wiring a semiphore, help!

[Anonymous]

Is it likley to burn up a semiphore if hooked up wrong? I have an old semiphore from the 50's or 60's. It has three prongs on it. train is going clockwise, does it matter how you wire for a certain direction? or have a certain kind of tripping track to activate it? havent ran a train yet so im pretty new. it was all my dads stuff that he passed down when he passed and dont want to devalue it by blowing something. actually got a controller the other day and in process of hooking it up now (lw trainmaster 125 watt). wanted to wire in the light when laying the wire. thx for your help in advance.

also tried to search "semiphore wiring" within the site but nothing came up.

Cade

[Big_Boy_4005]

Not being a spelling critic, but it helps to say "SEMAPHORE" when searching.[;)]

If you are meaning the Lionel 151, the uninsulated post (common) should be the same polarity as the center rail, either from the track or an accessory fixed voltage, about 12V. The lamp lead gets the polarity of the outside rail. This allows you to use a lead from an insulated rail section to power the coil.

Just don't let the train sit on the insulated section too long, it can fry the coil.

[overall]

I destroyed one that way once, by operating it too often.

George

[Anonymous]

might be a stupid question but as far as wiring it, do I have the lead wire from the controller go to one side and continue out the other side? what is the center prong for? is that the one that goes to the insulated one or leave it be? is there a good book out there for this? the two shops were out of the ones that they talked about. but they might be trying to sell me a book though, who knows.

also I have two turn outs that I'm not going to use right away because I dont have the second one & the switches yet. is there a way to keep them stationary? can you move them manually and will they stay tight so they wont derail the cars?

my controller is working the sounds of the deisel train (some) but not moving the train. tried to switch it off then back on like switching directions but no movment???????.any suggestions.......(maybe buy a new one!!!!)

Cade

[Cthetrains]

actually, putting a small capacitor or a latching reed switch in the coil, so that it does not need to remain 'hot' if a train sits on it, might extend it's life

[BR60103]

Cade:
on train movement: most locomotives have a reversing device (called a E-unit) that cycles through Fwd-stop-rev-stop- when the power is turned off. It also has a lever that cuts out the reversing. If this was cut out when in neutral, the loco will not run.
The mechanism is mechanical, so it may be stuck.