Trying to make a Highway grade Crossing Signal

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I want to make one for myself

but I dont have a size to work with

I was thinking the hight of a telephone pole like 4 "

I picked up some aluminum rods, cant find brass

what’s a good size for this project?

Ken

2

Um, isn’t that a highway crossing signal you have there? Or is it a picture of some one elses.

Well, assuming you’re not gonna use either the NJ International one just released, or the Wathers one coming up next month, from a 2001 RMC article I have the verticle pole is 5" long 5/32nd brass tubing.
The scale measurements of the modelled signal:

22’6" from base of verticle pole to top (under final); 17’ 61/2" From base to bottom of cantilevered part; 42" from top of cantilever walkway surface to top of walkway safety railing.

3

wow chutton01

thanks for that fast responce.

I was thinking that sounds just right.

I will have to do some math to get my sizes correct

but I will have to see if I can find the one’s your talking abought

yes you are correct, that one in the photo, I did not get the high bid and missed it, but it just looks so cool …

and not that hard to make or so it looks

I will have to find the NJ International one just released

(edit here it is)

thanks

K

4

I would probably use Plastruct or Evergreen styrene structural shapes. The material is alot easier to work with and I use the plain ole Testor’s model airplane glue applied sparingly for almost seamless joints. Between the two manufacturers, you can get just about any shape & in size imaginable. Looks like all that is needed is round tubing, some flat stripes, signal masts, & LEDs and ur in business. For the heighr I’m guessing, from trains at grade crossing photos, about 24’. RR rules stipulate objects over the tracks be like 21’ or 22’ above the railhead. Don’t quote me on that, its my sixth grade educated giant brain in maximum overdrive. Tweet

5

Better to find brass. Aluminum doesn’t solder.

6

oh no…

K

7

One thing you might want to try is to go ahead a purchase one and use that as a “guide” to scratchbuild additional units.

8

that’s a good point dave

if I do than I’ll have some size comparison’s

thank you don, I will have to bring this aluminum back to the craft store, I was just 2 seconds from chopping them up into little bits

Ken

9

well looks like I will have one made of wood

but I did order some brass rods from Penn Valley Hobby Center

each under $1

K

10

I got my brass parts

and its not to bad to work with

I have a flasher and I think I will set it up on here

check out my solder job

Ken

11

check out this stand I made

hey what the heck its my first time with brass tube

home made

ken

12

guess no one like’s my crossing sign

here’s my last photo

no sense posting to thin air

later

13

Looks great!! Can’t wait to see the finished product.!

14

Hey budliner,

I like the last photo alot! looks really good. i might try and make one sometime in the future if i can find a place that has the materials for sale. I would like to see a finished product photo if it would be too much trouble when your done

Looks great again

Chris

15

I do remeber a model railroad write up

where they give instruction on how to make a cross buck 'they used some brass washers and I think it was in N gauge

used same tubing , I have a two led flashing circut I put togetther, but its on a crossing gate

here is where I got that http://home.cogeco.ca/~rpaisley4/Flashers.html

I was thinking of using 2 556 timer’s to make a two track flasher

like there Push-Pull - Crossing Light Flasher

here

as I dont see the setup for 3 sincronized

I will add the extra support like in the OP. I may have to move that center support its over a bit too much to the right.

did come out ok for a 2 night project

I can respect the fine work on the NJ unit walthers has coming out takes hard work to get the model to look just right

K

ps that wood one saves me a lot of time making that was a good idea

16

Really nice brass work. I was going to say that I’ve found brass at the TrueValue hardware store in Billerica, MA, but you’ve apparantly got your own supply. Thanks for the circuit, too. I’ve got to file that away for future reference. I’m still terraforming, so it will be a while before I put in things like signals and grade crossings.

I really like NJ International. They’ve got a number of unique items. They were at Springfield last winter, and I picked up a semaphore and a set of end gates for my subway cars.

17

Hay, I like it. I think it looks great. Don’t feel bad. If I had to gauge what people on here thought by the responses, I’d say they hate me. But then, I really don’t give a rat’s butt, either.

18

I used to scratch build my electronics but that is not a good idea…Most of them will go out in the first year if they even work at all. You’re better off purchasing pre-built circuits…I use a Dallee Train Detector Circuit and a Flasher circuit from Circuitron on my layout. Heres a few pictures of the complete set up and it will save you alot of time and money (if they don’t work) rather than scratch built electronics.

Here is the flasher circuit. Top left: a Dallee DC filter. Bottom left: a Dallee Train Detection Circuit.

Middle right: An oscillating flasher circuit from Circuitron. and the rest are terminal strips and 370 ohm resistors that feed to the red LED’s on the crossbucks.

Here the flashers are in action and it’s real simple to wire. The lead wire from one of the two wires that power the train goes from the power source to the train detector with a couple of loops of wire passing thru the sensor on the Train detector circuit and back to the block’s track that is insulated at both rails and at both ends of the block. The train enters the block, the train detector circuit senses the voltage drop from the locomotive’s power usage drawn from the block. A relay is then closed and sets off the osillating flasher circuit which starts the crossbuck lights to alternate. When the train leaves the block, the voltage increases enough that the train detector senses it, the relay opens, and the circuit shuts itself off.

19

here I made some bullseyes

its a little sloppy but all I had was steel/brass plated rosette’s at like $1.50 each

Ken

20

Rob’s circuit will drive more than one pair of LEDs. The lights onmost multi-light crossing flashers are synchronized, so you’d want to use just one flasher circuit. You wire multiple LEDs in parallel to the ones already there, and the resistors will have to be reduced depending on how many LEDs you connect. --Randy