Wooden HO Crossbucks

[GNMT76]

Who makes wooden HO crossbucks with signage appropriate for a U.S. railroad in the transition era, c. 1947-55?  I'm not finding any on an Internet search.

I'm looking for ones such as these on the Rix Products website with numerals, etc.

https://rixproducts.com/product/crossbucks-milepost-ho/

Better still, I'd like to make them myself using scale lumber and decals.  I believe I once read an article in MRM or a Kalmbach book on how to make them, but cannot find it now. Any ideas?

 

 

[cowman]

Try Howards Hobby, got mine there, I see them at the Amherst show.

Sorry, don't know how to make a clickable link.

Good luck,

Richard

[richhotrain]

cowman

Try Howards Hobby, got mine there, I see them at the Amherst show.

Sorry, don't know how to make a clickable link.

Good luck,

Richard 

http://www.howardshobby.com/Signs.html

[MisterBeasley]

This can be one of those coffee stirrer scratchbuilds.  I used to collect these, all kinds, wooden sticks and plastic tubes.  It's perfect material for crossbucks.  You hit the nail on the head with the decals, too.

Cheap craft paint will give you a realistic flat finish that will look fine too.

[gmpullman]

Tichy has a nice selection of signs from several eras:

https://www.tichytraingroup.com/Shop/tabid/91/c/ho_signs/Default.aspx

I add a little distress and age weathering to some of the ones I use. On some it is better to clip the sign off the thin plastic post and use a more durable support made of bronze wire or spring wire.

Hope that helps, Ed

[GNMT76]

gmpullman

Tichy has a nice selection of signs from several eras:

https://www.tichytraingroup.com/Shop/tabid/91/c/ho_signs/Default.aspx

I add a little distress and age weathering to some of the ones I use. On some it is better to clip the sign off the thin plastic post and use a more durable support made of bronze wire or spring wire.

Hope that helps, Ed

 

 

Ah, were not that they're made from styrene. 

 

[GNMT76]

Richhotrain and Cowman,

It appears that Howard's:

1) is a passive website for showcase purposes only; no way to order;

2) has not been updated since at least 2016;

3) has no information at all on materials, save for its casting products; and

4) may be defunct

 

[GNMT76]

MisterBeasley

This can be one of those coffee stirrer scratchbuilds.  I used to collect these, all kinds, wooden sticks and plastic tubes.  It's perfect material for crossbucks.  You hit the nail on the head with the decals, too.

Cheap craft paint will give you a realistic flat finish that will look fine too.

 

 

Maybe it's time to eat a bunch of popcicles! 

[cowman]

Since they were at the 2019 Amherst show, I'm prettysure they are still a going concern.  

If you go to their page, then "contact us" it tells you contact information.

Good luck,

Richard

[doctorwayne]

GNMT76

Ah, were not that they're made from styrene.

 

 

Well, it's nice to see that your link here actually goes to a suitable site.  However, on the other forum, where you posted the same request, I've replied with some info that may address your needs.

 

Wayne

[dknelson]

J L Innovative Design has a number of styles including the posts that were different back in an earlier era.  I do not believe they are plastic but cannot swear to it.  They use a lot of paper and wood in their products.

https://www.walthers.com/custom-deluxe-railroad-crossbucks-two-tone-pkg-2

https://www.walthers.com/custom-railroad-crossbucks-pkg-2

 

By the way just a couple of years ago I was considerably surprised to be driving through Byron IL and came across several sets of the old outdated 30 degree crossbucks rather than the 90 degree type you see today.  BTS has a model

https://www.walthers.com/crossbucks-kit

Dave Nelson

[Water Level Route]

Try Osborn Model Kits.  I've used some of theirs and been happy with them.

https://www.osbornmodelkits.com/

 

[MisterBeasley]

In case you might feel like going a step further, I got these from Oregon Rail Supply.  They were quite inexpensive, and came with a pair of independently wired LEDs, two per crossbuck.

