Further to my earlier post looking for signage advice.
Dave H was kind enough to give me the best first advice:
dehusman replied on 06-10-2011 7:53 PM**********************
Before you jump into CTC you need to do a couple months (and I do mean months) researching signaling before you buy anything if you want a true CTC system. You need to do less if all you really want is pretty lights next to the track that change colors when the trains go by or the switches are thrown.
If you want pretty lights, that’s fine, a lot of people go that route because a “real” block signal system is reasonably complicated and expensive.
My suggestion is to read one of the threads on the Railroad Line Forum where a gentleman is describing blow by blow what he is doing, successes and failures, to install CTC on his layout. Might be educational. ***************end quote ****************
Now I can be more specific as I have learned already, how much I do not know (as of
I for one, really do not neccessarily want to go the “functioning signal system with a true integral purpose”-AKA: Being chained to an idea I don’t want in the first place.
Not speaking for any but myself, I want to build, modify, and use locomotives, railcars, buildings, scenery, et al. THis is-as a modeler, what will make me happy. As an electrician who deals to a great extent, with motor controls, I do not want that hassle infiltrating into something I enjoy doing; therefore, the siginal system that is on my layout will operate in a very basic way, will very much satisfy me and will serve as my “signal system”. Good.
Keep in mind that a good part of this hobby is illusion; EG: staging yards, tunnels, etc, and as is, serve the modeler and accomplish his end. Unless you are a real signal nut or operate a large club layout, it, to me, would largely be a waste of time, money, and effort. Keep it simple-you will be much happier for it.
If you want just a basic signal system, that activates the lights on your signals. Take a look at the Logicrail system. They have a product called the “Signal Animator”. You probably want the IR (infrared) version.
That is exactly what I want to do also. When the train passes over the detector, it changes the signal from Green to Red.
I wish I could comment on light or good advice, but I have not had much expeirence. But, looking at your pictures, you have a very nice lookking layout. Love the scenery and the backdrops. Impressive!
I might amend Dave’s statement to read “a real block signal system is unreasonably complicated and expensive”.
That is not to say that such a system is unfairly priced or that the installation of such a system could be tremendously simplified.
It is just that, as others have said, just too complicated and expensive for most of us and simply not necessary to thoroughly enjoy the hobby without it.
Right now, all the signals on my layout are simple turnout-position indicators. This one is a very old Plasticville signal bridge:
The turnout below it is an Atlas, operated with an Atlas surface-mount switch machine. Since these machines don’t have auxiliary contacts, I added a latching relay in parallel with the switch machine, and use that to drive the signal lights.
Tortoises come with built-in switch contacts (a pair of single-pole, double-throws) which can be used to control signal lights. If you’re using these, it’s easy to add lights.
For most of the tracks in the pictures, I’d go with dwarf signals by the side of the tracks. Taller mast-mounted lights and signal bridges are more appopriate for main lines.
Even though you are not going to install a fully working CTC signal system, you should still work up a Signal Plan. A signal plan will tell you what type of signals you need and where they should go. Then you can light them up any way you want to. The illustration below is a basic Signal Plan for a simple track plan. It covers the most basic situations. Each signal head is represented by a small rectangle, and each head has three lights. (OK, use your imagination here.) The type of physical signals you use on your MRR depends on what you want, or what the railroad you are modeling used or uses.
What you need to do is draw out the tracks in the area that you want to add signals to. Next, figure out what signals are needed and where to put them. This is going to take some research on your part. Typically, there are no signals in yards or industrial areas, but there are signals from these areas when coming onto the main track or mainline. Signal S1 is a dwarf signal that represents this on the above drawing.
Here is a link to some information that should help you.
