Wiring Peco Electrofog turnouts

[gringo]

Ok, so I'm figuring this out, but I have a question (or 3!). I'm using N scale Peco track, and after following David Popp's article (MR, Apr 2005), I started to solder these "jumper wires" on a section of track that I'm assembling. I'm also attaching feeder wires to every rail joint- it's overkill, but I'm an ex-Marine, and I LIKE overkill... anyway, it dawned on me. With every possible rail having a feeder wire to it, is it necessary to go with the jumpers, as well? (Me thinks no.)

I know that I have to do some isolating of the rails, to prevent a short circuit- do I need only to isolate the inside rails past the frog? And if so, should they be isolated before, or after the rail joiner? (I'm thinking before)

The layout, btw, will eventually be DCC, but right now, I'm only going to wire it as one big block. When I get more dough and more locos, I'll get a DCC system, but I'd like the layout to be plug-n-play capapble.


Thanks for your help!

 

[Gary Pfeil]

Hi Gringo, gaps need to be cut in rails emerging from the frogs of power routing turnouts like the Peco. The gaps are not required unless there is a feed to the rail beyond the frog. Unless the rail beyond the frog is a dead end, there will be a feed. The gap, electrically, could go anywheer between the frog and the next feed to the rail. In practice, the gap can go where it best suits operation. Bear in mind that whena train approaches the turnout from the frog end, if the turnout is thrown against it, there will be a short when the locos wheels cross the gap. So generally it is best to put the gaps near the fouling point, the point where the train can't go any further without fouling the other route. This way you can run up to that point without creating a short. And if you do run beyond the fouling point, you'll get the short to let you know, before another train sideswipes you! More on these turnouts here:
http://www.the-gauge.com/showthread.php?t=19544&highlight=Peco