I powered these with Rob Paisley's detection and flasher circuit, which works quite well with the optical photocells supplied.  I also built a pair of crossing gates from NJ International, with similar detection.

[GNMT76]

doctorwayne

 

 

GNMT76

Ah, were not that they're made from styrene.

 

 

 

 

 

Well, it's nice to see that your link here actually goes to a suitable site.  However, on the other forum, where you posted the same request, I've replied with some info that may address your needs.

 

Wayne

 

 

Thanks, Wanye!

[GNMT76]

Water Level Route

Try Osborn Model Kits.  I've used some of theirs and been happy with them.

https://www.osbornmodelkits.com/

 

Mike,

I've checked out the Osborn kit shown in this link.  How well does it fit the transition era, c. 1940s-1950s?

https://www.osbornmodelkits.com/copy-of-rra-1037

 

 

[GNMT76]

MisterBeasley

In case you might feel like going a step further, I got these from Oregon Rail Supply.  They were quite inexpensive, and came with a pair of independently wired LEDs, two per crossbuck.

I powered these with Rob Paisley's detection and flasher circuit, which works quite well with the optical photocells supplied.  I also built a pair of crossing gates from NJ International, with similar detection.

 

 

The Oregon Rail site does not have a photo for this item, presumably #113.  Is that what's in your photo?

 

My layout is DC.  How would I power these signals?

 

 

[Water Level Route]

GNMT76

 

 

Water Level Route

Try Osborn Model Kits.  I've used some of theirs and been happy with them.

https://www.osbornmodelkits.com/

 

 

 

Mike,

I've checked out the Osborn kit shown in this link.  How well does it fit the transition era, c. 1940s-1950s?

https://www.osbornmodelkits.com/copy-of-rra-1037

 

 

 

From what I've looked, it appears this design was relatively new, but was in use.  See this photo from 1943.  

https://www.shorpy.com/files/images/SHORPY_8d26661a.jpg

 

[GNMT76]

Water Level Route

 GNMT76

Water Level Route

Try Osborn Model Kits.  I've used some of theirs and been happy with them.

https://www.osbornmodelkits.com/

Mike,

I've checked out the Osborn kit shown in this link.  How well does it fit the transition era, c. 1940s-1950s?

https://www.osbornmodelkits.com/copy-of-rra-1037

From what I've looked, it appears this design was relatively new, but was in use.  See this photo from 1943.  

https://www.shorpy.com/files/images/SHORPY_8d26661a.jpg

 

Mike,

That Shorpy link is kaput. 

[MisterBeasley]

GNMT76

 

In case you might feel like going a step further, I got these from Oregon Rail Supply.  They were quite inexpensive, and came with a pair of independently wired LEDs, two per crossbuck. powered these with Rob Paisley's detection and flasher circuit, which works quite well with the optical photocells supplied.  I also built a pair of crossing gates from NJ International, with similar detection.

 

 

 

 

The Oregon Rail site does not have a photo for this item, presumably #113.  Is that what's in your photo?

 

My layout is DC.  How would I power these signals?

 

 

 

 

Yes, I think that is the catalog number.  LEDs are included, but the detection and flasher circuit is not.

These do not run off track power, so DC or DCC doesn't matter.  They do require 12V DC for the circuit.  I happened to use a lot of 12V DC anyway, so I just wired it in.

I bought the circuit prebuilt, but you can save a few dollars by soldering it together yourself.  The crossbucks need assembly and painting.  I forget if the LED wires were long enough or I had to use some thin magnet wire to do these.

[GNMT76]

MisterBeasley

GNMT76

In case you might feel like going a step further, I got these from Oregon Rail Supply.  They were quite inexpensive, and came with a pair of independently wired LEDs, two per crossbuck. powered these with Rob Paisley's detection and flasher circuit, which works quite well with the optical photocells supplied.  I also built a pair of crossing gates from NJ International, with similar detection.

