Accessory wiring question

[cnw1995]

I have a Lionel semaphore and also a double signal light that are working backwards. The signal is red and blinks off when a train runs over its press-actuator instead of it being green and going to red. The semaphore is yellow and flag-down and doesn't move when activated instead of green and going to red and flag down.. Have I wired these backwards somehow?

[Roger Bielen]

Doug, looking in one of my books it shows the block signal and uses a 153C contactor (the infamous pressure switch). Looking at the 3 terminals on the signal, the left, #1, goes to the normally open contact on the 153; middle, #2, to power supply; and right, #3, to the normally closed contact on the 153. The common on the 153 goes to "U". In the past I used an insulated track section and a relay since the 153C is a pain to adjust and keep adjusted.

I also have an old semaphore on display and see that it also has 3 terminals. I'd guess it connects the same way.

[Roger Bielen]

Doug, looking in one of my books it shows the block signal and uses a 153C contactor (the infamous pressure switch). Looking at the 3 terminals on the signal, the left, #1, goes to the normally open contact on the 153; middle, #2, to power supply; and right, #3, to the normally closed contact on the 153. The common on the 153 goes to "U". In the past I used an insulated track section and a relay since the 153C is a pain to adjust and keep adjusted.

I also have an old semaphore on display and see that it also has 3 terminals. I'd guess it connects the same way.

[wrmcclellan]

Doug,

Yes. Also you must have left off a wire.

Go here for the wiring diagram and 153C wiring diagram of the 153 block signal...

http://pictures.olsenstoy.com/cd/accs/acc153p1.pdf

and here for the 151 semaphore wiring diagram

http://pictures.olsenstoy.com/cd/accs/acc151p1.pdf

The 151 diagram does not show how to wire it to the 153C.

For the 151, from the rear and looking at the base from the top, the middle terminal is common. The left terminal is to the lamp. So connect the center common and left lamp terminals to a constant accessory voltage (14-16 vac). Connect the signal right hand coil terminal to terminal 2 of the 153C contactor. Connect terminal 3 of the 153C to an accessory voltage (14 - 16 vac) to enegize the semaphore coil when the train passes and depresses the contactor.

Alternatively, you can wire up the 151 to be activated from an insulated outer rail and not use the 153C contactor. Let us know if you would like to try that.

Regards,
Roy

[wrmcclellan]

Doug,

BTW - depending on what vintage of the 153 you have, prior to 1950, Lionel used a dropping resistor (see the Olsen link I gave) inside the signal for the use of 6-8 v lamps.

Bob (Lionelsoni) has also described a simple technique using a separate hidden lamp to allow the 153 block signal to be triggered with an insulated outside rail. This eliminates the pesky 153C contactor. I'll let Bob post his solution if he reads this.

[lionelsoni]

It is also possible to wire the 153 to operate from the track without a relay.

Connect terminal 1 of the 153 to the accessory supply (which is returned to the outside rails).
Connect terminal 2 of the 153 to the insulated control rail.
Connect terminal 3 of the 153 to the outside rails.
Connect a lamp suitable for your accessory voltage between terminals 1 and 2 of the 153. Cover or hide the lamp. Or use instead of the hidden lamp some lighted accessory that would appropriately come on when the train passes the signal. If the red signal lamp glows noticably while the green is lit, add another lamp between terminals 1 and 2, or use a higher-current lamp.

This is spooky. Roy was posting while I was typing the stuff above.

[cnw1995]

Great minds think alike. Thanks, I will try retracing all this .