re: EZ track turnouts
Post by: Trainman203 on October 21, 2020, 01:15:44 PM
Gary, as you journey through the wonderful world of model railroading, you will become progressively aware of certain immutable principles.  The one at hand that you are discovering right now is the constant stalling at switches principle. 

This is the principle.  If you have a dead frog, the engine wheel momentarily atop it cannot receive power; it is dependent on another wheel to pick up electricity for that exact short moment.  The principle holds that the precise necessary spot for pickup  the second wheel is on will always, by virtue of some bad vibe in the zodiac or some ho scale "depositing" pigeon, ALWAYS have some molecule of crud EXACTLY where contact for continuous operation is needed.

This means that without powered frogs you must assiduously and daily clean the track around the subject switches.  There are many ways to clean track, each with its religiously fervent adherents.  Myself, I like to rub the critical areas with a piece of cork roadbed or a "Cratex" block, both of which are non abrasive.  But you will find your own preferred method.
Title: Re: EZ track turnouts
Post by: Quentin on October 22, 2020, 09:13:59 AM
Gary,
What loco is that in the picture of your track? Or what set is it?

It kinda looks like the new "Yard Boss" set, but then again I can't see it very well.

-Quentin

Title: Re: EZ track turnouts
Post by: Gary Allen on October 22, 2020, 02:51:10 PM
Quentin, in the foreground: Baldwin 4-6-0, Southern #1087, locomotive & tender.  In the background: Echo Valley Express train set (2-6-0).
Title: Re: EZ track turnouts
Post by: Quentin on October 22, 2020, 09:54:50 PM
Oh, I never saw the one in the background. Thanks for pointing that out.

The Baldwin, how well does that one work? I'm interested in buying one (or more...).

-Quentin
Title: Re: EZ track turnouts
Post by: Gary Allen on October 23, 2020, 02:01:24 PM
It seems to run fine.  Speed scale quite a bit different from the Echo Valley train.  Have to crank the speed control knob up further for the same speed.  This causes me to readjust the control each time I switch back and forth between the two trains.  No big deal.  My only complaint is the short and long horns.  The Echo Valley train produces a loud, deep horn that sounds like a real train.  The Baldwin produces a quiet, high pitch "toot" that doesn't sound like a train at all.  It's so quiet, you can't really hear it unless both trains have stopped.  The other sounds are okay.
Title: Re: EZ track turnouts
Post by: Quentin on October 23, 2020, 05:11:29 PM
I will probably buy a Baldwin, just probably never use the whistle. Unless there is a way to buy one with just the DCC, no whistle included.

Thanks!

-Quentin
Title: Re: EZ track turnouts
Post by: Gary Allen on October 23, 2020, 06:27:44 PM
Quentin, I should have mentioned that the Baldwin does have a significantly higher likelihood of derailing over turnouts than the Echo Valley train.  Due to very limited space, my track curves and turnouts are all 18 inch radius.  That could be a factor.  Actually, I'm very impressed with the Echo Valley train set after getting the Baldwin.
Title: Re: EZ track turnouts
Post by: Quentin on October 24, 2020, 12:29:24 AM
Hmm...

I might just have to get both. I do need 3 more steamers, after all, so this would cut down 2 and leave me with only 1 left to get!

Thanks!

-Quentin
Title: Re: EZ track turnouts
Post by: Trainman203 on October 24, 2020, 08:51:44 AM
If you had a more advanced DCC system you could match the engine speeds better and adjust volumes up slightly. Whistle choice 1 is a much louder-recorded 3 chime, but to my western ears that eastern whistle doesn't sound like a train.

The 4-6-0 default whistle is a beautiful deep toned 5 chime but you are right, it's almost inaudible at default volume.  Better decoders have better amplifiers for louder whistles.  I have 5 of those ten wheelers but only two still have the stock decoders.  I never run them because they are so quiet.  Real trains are loud.  And I'm hard of hearing.  I have my engines turned up so high, you can probably hear them out in the yard. 😂😂😂
Title: Re: EZ track turnouts
Post by: Trainman203 on October 26, 2020, 10:12:48 PM
A more advanced DCC system can allow adjustments to cure all the operational and sound related ills described.