As others have said here, the best, easiest to understand tutorial on this age-old topic. Well done, That Model Railway Guy.
@ThatModelRailwayGuy3 ай бұрын
Glad you think so... although I'm not sure how age-old of a topic it is given that the Unifrogs have only been available for a few years so far. Thanks for watching 😃
@tagsdm3 ай бұрын
@@ThatModelRailwayGuy Oh, oops, I just meant the topic of insulating frogs and the whole electrical path issue. So much has changed over the years!
@ChapelEndJunctionUK3 ай бұрын
One of the best point explanations that I have seen .
@ThatModelRailwayGuy3 ай бұрын
Glad to hear that! I feel like a lot of people think they're more complicated than they really are. Thanks for watching 😃
@niallmckelvie3 ай бұрын
I've used SEEP point motors in the newer part of my layout and discovered, very early on, that getting the alignment right for correct operation of the power switching function was very difficult (especially when the baseboard is in place), so I use latching relays, which hold their position, even when unpowered. If using a CDU, put a 1k resistor between the coil's common return line and the CDU return line, as the greater current caused by the high voltage can cause the coils in the relay to burn out.
@ThatModelRailwayGuy3 ай бұрын
I can't say I've had any issues with alignment myself. You can see at 07:58 I flip the rod back and forth to find the sweet spot where the contact touches the power feed on each side before marking the position so I'd recommend trying that. With solenoid motors you really need to be using momentary switches. If you're using those there shouldn't be any concern about the motor burning out (even with a CDU) as the burst of power is so short. Thanks for watching 😃
@Allthegauges3 ай бұрын
I really appreciate this video and that You took the time to go through everything, also having a visual diagram as You explained it really helped to follow along, Thank You for making this video, Electro frog points don’t seem as daunting now, Thank You :)
@ThatModelRailwayGuy3 ай бұрын
Really glad you found it helpful and I'm glad the diagrams were worthwhile... it would have been a pretty boring video otherwise. Obviously while there was some info about Electrofrogs in here the focus was on the Unifrogs - just in case there was any confusion. Thanks for watching 🤩
@DavidJones-hd1jj3 ай бұрын
The best presentation I have seen on this topic. Thank you.
@ThatModelRailwayGuy3 ай бұрын
I'm really glad to hear that David, I did want to make something that was really easy for everyone to understand while still being entertaining. Thanks for watching 😃
@nigelcole19363 ай бұрын
Ah I see the point now! Many thanks for a very interesting and informative video. Well done for demystifying this aspect of the installation.
@ThatModelRailwayGuy3 ай бұрын
I see what you did there 😉 It’s definitely one of those things which I think is helpful for people to understand, especially as Unifrogs become more widely available from Peco. Thanks for watching 🤩
@pim12343 ай бұрын
This is a vid I will use many many times in the future ! Tnx !
@ThatModelRailwayGuy3 ай бұрын
Awesome, that’s great to hear. I can imagine lots of people will refer back to it in the future when it comes to wiring up their points. Thanks for watching 😃
@railwayjade3 ай бұрын
You have SUPERB content! Very neat work!
@ThatModelRailwayGuy3 ай бұрын
Thank you! I do work as hard as I can to keep things interesting and informative. Thanks for watching 😃
@davidspottiswoode38312 ай бұрын
You’ve just made my brain relax! Perfectly simple. Thank you!
@ThatModelRailwayGuy2 ай бұрын
Really glad to hear that David! Thanks for watching 😃
@loispadgett63063 ай бұрын
I like how you explaned the unifrogs I understand with the help of the colored wires you use. Thanks for sharing. GOD BLESS from America 🚂💖🚂💖🚂💖🚂💖🚂💖
@ThatModelRailwayGuy3 ай бұрын
Glad you found it helpful. It was definitely a good idea to use the same colours on the diagram as I had on the layout in real life. Thanks for watching 😃
@iansngauge3 ай бұрын
Great explanation of the differences between the different styles of points! The other advantage Unifrog points have of course, is that they don't rely on the switch blades to "route" the power, which means no more "sticky" patches when the track gets a bit dirty! Just wish the Unifrog points were available in more styles in N gauge! All the best, Ian.
@ThatModelRailwayGuy3 ай бұрын
Yes I've heard of lots of people adapting electrofrog points to work in this way so it's nice that PECO have built it in for the unifrog points. I believe the plan is to upgrade each point to a unifrog as the current mould/tooling comes to the end of its life. It won't be a speedy process but generally we should start to see more and more unifrogs appearing on the market. Thanks for watching 😃
@gregmacdonald9273 ай бұрын
Nicely done. And of use no matter what scale you’re into, TT, N or OO. Thanks.
@ThatModelRailwayGuy3 ай бұрын
Absolutely, its the same across all scales and I think this method of standardisation is partly what PECO are going for with these new Unifrog points. Thanks for watching 😃
@barrypick53613 ай бұрын
Thanks that is so useful . I'm about to start a new project using unifrog...
