The instructions for the PECO insulfrog http://www.wiringfordcc.com/switches_peco.htm#a1 give an option of installing jumpers between the stock rails and the closure rails to improve reliability.  Those instructions as stated work for the medium and large turnouts but not the small.  The small does not have the plastic already removed for this.  You can see this in the picture below with the medium on the left and a small on the right:

https://groups.io/g/w4dccqa/photo/259051/0?p=Created,,,20,2,0,0

My question is if there is anything about the small that would keep you from making those cuts?  Will you compromise the integrity of the turnout?

Sorry for the snafu.  I need to figure out how to post pictures.  

I am going to be honest. I don't have the turnouts you do. But. I do have Insulfrogs. I am a lazy person. I like K.I.S.S. so I don't wire or solder anything to my turnouts. If I did want a motor, then I would have to. But I hand throw. SO: To make sure I get good contact between the points and the stock rail - where they make contact. I keep them clean. I also dab a bit of graphite where they make contact. Just as I dab graphite along the inside edge of all rail. It improves electrical contact. Now there are a lot of people who disagree with me. But it works for me. I do have a small layout and that make a difference. But even if I were to have a larger layout, and still didn't want to solder or wire a turnout, I'd still want the points to rail CLEAN. To me, it isn't that hard. I did the graphite treatment once last Nov. when I first started this layout. After 6 months, I took some time and re-cleaned the track, dabbed the graphite and haven't touched the track since. i.e. It's now 6 months and I don't think I need to do anything. I do run cars and engines on the track as often as I can. That also helps keep the electrical conductivity good. Read elsewhere about using graphite. It must be spread very thin. Too much is worse than none. But I assure you this works for me. So, give this a try and see what happens. If it don't work to your satisfaction. Go do something else - don't blame me. LOL Obviously, things like temp and humidity may affect your rails. FYI my turnouts do not have any tabs and rely totally on physical contact.
Morgan Bilbo, slightly over one year with very basic DCC

Well, I need to solder feeders to the turnouts anyway, so I might as well bridge the gap and connect the stock rail with the closure rail.  It might take an extra 2 seconds.

Hi Rick,

I don't know what you mean by small, but in general, you should be able to open up the ties and make the connection.  However, I find soldering on the bottom of the turnout to be challenging for some.  You can solder to the outside sides of the rail.

Note:  The new code 83 Peco Unifrog turnouts, which replace their insulfrog and electrofrog turnouts, already have that jumper in place.  You can see them on my website at:  http://www.wiringfordcc.com/switches_peco.htm#a7

Allan Gartner
Wiring for DCC

Thanks Allan.  By small I mean the Small Radius Turnouts, SL92 and SL91.  I couldn’t figure out how to put a photo in this message but I did put one in the Photo section, linked above.  

I don’t have any problem soldering to the bottom of the rails.  My concern was that PECO didn’t put the gap there for a reason on that size.  I’ll just cut my own.  

I suspect that the design of the turnout you have is "older" than those that have the ties removed for the jumper.  I'm seeing an evolution in their Unifrog designs.

I have also noticed that most model manufacturers, when they come out with an improvement, don't go back and change their old designs.  Molds are very expensive to make.

Allan Gartner

Allan,

The PECO Unifrogs are terrific.

Bill D
N&W Steam Only