I know I’ve seen at least one article on this but don’t have access to all my magazines. I recently purchased some HO Scale crossbucks that I will be using on my Free-Mo module. Rather than permantly mounting them, or just laying them over during transport, I’d like to mount them on a small male connector that would plug into a female connector mounted in the proper location on the module. I’ve done some searches but nothing looks right. The base of the crossbucks measure 3/16 square. Any ideas?
Thanks
Rick
1/8 inch phone jacks. They come in 2 conductor (mono) or 3 conductor (stereo). They’re the same size as used on headphones for a portable tape or CD player.
Another possibility is modular telephone wire plugs and jacks. The rectangular shape would make orientation more positive than the circular miniplugs.
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Rick,
I had the same issue with a module. The used 3 conductor mini connector from Miniatronics. You need a minimum of 3 pins - one common and one for each of the thead leads to the LEDs. The trick I used was to mount the base of grade crossing signal to a piece of Plastruct tube. I then drilled the appropriate sized hole in the module base for the tube to slide into. The tube should be long enough to extend all the way through the module base and then some. The tube should fit tightly in the hole so it won’t drop through. The tube sticks above the base slightly. In my case a sidewalk. This now looks like concrete footer for the signal. Simply connect the mini connecor and everything is set. When done, disconnect, push the signal out the top and store.
That’s one solution based on actual experience, not supposition.
jktrains
All, thanks for the responses so far. The Plastuct tube may be my best option after looking hard at my signals. One of the wires is connected to a central mounting pin, may not want to try and cut off the pin to make the other options happen.
Now I just have to disguise the IR detection, looks like a couple of well placed bushes…
Rick
Rick,
Why can’t you place the emitter and detector between the rails? That’s what I did and it works just fine. The LEDs barely stick through the roadbed. In fact, I use circuits from a KS company, TCH Technologies. Not real expensive and not too sophisticated but they work. They’d work really well on a single track free-mo module. In fact I 've been consideringg taking the one’s off my son’s 4-H module to use on one of my free-mo modules. A detector circuit on either side of the grade crossing hooked to a crossing controller would work just fine. I mounted all the circuits on a project box under the module so that the signals themselves simply plug in.
jktrains
I got the set from Berkshire Junction. The IR detectors work by the train breaking the beam. I believe the style you’re refering to uses the beam refected off the bottom of the cars.
Rick