@ThatModelRailwayGuy3 ай бұрын
Awesome, best of luck with it and I'm glad you found it useful. Thanks for watching 🤩
@chrisbarker55933 ай бұрын
Excellent video, thanks very much
@ThatModelRailwayGuy3 ай бұрын
Glad you enjoyed it Chris! It was good fun to make all the diagrams for this one. Thanks for watching 🤩
@adam_Fordham19883 ай бұрын
Thank you for that video, I never really understood unifrog points or who they worked so video was a big help 😀
@ThatModelRailwayGuy3 ай бұрын
My pleasure! I think a lot of people are confused by them but, as PECO's plan is to move over to these entirely in the future, it's something we really should be paying attention to. Thanks for watching 😃
@wheelsinmotion1963 ай бұрын
Great explanation and improvement there by peco on product design & user ability
@ThatModelRailwayGuy3 ай бұрын
It does feel like step forward to me. I can see why some people don't like them but overall I think it's going to make things a lot more simple for people going forward. Thanks for watching 😃
@Unmasking_Viandalisme3 ай бұрын
Ah! Thank you! Unifrog points now a must for my forthcominng project. Perhaps, starting the project could help motivate me to crack on with the mundane, "To do" list.🤓👍
@ThatModelRailwayGuy3 ай бұрын
Awesome, glad to hear it. They've definitely made a world of difference on my TT layout, especially with the smaller locos. Thanks for watching 😃
@davidsheriff89893 ай бұрын
Nicely narrated with colour graphic, easy to follow...well presented as usual. Question is the power source of any importance in this set up?
@ThatModelRailwayGuy3 ай бұрын
For powering the switching of the points themselves most people tend to use 16v AC for that. The wiring for the switching of the frog polarity is the same regardless of whether you're using DC or DCC for the track power. Hope that helps and thanks for watching 😃
@RobA5003 ай бұрын
A good explanation, I have used electrofrogs for my DCC layout but because I have used surface mount point motors, I'm using relays to switch the frog. It's a little bit more wiring but still simple enough. It's good to see Peco moving over to the Unifrog, Its a shame they haven't got to crossovers for code 100 track yet as they never came with an eletrofrog version unlike the code 75.
@ThatModelRailwayGuy3 ай бұрын
There are surface mounted point motors that allow for polarity switching - I believe Rails Of Sheffield sell some and they use terminal connectors rather than requiring soldering which is handy too. Might be worth looking into if you ever feel the urge redo them - though if it ain't broke, don't fix it 😉 I believe PECOs plan is to gradually switch over to Unifrog points as the tooling for current products wear out. I don't know how old the current moulds for the crossovers are which will be the deciding factor on how far up/down the list they are. Thanks for watching 👍
@RobA5003 ай бұрын
@@ThatModelRailwayGuy Ah yes the digital pack does but I have gone pure analogue for point operation, I do have some Rails motors though, the packs of 5 are reasonable value.
@alanpennington83643 ай бұрын
That was very good and well explained
@ThatModelRailwayGuy3 ай бұрын
Glad to hear that! I did try to make it as easy to follow as I could. Thanks for watching 😃
@jimbobwhale2 ай бұрын
I notice on the rail close ups that you have painted the rail chairs a different colour to your sleepers to give the impression of rust…..it looks really good so I have to ask you have you painted every single rail chair on your layout and if so how long did that take you? Great channel by the way. Regards Jim
@ThatModelRailwayGuy2 ай бұрын
Hi Jim, I only did that on the 00 gauge layout - I couldn't face doing it on the TT layout which (despite being a smaller layout) has considerably more track to worry about. The 00 gauge layout was modelled in short modules/sections so I was never doing more than 4ft (often less) in one go. Even so it was pretty time consuming but it does look good. If you check out the Building A Modular Model Railway series you'll see how I weathered the track on that layout in much more detail. Thanks for watching 😃
@quarryjunction-19693 ай бұрын
Very well explained thank you
@ThatModelRailwayGuy3 ай бұрын
I'm very glad to hear that! Thanks for watching 😃
@johnwramsay13 ай бұрын
Excellent explanation. Maybe you could do one for other point motors eg cobalt digital IP and tortoise.
@ThatModelRailwayGuy3 ай бұрын
The process would be almost exactly the same for most point motors. If you understand the process used here with the simple SEEP motors, then really it would just be a case of checking the manual for whichever brand of motor you're using to see where to place the polarity feed wires. Hope that helps and thanks for watching 😃
@yorkiepudd23 ай бұрын
Very timely thank you😁👍
@ThatModelRailwayGuy3 ай бұрын
Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching 😃
@markweightman38053 ай бұрын
I have a good selection of Electro frog points that I manually change, or have surface mount point motors. Unifrogs are a backward step for me, Peco should have kept the frog switchable from the point blades, then you would have the best Point for everyone.. Good Video and good explanation of Unifrogs though, I enjoy the channel, always good content 👍👍
@ThatModelRailwayGuy3 ай бұрын
It is still possible to do that with the Unifrogs if you want to though. The issue with that method is that you're relying solely on the point blades which can cause problems over time. This way the points are useable for both beginners and those who want more control over their points. Ultimately we all need to get used to Unifrogs as the Electrofrogs are gradually phased out. Thanks for watching 😃
@markweightman38053 ай бұрын
@@ThatModelRailwayGuy Must have missed something then, How to you get the point blades to power (and then flip) the frog..?
