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Block Signals

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  • Member since
    August 2004
  • From: New Mexico
  • 139 posts
Block Signals
Posted by johncpo on Monday, December 3, 2007 9:02 AM

I have very little knowledge of complex wiring and try to keep things of an electrical type as simple as possible.

With that in mind I would like to know who else follows that theme when wiring block signals, as the simplest form of wiring is something I used through out my 5 or so years of getting involved in details on the rails.

Wiring. I use the common wire from the two wires on each "grain of wheat" bulbs, using the brown as the common and the yellow from each bulb to individual tracks.

I solder the yellow wires in such a way as to allow the green light for a particular track to show if the track is clear, simply by wiring the green to an adjacent track.

For the track that will be used to run a train on, I wire the red,(and amber if used) to the track I choose to run on. The block signal tower is placed adjecent to the applicable track, making identification of the track readily available.

By overlapping the wiring to different tracks using this method I can "block" each track as a separate usage. Additionally, if I choose to run a second train behind the first, the block light will "short" to green momentarily to indicate to me there are two trains on the same track. (Hey, I'm over 55, I need help remembering where my trains are, LOL)

If this method sounds crude, too simple or whatever, let me know, I won't change to another but at least I'll read your response. As far as I know, there are many methods out there and I have read more than I can remember, and this is the only one that I could make sense out of, besides, taking up a whole printed circuit board of wiring doesn't appeal to my thoughts.

Thanks,

johncpo

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