# KATO Turnouts



## dd1228 (Jan 26, 2015)

Am I the only one having trouble with Kato #6 turnouts and DCC. I just finished laying the track on my 12th ???? or so layout and I used a DC throttle to run a train to check all the track work. The train ran perfect through all the turnouts. So I connect my NCE DCC system and the locos stall on almost every turnout; and it's intermittent. Sometimes they go through fine. I'm at my wits end?


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

dd1228 said:


> Am I the only one having trouble with Kato #6 turnouts and DCC. I just finished laying the track on my 12th ???? or so layout and I used a DC throttle to run a train to check all the track work. The train ran perfect through all the turnouts. So I connect my NCE DCC system and the locos stall on almost every turnout; and it's intermittent. Sometimes they go through fine. I'm at my wits end?


I don't use Kato turnouts, so I have not had this problem. However the generic reason for a loco to stall is simply lack of electricity. This can happen for two reasons; either an "open circuit" meaning power is not getting to the rails of the turnout, or a "short circuit" meaning that some parts of the turnout rails are electrically connected to each other that shouldn't be.

You can check for either of these problems with a multimeter. If you don't have a meter, you can buy one for only $5 from www.harborfreight.com (see photo) The meter comes with directions, and the batteries are already in it. Set the meter to AC volts. Place one wire lead on each of the two rails at the narrow end of the turnout. You should read about 16 volts AC. This is the DCC voltage coming from your NCE controller. If its not there, try further back along the track. If you get 16 volts on the track, but not on the turnout, then there is an open circuit between the track and the turnout. Check your rail connections.

To test for a short circuit, disconnect the NCE system, and your DC power pack, from the track. Switch the meter to 200 ohms on the resistance scale. Now put one meter probe on each rail at the narrow end of the turnout. You will get either a very high (blank screen) reading, or some low resistance reading (approx. 2-4 ohms) The low resistance means there is a short circuit between the rails.

One possible culprit is the frog of the turnout. Kato turnouts use a powered metal frog. The electrical polarity of the frog is changed to suit the selected route by a set of contacts down inside the gray plastic roadbed piece under the turnout. Access to the guts of the turnout is from the bottom. Removing six screws, and the bottom plate, will give you access to the turnout's mechanism. If you throw the turnout from one route to the other, by using the manual lever, you should see a copper contact swing between two points on the circuit board. This is the set of contacts that control the frog polarity. 

Good Luck;

Traction Fan


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

It shouldn't matter whether turnout rails are powered by DC
or DCC...both require good electrical conductivity for
smooth loco running. As TF has
emphasized, if a loco pauses or stalls on a turnout...there is a
failure of electrical contact...or a short circuit. You did not
mention that a circuit breaker activated, so that would 
indicate a loss of power. 

I have not had experience with Kato turnouts but member
reports don't give them good marks. By all means follow
TF's suggestion to test the electrical qualities of the
turnouts. 

It is important that the rails of a layout...and the power
pickup wheels of locos be clean to afford dependable
electrical contacts. Also, check that each loco has all
wheel power pickup...older locos and those with only
2 axles do not. They are likely to have problems on
turnouts.

Don


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

DonR said:


> It shouldn't matter whether turnout rails are powered by DC
> or DCC...both require good electrical conductivity for
> smooth loco running. As TF has
> emphasized, if a loco pauses or stalls on a turnout...there is a
> ...


 Don;

I have yet to see a negative comment on the quality of Kato Unitrack turnouts. Bachmann EZ-Track turnouts yes. Lots of negative comments on those, but not Kato.
Kato uses a powered metal frog, so even short locos should be able to get through one. I can't explain why the OP gets different results with DC and DCC. That's why I suggested, (and you too) that he go back and start with the basics, and see what he can find out. Weird problem.

regards;

Traction Fan 🙂


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## vette-kid (May 2, 2020)

Member reports give kato turnouts excellent reviews. Some of the best on the market. All of mine run fine on DCC. All are switched to non power routing or have power on either side. 

Sent from my SM-G781U using Tapatalk


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## pmcgurin (Sep 7, 2010)

I remember reading about Kato turnouts, and I think this applies to number 6 turnouts, that you can select power routing or not power routing. I don't know if this would affect this situation.


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## kilowatt62 (Aug 18, 2019)

“Intermittent” clue #2. 
Time to recheck the ‘wiring’/ settings of the turnouts. Dead frogs, etc. 
clean the rails, again. Clean the wheels, again. 
DCC, as we know, is much more finicky about electrical pickup than DC is.


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## pmcgurin (Sep 7, 2010)

After doing some more digging, I believe it is the number 4 switches that can be set to route power in the direction the switch is set to or not route power. The number 6 switches route power in the direction the swirch is set to. Sorry.


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## Thelic (Jan 10, 2018)

Are your DCC locos sound equipped? 
What kind of loco? 6 axle diesel? Steam?
Are the turnouts new, unmodified? Some people clip and or solder pieces inside the turnouts to change their power routing behavior.
Is the turnout twisted?

My #6 Katos are bombproof...


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## dd1228 (Jan 26, 2015)

These forums are great! Thank all of you for the replies. Before I posted my dilemma I did everything all of you suggested. I've been around this hobby for 70 years , so I'm familiar with multimeters, continuity, voltage, etc. I took the back off every turnout to check the switching mechanism and everything checks out. The dead spot is in the closure rails, and they get their power from the pivot point with that little tab with the tiny phillips screw. If I tighten the screw, the connection is made, but then you can't move the points. And yes I cleaned the tab with fine sandpaper to make sure there was no corrosion. Oh well, I keep plugging away. Thanks again everyone!


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

dd1228 said:


> These forums are great! Thank all of you for the replies. Before I posted my dilemma I did everything all of you suggested. I've been around this hobby for 70 years , so I'm familiar with multimeters, continuity, voltage, etc. I took the back off every turnout to check the switching mechanism and everything checks out. The dead spot is in the closure rails, and they get their power from the pivot point with that little tab with the tiny phillips screw. If I tighten the screw, the connection is made, but then you can't move the points. And yes I cleaned the tab with fine sandpaper to make sure there was no corrosion. Oh well, I keep plugging away. Thanks again everyone!


On conventional (non-roadbed) turnouts, this closure rail to point rail business can be fixed by soldering some very small wires as jumpers between the closure and point rails. The less than stellar Atlas Snap Switch sometimes has the same problem. Relying on mechanical connections, like tabs & screws, is not the best way to pass current. Soldered wire is simply a lot more reliable. The attached file shows this being done on an Atlas Snap Switch. (along with a lot of other modifications which you can ignore) Perhaps you could do the same on your Kato Unitrack turnouts? I don't know as I don't use Kato turnouts.

Good Luck; 

Traction Fan 🙂


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## Thelic (Jan 10, 2018)

Aren't the closure rails and the frog one piece on this turnout?

This is what they look like inside. I always thought they fed the frog from underneath. You might just be getting power to the closure rails/frog through the point rails, not the internal wipers which would explain why its so intermittent. I'm pretty sure the screw holding the wipers goes to the underside of the frog. If it doesn't its a wasted opportunity!

Once you are in here you should be able to disable the power routing feature with 2 pieces of wire if you don't need that feature for DCC. Just jump the diagonal pads, the wiper will still pick up the frog polarity. Pretty sure anyhow!


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