@ThatModelRailwayGuy3 ай бұрын
Snip the wires that connect the blades to the stock rail (if needed, I'm not sure if all Unifrogs are connected here) then solder the frog feed to the blades instead. As the blades touch each stock rail the power will flow through them to the frog (and opposite blade too) but you're relying on good contact being made every time.
@markweightman38053 ай бұрын
@@ThatModelRailwayGuy OK, sounds good, Many thanks for the tip I'll look to do that.. Great stuff.. 👍
@chickenbites88773 ай бұрын
Another fantastic production, very well done. Can I ask what gauge wires you use on these point motors please?
@ThatModelRailwayGuy3 ай бұрын
Hiya, it's 26AWG wire. There's a link in the description. Thanks for watching 😃
@chickenbites88773 ай бұрын
@@ThatModelRailwayGuy smashing, thankyou very much
@RowgateDale_Railway3 ай бұрын
Fantastic! I may not be using unitfrog points. But the D& E tab could those he used to turn on a led on a point switch board?
@ThatModelRailwayGuy3 ай бұрын
Yep absolutely, that's one of the other intended uses for the PM1 motors. By using the two polarities you could power two different LEDs for different positions. Thanks for watching 🤩
@RowgateDale_Railway3 ай бұрын
@@ThatModelRailwayGuyso I’m guessing and I apologise for daft questions, but the positives from the LEDs will go to the D & E tab and the negative to the common return?
@ThatModelRailwayGuy3 ай бұрын
Yes that would be my understanding. The PM1s come with a set of instructions which I believe state this option too (you can probably find a digital copy online if you wanted to be sure before buying any)
@RowgateDale_Railway3 ай бұрын
@@ThatModelRailwayGuy perfect thank you
@asteroidrules3 ай бұрын
It should be mentioned: not all insulfrog turnouts will have a dead rail past the points. Those that do are called "power routing," while turnouts from Atlas are non-power routing insulfrogs, meaning their rails are electrically connected all of the time but the frogs are plastic.
@ThatModelRailwayGuy3 ай бұрын
My apologies. With the vast majority of the viewers of this channel being UK based I was really only talking about PECO, given that they are the most popular track maker over here. I also assumed that insulfrog and electrofrog were PECO terms but I guess not. Thanks for watching 😃
@davidmaguire60847 күн бұрын
Can you mix unifrog and electrofrog points?? Great videos
@ThatModelRailwayGuy7 күн бұрын
Yep should be fine, just like when people use a mix of electrofrog and insulfrog points on their layout. Obviously in both cases you still need to wire up the electrofrogs correctly. Thanks for watching 😃
@davidmaguire60847 күн бұрын
@@ThatModelRailwayGuy thank you keep up with your excellent videos
@johncottee83143 ай бұрын
Can you show how to wire the point if you want to switch them manually please
@ThatModelRailwayGuy3 ай бұрын
If you wanted to switch the point manually you'd need a rod from the tie bar to interface with a microswitch which can switch the polarity when set for the diverging line. Would be a bit more work though. Thanks for watching 😃
@RobGriffiths-kc7sc2 ай бұрын
I have noticed you are using a class 08 which DCC chip are you using and is it possible to fit a stay alive in there?
@ThatModelRailwayGuy2 ай бұрын
I think it was just a spare Zimo 6 pin decoder I had going spare. Others have been able to fit a stay alive in the 08 but I haven't felt the need yet given it now runs so well over the points. Thanks for watching 😃
@jimbobwhale3 ай бұрын
Do you need to use insulated rail joiners with unifrog points please?
@julianmallchok66143 ай бұрын
No
@ThatModelRailwayGuy3 ай бұрын
No because the frog is already isolated. If you look at the diagrams at 04:44 you can see the exit of the point is never showing a short circuit. Thanks for watching 😃
@WaynesLocos3 ай бұрын
I’ve been trying for 3 days to figure out why my PM1 will only throw one way, it tries to throw the other way but doesn’t make it 😔
@ThatModelRailwayGuy3 ай бұрын
My first thought would be to remove it from the point and make sure the mechanism throws properly (with power) on it's own. If that's ok then it's most likely just an alignment issue. I've also had it in the past where the hole is drilled in just slightly the wrong place, restricting movement in one direction, and subsequently needs opening out. Hope that helps and thanks for watching 😃