Well, for their N scale Code 55...

 Well, for their N scale Code 55 turnouts, that's EXACTLY what that little tab with a hole in it (marked "A" in the photo...) is for... just slip your feeder through the hole, hit it with the solder and iron, and you're done. Quick and easy. I've used a DPDT slide switch to control the frog power polarity, change a dwarf signal showing turnout position, and to mechanically move the turnout all at the same time.

OK, I'll try solder again

My soldering technique isn't that bad.  Maybe an off day.  I will give it another shot and let you know if it works.

-Doug

For HO

The Atlas frogs are zinc alloy and won't accept solder.  The #8s have a separate lug off to the side of the ties, and you CAN solder to it, like the N scale turnout pictured earlier.  The holes on the #6 frogs will accept a screw, but that looks rather awful from above.  Micro Mark sells some plating material specifically advertised for use on zinc alloy parts so you can solder to them, although it may be a bit spendy just for use on some frogs  http://www.micromark.com/copper-plating-kit-for-die-cast-and-steel,8419.html .

Skip the strip

I drill and tap the hole for a 2-56 screw, then solder to the screw.

More aggressive flux

I swear I've soldered Atlas Custom-Line frog castings in the past on various HO layouts I've wired.  You may just need a little more aggressive flux than what you're using.  Now, don't go using acid plumbing flux or something horrible like that - those are definitely not suitable to anything that will carry current as you'll get corrosion.  I use Superior Flux's Supersafe #30DS for those tough joints (and, for that matter, for all my trackwork), and it does an excellent job.  It's a rather aggressive organic acid flux that's supposedly safe for electrical work.  I've used it for years without issue, and somewhere in my mind I remember that's how I finally got those castings to wet.

You can get it from a number of places, but I typically order it from H&N Electronics.  A bottle will last you a very long time, unless you're like me and occasionally manage to knock one over.

Then again, the solder fumes may be affecting my memory.  It's been a while since I've worked much with HO switches.

- Nathan Holmes

Thanks, I will try the suggestions for zinc frogs

Tried again very carefully to solder to the HO Atlas switch and it is definitely not my lack of technique.  The N scale frogs may use a different material than the HO scale.

So, zinc alloy?  And some fluxes help?  I will research soldering and establishing electrical connections to zinc and see what appears in addition to the good suggestions above.  And a last resort is the screw connection.

I have a few beat-up turnouts for experimentation.

Thanks much!

-Doug

postscript - from an old DCC article, Atlas suggests brass screws and a bussbar, just like I did originally

http://www.wiringfordcc.com/switches_atlas_roco.htm

"Atlas turnouts are already DCC friendly.  Their new turnouts still have those impossible-to-solder-to frogs.  So what do you do?  Screw a small brass screw into the one of the holes on their frog and solder to that. Easier yet, is a busbar and screws that Atlas sells through their parts department. "

soldering to Atlas frogs

http://wiringfordcc.com/HOTurnoutsCompendium.pdf

FYI:  The above article shows how I solder Atlas frogs and point rails ( as well as Micro Engineering frogs).  

Get pot metal soldering paste

The solution to soldering to Atlas frogs is to get Pot Metal soldering paste.

On Amazon:

Solder-It Aluminum/Pot Metal Repair, $15.44

http://amzn.com/B000BUUTPU?tag=mrhmag-20

Makes soldering a wire to the frog work just like normal.

. . .

I have 8 Atlas #4 turnouts with powered frogs in a yard.  All I used was standard soldering basics, nothing special. They are all still working without a problem. I can't phantom were all this legend comes from. As long as the solder is bridging the frog tab and the wire you inserted, it works.  There are no mechanical forces involved to loosen the wire.  They do not look great but if looks were all that important, you would not be using Atlas :- ).

Marc

On the Atlas C55 Nscale

On the Atlas C55 Nscale turnouts, the connection between that little tab A and the frog eventually goes bad.  It's not a very good connection.  The metal that the frog is cast from is also hard to solder to .. I've had some success in notching the frog with a dremel, and then soldering it ..

I would also put jumpers in at #3 and #4 to the corresponding outside rails ..   the points often loose connectivity as well ..

Sorry, every time I read the title of this post

I have a picture of two 10 year old boys with a 110vac power cord an a poor unsuspecting frog....

Nick

Coming up on doing this for the first time...

Reading a few posts here and over on cs.trains, seems to be some confusion as to screw sizes, 2-56 vs 1-72 vs M2 for Atlas frog tabs.  

So it's $15 on special solder, then maybe melt ties.  Or $5 buys you 50 brass screws, another couple bucks for a Chinese tap or $6-7 for available now in USA, all on Ebay today. 

Certainly seems easier to use brass screws, solder right to that before screwing it in, no worry about melting ties. 

The frog tab holes seem to be 0.064 - 0.067", which is the right size for an M2 screw at 50% thread.  But since it is so small in both diameter and length I'm sure you can make a larger 2-56 tap go through it and ream out the hole. 

***

So Rod the Mod has a giant model railroad in L.A. he is putting into 7 shipping containers to move?  Found a handful of stills of his layout on the web, no video unfortunately.  Looks terrific, very impressive.  I love to see some vids. 

Peco and other points wiring

Points, magic little things without them we would not have a railroad. However if not checked out from the start they can be troublesome. Peco points are one of the best on the market, robust and reliable, however the older Peco points do have their share of problems namely conductivity. Three places to look for trouble;

One; the point blades. I do not rely on them to make contact – solution, at the heel of the closure rails I solder a small wire on the outside of the closure rail across the gap of the stock rails. I do not rely on the conductivity between the stock rails to the closure rails.