The Oregon Rail site does not have a photo for this item, presumably #113.  Is that what's in your photo?

 

My layout is DC.  How would I power these signals?

Yes, I think that is the catalog number.  LEDs are included, but the detection and flasher circuit is not.

These do not run off track power, so DC or DCC doesn't matter.  They do require 12V DC for the circuit.  I happened to use a lot of 12V DC anyway, so I just wired it in.

I bought the circuit prebuilt, but you can save a few dollars by soldering it together yourself.  The crossbucks need assembly and painting.  I forget if the LED wires were long enough or I had to use some thin magnet wire to do these.

 

 

I see that Circuitron has several types of detection and flasher circuits for various uses.  The information is a bit overwhelming at first, so I'll need more time to read it thoroughly. What other suppliers are there for these systems?

 

Is such a circuit board system required to detect trains and operate the lights/LEDs so that they flash or can they be wired more simply, say to a second power pack (the one that controls my Tortoises, for example) and a toggle switch setup?  If so, what else is needed to detect the train on approach to a crossing?

 

Thanks for clarifying all this, as it's new to me. 

 

[Water Level Route]

GNMT76

 

 

Water Level Route

 GNMT76

Water Level Route

Try Osborn Model Kits.  I've used some of theirs and been happy with them.

https://www.osbornmodelkits.com/

Mike,

I've checked out the Osborn kit shown in this link.  How well does it fit the transition era, c. 1940s-1950s?

https://www.osbornmodelkits.com/copy-of-rra-1037

From what I've looked, it appears this design was relatively new, but was in use.  See this photo from 1943.  

https://www.shorpy.com/files/images/SHORPY_8d26661a.jpg

 

 

 

Mike,

That Shorpy link is kaput. 

 

Drat.  Try this.

https://www.shorpy.com/node/14899?size=_original

 

[MisterBeasley]

Fully automatic operation requires something like photo detectors to sense the train, a circuit to turn on and off the lights, and maybe an alternating flasher for the lights.  The Paisley circuit does all of this and is the most reasonably priced module, at least a few years ago when I did this.  There is a different circuit that will operate physical crossing gates as well.

I tried to make this work with IR photo diodes, but conflict with ambient room lighting made that impossible.

You could do this manually with a toggle and an alternating flasher, but I really wanted an automatic system, not a manual one.

[GNMT76]

Mike,

That link works.  Thanks!

 

[GNMT76]

MisterBeasley

Fully automatic operation requires something like photo detectors to sense the train, a circuit to turn on and off the lights, and maybe an alternating flasher for the lights.  The Paisley circuit does all of this and is the most reasonably priced module, at least a few years ago when I did this.  There is a different circuit that will operate physical crossing gates as well.

I tried to make this work with IR photo diodes, but conflict with ambient room lighting made that impossible.

You could do this manually with a toggle and an alternating flasher, but I really wanted an automatic system, not a manual one.

 

 

Here's what I was looking at on the Circuitron site.  One would need two Circuitron items (a flasher and a detector) instead of the one Paisley board.  Where is the latter available so I can check it out?

 

800-5102FL-2...........Alternating Flasher..........................................................19.95

800-5103FL-3.........Alternating Flasher, 3 output..............................................49.95

800-5122FL-2HD  Heavy Duty Alternating Flasher......... .................................29.95

800-5201DT-1...........Grade Crossing Detector ................................................39.95

800-5202DT-2 ..........Grade Crossing Detector -full logic...................................54.95

800-5203DT-3...........Grade Crossing Detector -Single dir.................................32.95

800-5204DT-4...........Rolling Stock Detector.......................................................54.95

800-5205DT-5...........Detection Circuit -Simple Circuit™....................................TBA

800-5206DT-6...........Detection Circuit—Infrared Reflective................................TBA

800-5250DF-1...........Crossing Detector and Flasher...........................................49.95

 

Given the small size of my layout, I'd prefer the simpler toggle & flasher setup.  Any idea where I can find instructions to build it?