Flashing circuit

[Lionelking313]

You can order the Lionel Flashing Circuit from Lionel or Some Parts Dealers such as Jeff from www.ttender.com

 

Mark

[lionelsoni]

Here's something that I posted back in 2003:

Here's my stab at the simplest possible electronic flasher. I just tacked one together; and it seems to work fine. I don't have any way to show you a schematic; but I'll try to describe the circuit. I will put Radio Shack stock numbers in parentheses.

Get a bridge rectifier (276-1152). Connect one of the two terminals on each side of the "+" marking to the accessory voltage of the transformer or to the center rail of the track. Connect the rectifier terminal on the other side of the "+" to an insulated running rail.

Connect the "+" terminal of the rectifier to the positive terminal of a 1000-microfarad capacitor (272-958) and the rectifier terminal opposite the "+" to the negative terminal of the capacitor. Call the positive capacitor terminal V+ and the negative V- from here on.

Connect the crossing-signal common, terminal 1, to V+. Connect the emitters, marked "E", of two 2N3904 transistors (276-2016) to V-. Connect one crossing-signal lamp, terminal 2, to the collector, marked "C" of one transistor, the other lamp, terminal 3, to the collector of the other transistor.

Connect a 3300-ohm resistor (271-1328) between V+ and the base, marked "B", of one transistor. Do the same with another resistor for the other transistor. Connect the positive terminal of another 1000-microfarad capacitor (272-958) to the collector of one transistor and the negative terminal to the base of the other transistor. Then do the same, switching the roles of the two transistors.

If the circuit flashes too slowly for you, decrease the capacitance of the last two capacitors described; increase capacitance to slow it down. An easy way to cut the speed in half is to put two more 1000-microfarad capacitors each in parallel with one of the existing capacitors.

The parts cost, according to my 2002 catalog, is about $6.

[dsmith]

Here's the circuit that I use.  It works very well with the Lionel 154 crossing signal. 

http://www.mrollins.com/flash3.html

[steve24944]

Get a copy of  Easy Electronics Projects for Toy Trains  by David Greenwald, Kalmbach Books.

It has just what you need, All the parts can be found at Radio Shack.  I made one, it was fun to build and it works well.

[smokymtguy]

I have a 154 crossing signal and would like to know is there any way to build a simple flashing unit to be activated by an insulated track?