Insulfrog points and long locos

[Kipper]

I have a job lot of insulfrog points, which I will use on my layout. This is a try out layout for everything you do after the track is laid, and will not be permanent. I know that short locos will tend to stop on these points, but what about longer locos, such as two bogie diesels or tender locos with loco and tender pickups, do these manage to cross the points OK?

[Mustermark]

If the track is reasonably clean (incuding where the blade touches the rail on the inside!) and not in bad condition, diesel locos (COCO/BOBO etc) have no trouble at all. Most of my insulfog points were brand new and nothing misses a beat on those, not even my 08. And i have some old second hand points on my layout that are all fine with the bigger locos (the 08 is a bit sticky on the old points sometimes).

I think insulfrogs get a really bad press from the purists.  I am sure electrofrogs are better for slow shunting with an 060, but it seems to me to make no difference for running of a long loco even at slow speeds).

[Kipper]

Thanks for that M, will carry on with what I have and spend some money on some bigger locos. My 0-6-0 does stick on very slow running in the goods yard, so may have to change those points, but no problem when running above walking pace.

[Jerry Howlett]

I have avoided insulfrog to date but had to buy a bargain (new) long crossover the other day for £5 and have run my Dapol 0-4-2 tank through it with no problems so perhaps it is all down to bad press and dirty track.

[Bikeracer]

I'm running DCC if that makes a difference.

On my Insulfrog points which is all I use I've soldered a wire across underneath from the outer track to its mating frog on each side,this is so I'm not relying just on blade contact with the outer rail to keep electrical continuity.
There are some pics somewhere on the web of doing this,but I didn't bookmark it at the time unfortunately.

My Jinty and the 0-6-0 starter set tank loco have no problems slow running over the Insulfrog points,one thing I have found that adversely affects things is a build up of muck and crud on the wheel pick ups.

Allan

[Kipper]

This is on new out of the box track - perhaps it needs a clean (protective coating from factory?).