My New York & Atlantic layout

[cnw1961]

Can I suggest that the easiest method to power the frog would be to use one of these <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tudedude/3633464329/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/tudedude/3633464329/</a><!-- m -->
cutting it apart, and using the metal bit and screws to attach to the "spoke" and cause it to press down the arm of a microswitch mounted separately beside it, as the spoke moves in and out. That would mean that you don't need to remove/replace the complete unit if an adjustment/repair needs to be made.

Good idea! Sounds like the easiest way to connect a switch. I will keep that in mind in case that powering the frogs proves necessary.

I think you might find that you will need to power the frog on your hand laid turnouts. You already know the type of engines I run and I could never get them to run through an un-powered frog. Once one of the trucks hit the dead frog, the loco stalls.

Tetters, your train crews seem to be a lazy bunch! Taking every opprtunity to stop the train and have a break .

Seriously, I did not have powered frogs on my last layout and never encountered any problems. I test ran my engines on my new turnouts and even my lightest and shortest loco (DCC and sound) made it over the frogs without any problems. I did not build the turnouts exactly as shown in the Fast Tracks drawings. I changed the positions of the gaps that Isolate the frog to keep the dead area as short as possible ... but I hear you! As a precaution I will solder wires to the frogs when I lay track so that I can easily power the frogs if that should be necessary.

BiL, you are right, there are no totally new ideas ... so thank you for your very kind words!