I am looking into adding block detectors and signal drivers for searchlight signals on my layout. Currently, I have a number of Oregon rail multicolor LED searchlight signals built and drive a few with Logic rail tech. signal animator boards that run on photocells.
I just added DCC and want go to a current sensing block detector.
Who provides the best?
Has anyone heard of Jay’s Engineering? and Who sells thier stuff?
The ole TwinT and Bruce Chubbs detectors should work fine.
FIRST you need common rail wiring.
BOTH LOGIC RAIL TECH. and INEGRATED SIGNAL SYSTEMS are excellent
You do NOT need common rail with DCC. In fact it’s discouraged, especially if you have more than one booster.
Good detectors for DCC are Bruce Chubb’s DCCOD and the PT-5 detector on Rob Paisley’s site. Both use current transformers and so are completely isolated from the DCC system. Other detectors almost all use diodes to detect, which results in about a 1.2v drop in overall track voltage. To avoid any speed variations, undetected blocks end up needing these diodes as well. I’d rather just avoid the problem, so i am going with Rob’s detectors - super simple and VERY inexpesive. And they have an ordinary open collector output that can feed just about anything you might want.
–Randy
Mr.RINKER:
YOU will need Common rail wiring to operate most CURRENT SENSING’ Sytems. Relay’s won’t hold or give indication if just the car is sitting on the track or should the train be stopped while occupying the block - such as a passing siding.
He said DCC - the beauty there is that even a STOPPED loco will be deteced by a current sense detector because, current is always flowing. Same with any lighted cars. Obviously other cars will need resistor wheelsets. Detection in DCC is VERY simple. In DC you always need some sort of bias current or you get what you describe - no detection of stopped equipment.
There is a common connection to one rail of the detected blocks, but that isn’t the same as common rail wiring, at least not if there is more than one booster involved.
–Randy
I was intimidated by what was involved in setting up signaling, at first. After checking out the info, it seems that Digitrax has an easy to use system for signaling and detection.
Worth checking out: http://www.digitrax.com
I use the Digitrax signal and block detection products on my small N scale layout. These have worked very well, and I highly recommend them. I’m not sure about all the common rail wiring talk, but there are several very straight forward products designed for this task even if you don’t use Digitrax. The only company I have any experience with besides Digitrax is Team Digital at :
Take a look at their stuff, it’s very affordable and quite nice.
Jeff
If I wanted to set up a signalling system using DCC and have say 16 sets of signals what am I looking at for cost?
I know this is one of those “well it depends” questions but I’m looking at a Min Max scenrio here.
Fergie
With an all-Digitrax solution, you’d need 1 BDL-168 for 16 blocks plus 2 SE8C’s for 16 sets of signals. Plus the signals. MSRP for all that, minus the actual signals themselves, is about $400.
The SE8C really needs a computer connected to the railroad, so add that cost. The software is free - JMRI does a great job of handling that. Team Digital and CML have SE8C alternatives that can be programmed to operate the signals without a computer involved.
–Randy