Signaling - design and wiring questions

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

I’m looking for any pointers to information about how to wire signals.

I have a ‘wish list’ of functionality that might be too ambitious - so I’d also like any feedback about what sort of signaling is really most useful, and what can be ignored.

The wish list:

  • Signals displayed trackside, at operator’s control panel, and at dispatcher’s control panel.
  • Signals green if block clear and turnouts aligned
  • Signals red if turnout misaligned or next block occupied (It would be nice if the signal indicated which condition was true - perhaps a yellow aspect if the next block is occupied? Does that complicate the wiring involved?)

Does block detection provide information about direction of travel? It seems that if the next block is occupied by a train traveling the same direction, an approach/slow/proceed signal might be appropriate, but if occupied by an oncoming train, a stop indication is warranted.

I’ll be using Digitrax DCC, so I expect that I’ll also use their block-detection circuitry, unless I hear about something else that looks like a better solution. I have no idea what I’ll use for turnout detection - the current plan is to use mechanical levels to throw the turnouts, so sensing of position will need to be separate from actually throwing the turnout.

Thanks for any info,
Mike

2

Mike:

Your wish list looks reasonable, it’s close to a real railroad.I have had Digitrax since 1995 but I don’t yet have any of their signaling equipment. It’s quite new and I am sure we haven’t seen it all yet. Having Digitrax LocoNet will make things MUCH easier to wire. The Digitrax block detection works great but, like any other I have seen, it only tells you if the block is occupied or not. No clue which direction the train is going.

Detecting this, and turnout position will be the most challenging part. I operate my turnout’s with a computer or a throttle so LocoNet always knows how they are set. You could use a DS54 and contacts you install on your turnouts. This is pretty easy to do.

Detecting train direction is harder. I would do it optically with home made electronics. A pair of photo-transistors mounted between the rails just below the ties. Space them about an inch apart and put a pair near each end of the block. By detecting which transistor goes dark first you know which direction the train is moving as well as which end of the block it entered. Again, I would use the DS54 inputs to read the state of the home made sensors. I use this optical method to measure train speed and it works very well.

Regards;

Ken