Several questions, please?
- how are they supposed to work?
- how are they set-up?
- do they need their own power supply?
- which manufacturers are good choices?
I would like to install a signal system and just wanted some information.
Thanks, guys.
Bud
You have a lot of reading to do!
1 - Block signals are basically R-Y-G in aspect. Here is some good links with information:
http://www.wsaeng.com/Signaling_Solution/index.html
http://home.houston.rr.com/lrt/
2 - Working signals have ‘logic’ in the form of electronics to drive them
3 - Most will need a seperate power supply
4 - Tomar, NJ, Oregon, & Sunrise all make working signals. Model Power and
a few others have rather clumsy/out of proportion signals…
Jim Bernier
I couldn’t tell you who has the best model railroad signaling system. I know Digitrax has an advanced system and maybe others will chime in on that. There have been a few recent articles on signaling in Model Railroader.
However you might want to check out “RAILROAD SIGNALING” by Brian Solomon for prototype information
I like to build my own using train detection circuits…there are basically two types in the real world…ABS and CTC… ABS is for automatic signalling and CTC is for inside a track block or “CTC limit”… ABS are operated by real train detection circuits and CTC is operated by the operation’s manager guy in a control tower…usually the signals indicate red: STOP or STOP and PROCEED, or REDUCE to RESTRICTED SPEED depending on what the rule book for that block specifies…yellow: SLOW to RESTRICTED SPEED to enter a turnout or SLOW to RESTRICTED SPEED (such and such) because there is another train ahead of you in the next block and green: GO for it!..(according to the top speed in that block for a train also specified in the rule book)…here is a web site for scratch building the whole nine yards
www.gatewaynmra.org look under “article library” and “electronic projects”…it has a step by step instruction with a parts list to build everything from the train detection circuit to the target searchlights…you’ll need some parts and a 5 volt power supply from mouser, digikey, and radio shack, a 15 watt soldering iron, some balsa wood, brass tubing ,and a campbell ladder kit to complete the entire project…Chuck
MODEL signals are generally ABS.
Require 'Common Rail ’ wiring.
2 Aspect (R -G) cheaper than 3 (R-Y-G)
All your questiones answered here:
http://www.integratedsignalsystems.com/Default.htm
WOW,
I think I could be in trouble!!! Thanks for posting the sites for reading/information. I will try to tackle this situation and let you know how things work out.
Bud
Check out Mike Burgett’s Control Train Components web site. He has a great page about CTC and signaling.