I was hoping that some manufacturer would be offering an operating N scale crossing signal with operating gates. Besides the ones from Bachman and Model Power, does anyone know of anyone that offers the signals with operating gates?
Could the Bachman and Model Power ones be modified to work on a regular track that already has been installed?
DC? DCC? Do you want realistic slow motion or flappy-flappy operation? Sound?
There are plenty of options, it depends on what you want to do. Keep in mind, if you want a realistic crossing then that will require alot of extra work.
David B
I want something that is fairly realistic.
Operating lights, if possible.
DC, sound isn’t important.
The gates should operate realistically. Keep in mind I can’t use the slow motion switch machines for these as the track is already down, ballasted, and glued onto pink extruded foam.
Thoughts?
You’d probably need some form of sensor to activate it and deactivate it. Such sensors can be be installed in your existing layout without tearing anything up.
Irv
Why cant you use slow motion machines? Is it because you dont have access to the underside of your layout or you just dont like them?
The slow motion machines are critical to have realistic operating crossing gates…no way around it. They are hooked up to the gates via an activating rod and your crossing circuits utilizes them.
David B
Try the Servomaster from TDP and Associates and NJI signals for realistic operation. Gates work off of servo motors that can be mounted below the surface using velcro.
It’s because I travel with my layout, it’s only 2.5’ X 4’, and the underside is flat. So no slow-motion machines.
Then you are out of luck.
David B
There are NO operating crossing gates and signals in N scale that don’t use a slow-motion switch machine?
What about modifying the circuitry on the Bachman and Model Power ones to adapt to track that is already in place?
The problem lies in making the arms go up and down. Unless you have 1" or so of trackbed, then you need to locate something underneath the layout.
The crossing units you are talking about (Bachmann, Modelpower) operate by the cars pressing down on a spring that makes the arms go up and down. Hardly realistic.
You said you wanted realistic, unfortunately, the only way is to use some sort of electronic control board with inputs from optical or IR sensors that causes the lights to blink and activates a slowmotion machine to make the arms go down in a realistic fashion.
There is ONE possibility, however. If you are using Kato Unitrack, then look into their gates…
David B
Could I tinker with the Kato crossing gate system to get it to work with regular track? In other words, could I buy an operating Kato crossing gate, figure out what makes it work, and then put just the gates and signals into my existing track?
Possibly, but that is a fairly expensive experiment…
David B
I could not find the operating gate and signal on the Kato USA website. Where can I find that?
lifelike makes operating crossing gates and lantern men for n scale they have both thoughs avalible for snaplock and standerd track.
The KATO part number is 20-650, unfortunatley it seems a bit hard to find:
http://aboutmodelrailroads.com/KAt/KAT-UnitrackCrossingGate.html
http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/product_p/kat-20650.htm
I would also check ebay from time to time as well.
Thanks. Whoa! Quite expensive. Anyone know how this works?