# Atlas curved turnout.



## Conductorkev (Nov 5, 2021)

I installed the turnout and put a tortoise to throw the switch. Everything is good three. Do I tried to run a train over it complete stop.

So I'm guessing I have to hook the frog up but I'm a lil confused on how to do it.

I know I will have to use 2,3,4 on tge tortoise. With 3 going to the tab atlas makes that goes to the frog. Does 2 and 4 get soldered to the turnout? If so where...


Thx for any help


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

If the Atlas has a powered frog, you would need something like a Frog Juicer to control the polarity. Not sure if a Tortoise provides that functionality or not.


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## flyboy2610 (Jan 20, 2010)

Yes, the Tortoise can power the frog and reverse the polarity. One wire runs to the frog, and the other two just need to be connected to the power bus and the Tortoise. If you use a terminal block to supply power power to the feeders, you can run the wires from the Tortoise to the terminal block. That's how mine is wired.


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## Conductorkev (Nov 5, 2021)

flyboy2610 said:


> Yes, the Tortoise can power the frog and reverse the polarity. One wire runs to the frog, and the other two just need to be connected to the power bus and the Tortoise. If you use a terminal block to supply power power to the feeders, you can run the wires from the Tortoise to the terminal block. That's how mine is wired.




Thx I was thinking I needed to wire those to the points which would have been a pita...


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## Conductorkev (Nov 5, 2021)

One other thing I just thought of you still have to follow polarity tho so which do I connect to 2 and which to 4.


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## flyboy2610 (Jan 20, 2010)

I would wire #2 to the same polarity as #1. Do so temporarily first to check things. If it doesn't work, swap 2 and 4.


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## 65446 (Sep 22, 2018)

If it's an Atlas CustomLine switch it more than likely has a black coating on the frog, which, aside from what the others explained about wiring it up, needs to have that coating removed with either very fine sandpaper or a Brightboy track cleaner...
If it's a code 100 1950's style SnapTrack switch, the frog is plastic and can not be powered at all..


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## flyboy2610 (Jan 20, 2010)

With my Atlas Custom Line turnouts what I did was to tap the small hole next to the frog with a 2-56 tap. I installed a 2-56 x 1/8" screw and soldered the frog wire to the screw. Install the screw from the bottom so the wire is hidden. Works great.


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## 65446 (Sep 22, 2018)

Why bother tapping it ? Just use a thinner wood screw to hold wire against that metal loop..


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## Lemonhawk (Sep 24, 2013)

The problem you create with just using a wood screw to hold the wire, is that it has nicked the wire and if the wire gets wiggle around it will eventually break. More secure to tap the hole and solder to the screw or to a lug that the screw can hold. I spent a lot of time trying to solder to that stuff Atlas uses, nothing seemed to work!


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