Two; if the points are modified  DCC by gapping at the frog, I connect a wire from one stock rail to the other stock rail.

Three; if points are electrofrog DCC friendly I hotwire the frog providing you have gapped the frog ensuring you have put in insulated fish plates on the frog rails.

If the Peco points are DCC friendly electrofrog, in the gap before the frog I cut through the small wire under the rails, and then as in [two] above I connect the stock rails with copper wire [this wire  can be hidden by ballast]. I make sure there are insulators on the other end of the frog to the stock rails. Make sure you then hotwire the frog to a DPDT switch  [tortoise etc].

Another problem is if you only use the frog wire to power the frog and closure rails, then the closure rails will be the same polarity and running large locos [8-12 wheel coupled]; then the back to the loco driving wheels may rub against the closure rails causing shorts so it is better if you gap these rails before the rog

If you already have points installed you can carry out these modifications without pulling out the points.

If the points are insulfrog, then I only connect the stock rails with a wire. I have never had any trouble with insulfrogs even running small 0-4-0 locos across.

If you are having electrical problems over live wired frogs, then have a very good look at how you have wired that point and make sure [and a lot of people don’t do this] you pin down the point so it is nice and level and secure

I have seen in the past with coaches that have derailed over a point that has not been wired correctly, shorted out melting the bogie. It does not take long for a short to melt plastic.

Cheers Robert

Brisbane. AU

See below diagram of a correctly wired point.

.  

Screwing Atlas Connections

Found the 2-56 tap on Amazon for $5.77 (Fastenal was twice that.  If you're not in a hurry you can get Chinese taps for $1.50), and 3/16" long brass round head, slotted screws in qty of 50 pcs for $5.75 from a USA dealer, or again cheaper with longer waiting from China. 

I am waiting for the screws to arrive, but got the tap on Amazon Prime immediately and checked it out.  It went through the hole easily, so the holes must be made for this size.  I'd expected more resistance. 

I have some steel 2-56 screws that I tested the tapped hole with and they feel right, like the percent of thread is correct...So I would definitely recommend going with the 2-56 and not the smaller 2mm.

For me this is both cheaper than getting the unique solder, and much easier than risking melting plastic stuff. 

I'm using Atlas #6 Mark III, P/N 283L & 284R.  The "Closure Rails" are tied electrically by strips of metal, under the frog, to their respective "Frog Rails" so no additional links needed.  The points can certainly be additionally tied underneath to either the stock or closure rails. 

I believe those are already

I believe those are already jumpered on the back of the turnout.  

More details

I know these links won't last more than a few months but here they are.  3/16" 2-56 brass screws on Ebay, 50 each for $5.75

https://www.ebay.com/itm/224360578480?var=523146010934

Tap on Amazon was $6.17, looks like the price has since jumped to $13.32, sorry. 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F8XSGJQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I wrapped 18g stranded wire around the screw head 1/2 turn, then twisted the the end of the wire over the lead once.  Hit it with solder and it was just the right remaining threads so it doesn't protrude above the ties on top, and bottoms out for a nice firm tightness when screwing it in. 

Atlas frogs

The TOMA series on TMTV shows how they power the frogs. I've never found Atlas frogs to need powering. I often stop and idle sound equipped locomotives on my Atlas #4s without an issue. I've been sort of forced into frog powering because of Free-Mo and on my new layout due to using Fast Tracks, which have awfully long frogs to be dead.

  "I've been sort of forced

You can still have short dead frogs on hand laid turnouts. You just have to cut the gaps as close to the frog as possible. I'm using dead frogs on my current layout with no problems. For insurance I just install a keep alive capacitor in my engines but that's probably un necessary for most engines......DaveB

The current Atlas Code 83

The current Atlas Code 83 Customline frogs will self tap with either an M2 or 1-72 screw. I tap with a steel M2, then insert a 1-72 x 3/16" brass screw from the bottom of the turnout. This slight mismatch in threads gives a good tight fit. I wrap a 26 gauge wire under the screw head and solder normally using  Rosin flux.  A 3/8" hole drilled in the cork/subroad accommodates the screw, allowing the wire to extend below the layout and connect to a Tortoise for electrification.
It's true that most modern engines will negotiate unpowered frogs, but for the times that track and/or wheels may be less than perfectly clean, or the spacing of multiple frogs is just right, the extra effort adds reliability when needed.

Any updates or success stories?

I have a good friend dealing with these switch frogs. Which method seems to be the most successful and less stressful? 

You talking about the soldering problem?

You talking about the soldering problem? Get and use pot metal soldering paste:

https://www.bonanza.com/listings/New-Silver-Copper-Pewter-or-Pot-Metal-Solder-Paste-Your-Choice-/963828240?variation_id=1325402629

Short dead frogs

Not the standard way you make a Fast Tracks turnouts. Just this afternoon, I finally got all my frogs powered and the phasing correct on my new layout, and they work beautifully. They will work 90% of the time or more dead, but they occasionally will cause a stall if you slow down over just the right spot. Now everything is rock solid, no stay alives needed.

  "Not the standard way you

No, Fast tracks uses minimal pc board ties but there's no reason one can't add more pc board ties to put the frog gaps where they want them. I cut my frog gaps just clear of the point where a wheel can overlap onto the opposite polarity rail. The resulting dead frog length depends on the sharpness of the frog crossing angle( the turnout number).....DaveB