What do you use for train detection in hidden areas?
I have a three track hidden stagging yard that I would like to have the option of parking two short trains per track or one long one. I would like panel indicators for each section.
Is there a simple way to do this? I am not an electrician.
I have seen optical sensors that apear to be the simplist, but have also seen the block sensors. I run cabeese ( spelling debateable ) and could install diodes to the trucks but I would like to avoid this as if I began to run more modern equipment I would have to install on many cars.
Spidge - I’m not an electrician either, but after trying three or four other solutions, we used burgler alarm magnetic detectors on our museum exhibit. The regular window trips work just fine and can be bought wired normally open or closed. We tried a bunch of other detectors, but they were all too fragile or sensitive to heat or light. Hope that helps. J.R.
I’ve done my own optical sensors. First tried having them on the side of the track but ran into problems. Variable car height was the worst. Then went to having the sensor on the top and the light source on the bottom, shining through the track. That worked pretty well, but it made getting to a disabled train a problem until I made the top part removable using a connector for the electricals. Only used it for one train a track. The problem with more than one train per track is train length. They all pretty much have to be the same length from run to run. Think about it: if you have sensors for a pair of 5 car trains (counting motive power), and you run a longer train, you’ll cover the sensor for the second train.
have not tried it yet but have considered using microswitches mounted between the rails with a fine wire wiper that would be activated by pressure from the axles. the wire would be bent in an arc to allow movement in both directions over it