[wolfeinmane]

Hi All,

I have a bunch of expensive #6 Shinohara turnouts left over from previous layouts. On my new layout I want to go DCC for sure but, the added hassles of changing the Shinohara's to be DCC friendly is a real turnoff, and the time to do them just isn't available right now.

Can I have DCC engines and use DC turnouts so that the switches will be activated from the control panel and not the DCC cabs? Or is there a definite short issue? I don't totally understand the turnout requirements for DCC.

I realize I lose the functionality of switching the turnouts from the cabs but, that's not a big deal for me. I could still use the cabs for other accessories anyway and I could make the Shin's DCC friendly over time, like when I retire! Thanks.

 

[swiggy]

I use a 9-volt power pack to power my tortoise switches. I run a digitrax dcs50 and have no issues.

 

[wolfeinmane]

That's exactly what I thought myself! I have 4 DC power packs and I was going to use them to power the switches as well. So it's the wiring of the switch machine that causes the problems and not the turnout itself?

 

[Rangerover]

Maybe I'm confused but to make them DCC friendly you have to wire then so the frog doesn't short out before you even start to think about operating using you dcc throttle. And it's a little more complex, you would need a stationary decoder for each turnout so you can program and operate using dcc. Anyhow go here to see what you have to do to make them usable to run trains through the turnout without shorting out.

http://www.wiringfordcc.com/switches.htm

 

[NIMT]

No it's not the wiring to the switch machine that is the problem it's the configuration of the points and frogs on the Shinohara switches, To put it very simply it causes a dead short just hooking up the rails, and it doesn't matter if it running strait or diverging. You can put in insulators and use a device called a Frog Juicer to power them but that gets very expensive!
I have a ton of Shinohara turnouts and it really doesn't take very long to switch them over to make them DCC friendly. I can do one in about 15 min.
The switch machine only moves the points unless you use your switch machine to power the point or the frogs.

 

[wolfeinmane]

I posted a picture of my Shinohara code 100 crossover in my album, (can't figure out how to post in response), It seems to be fine for shorts, even has gaps all the way across the middle section. Checked out the frog juicer, very cool, but like you said big $$$ for my 32 turnouts

 

[NIMT]

I can't see the draw bar between the point, if it connects the two rails then it needs to be changed like mine.

 

[wolfeinmane]

Thanks for posting those pics, really appreciate it. So the chance of a wide wheel shorting out the points is that big of a deal...wow