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Wher and how to insulate Ross switches

MM Mike MillerOGR Forum Member

Please see attached right half of the track plan.  Please correct me where appropriate and add anything I may have missed   

 
Case 1 involves the 2 #125 switches between letters T & U.  Would the insulator pin go between the lower leg of the left switch and the single leg of the right switch ?  Any other insulator pin needed ?    
 
Case 2 involves a #131 switch above the two # 125’s.  Would the insulator pin go between the upper leg of the 125 switch and the lower leg of the 131 switch ?  Any other insulator pin needed  ?
 
Case 3 involves the spur side of the right #125 switch.  Would the insulator pin go between the lower leg of this switch and rest of the spur ?  Any other insulator pin needed ?
 
Case 4 involves the #130 switch to the lower right and the #131 switch to the lower left.  Since both are the same, does the insulator pin go on either side of the switch center rail on all three legs of the switch, on only the double leg side or just the single leg side. 
 
I think if someone would please answer these 4 examples, it should cover the rest of the switches on my layout.
 
I hope I’m not imposing, but some  answers would really help me out. 
Mike  

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Big_Boy_4005Big_Boy_4005OGR Forum Member

Are these Ross ready switches with the electrical bridges connecting the rail segments or simple manual switches with all of the rail segments electrically isolated?

 

If they do not have the electrical bridging, you do not need any insulating pins. Actually you have the opposite problem, and need to make sure that all legs are getting power from somewhere. That's what I do on my layout. Switches are a natural block separator.

 

Are you trying to do non-derailing? That's a whole different story.

 

AGHRMattAGHRMattOGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBERMEMORIAL SUPPORTER

When we buy Ross turnouts, we get the regular ones as opposed to Ross-Ready. The reason is we have control over which rails are live. Makes blocking much easier. On larger turnouts, using the regular ones allows tying closure rails on the non-thrown side to hot to compensate for engines with odd pickup roller spacing.

 

If you have Ross-ready, you can de-solder or cut the bridging bars if you have special insulation requirements.

Big_Boy_4005Big_Boy_4005OGR Forum Member

Matt, those are my feelings exactly. I bought a lot of mine used, so I ended up with a mixed batch. Eventually I got smart and found the ones without the bridging and used them on the mainlines. I saved the ones with for yards where all three legs are in the same block.

 

I'm not exactly sure what he's trying to accomplish here. Need more information.

Mike CTMike CTOGR Forum Member DIGITAL SUBSCRIBER
Originally Posted by Mike Miller:
My best understanding of the questions and related diagram. Isolation pins are added to the center rail only. 
(1.) I would try to maintain, main line track power through the switches in the questions listed.
(2.) You also want to separate main track circuits where you have cross overs.

Please see attached right half of the track plan.  Please correct me where appropriate and add anything I may have missed.   

 
(3.) Case 1 involves the 2 #125 switches between letters T & U.  Would the insulator pin go between the lower leg of the left switch and the single leg of the right switch ?  Any other insulator pin needed ?  No insulator pin required between these two switches.  You want to maintain your main line track circuit between these two switches.   
 
(4.) Case 2 involves a #131 switch above the two # 125’s.  Would the insulator pin go between the upper leg of the 125 switch, on the left, and the lower leg of the 131 switch ?  Yes to separate the two track circuits.  Any other insulator pin needed  ? No.
 
(5.) Case 3 involves the spur side of the right #125 switch.  Would the insulator pin go between the lower leg of this switch and rest of the spur ? Yes, if you want to isolate this spur from the main line track power and turn it off/on separately, Isolation pin is on the spur side of the switch.    Any other insulator pin needed ? No
 
(6.) Case 4 involves the #130 switch to the lower right and the #131 switch to the lower left.  Since both are the same, does the insulator pin go on either side of the switch center rail on all three legs of the switch, on only the double leg side or just the single leg side. If you are trying to isolate the long straight siding near the edge of the lay out, then you would need an isolation pin at either switch on the siding side of the switch.  Siding would then be powered separately from the main track which goes through points U and T.
 
I think if someone would please answer these 4 examples, it should cover the rest of the switches on my layout.
 
I hope I’m not imposing, but some  answers would really help me out. 
Mike  

Best wishes,

Mike CT

Last edited by Mike CT
Mike CTMike CTOGR Forum Member DIGITAL SUBSCRIBER

Mike:  you may want to note that we, Fort Pitt Highrailers, have done a lot of remodeling of our existing layout.  Here are some pictures of cuts, done with a dremel tool and insulated with styrene strips glued in place with CA.  A lot of this work was done for the non-derail feature added to the switches. 

 

Also note that the non-derail feature is important if for some reason you need to do power routing through the switches.  Sometimes when you place switches or other track detail close together, you can create electrical holes, where both contact pick-up rollers on an engine hit dead spots at the same time.  Your back to back switches between U and T have a potential for this problem. 

 

Pictures of isolation added on a remodel. Non-derail input track section near the switch frog wired to a DZ1000 switch motor.

  

Glued in place with CA Cyano-acrylate, super glue.

Both isolation sections ready for the wire to be solder.

Last edited by Mike CT
TH Tony HOGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBERDIGITAL SUBSCRIBER
Mike CT posted:

Mike:  you may want to note that we, Fort Pitt Highrailers, have done a lot of remodeling of our existing layout.  Here are some pictures of cuts, done with a dremel tool and insulated with styrene strips glued in place with CA.  A lot of this work was done for the non-derail feature added to the switches. 

 

Also note that the non-derail feature is important if for some reason you need to do power routing through the switches.  Sometimes when you place switches or other track detail close together, you can create electrical holes, where both contact pick-up rollers on an engine hit dead spots at the same time.  Your back to back switches between U and T have a potential for this problem. 

 

Pictures of isolation added on a remodel. Non-derail input track section near the switch frog wired to a DZ1000 switch motor.

  

Glued in place with CA Cyano-acrylate, super glue.

Both isolation sections ready for the wire to be solder.

When I have cut rails, I have never put anything in the cut and it seems to work.  Is the plastic just for extra protection just in case the rail moves?

thanks

tony

 

Mike CTMike CTOGR Forum Member DIGITAL SUBSCRIBER

"When I have cut rails, I have never put anything in the cut and it seems to work.  Is the plastic just for extra protection just in case the rail moves?"

Yes, the styrene strips pictured, add stability.  A very narrow cut the rails could touch.  I believe Ross or Gargraves has plastic pins also.   Also note that I had to add a piece of styrene at the frog, on this switch, the two isolate rail sections were touching.

 

 

Last edited by Mike CT
atanzatanzOGR Forum Member

doing some research on possible scenarios to wire up switches and found this thread from a year ago... the goal of the project is to reduce wiring since there will be nowhere good to hide it on a eye level shelf layout.

when wiring a dz1000 switch machine in a reverse loop is it possible (or recommended) to ONLY wire it for non-derail and use track power to actuate it? and not have a push button dz1002? the reason is there is one switch on my layout is over 30' from the control panel and if I don't have to run an additional wire out to it the better. 

thanks!

 

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