Hi everyone,
Hope this is in the right spot but I'll probably follow up with my progres in the layout section anyway.
I have an elevated viaduct in progress comprised of two double track main lines with various crossovers that widens up to 6 tracks at the ho scale Milwaukee railroad station kit. There's 6 crossovers and 4 turnouts comprised of 16 units of the walthers switch machine system. I already recently discovered you can connect signal lights to these and the logic will control LED colors. Experimented with dual color LED bulb that will turn green or red depending on the switch positon. Also discovered just by sticking multiple dual color LEDs within the servo wires the opposite way will alternate the bulb colors. Basically 1 walthers switch machine can control a ton of different lights with 1 push of a button.
So my question is, is there any guide where to properly place these lights. I sometimes take metra out of downtown Chicago at Ogilvie and there's a mess of signal lights that hurts my brain trying to understand it. How would one place lights (in both directions) at a crossover or a turnout?
Not really concerned how many there are. I'm 3D printing the signal unit which will be like pennies and the servo connector is 50 cents and the LED bulbs are 25 cents. So with each dwarf signal costing about $1, no issue with multiple placed at a junction
with only one set, they are usually placed with good view of the operator ...
if you have places where they can be seen from eiher side, then go with two ... one on each side ... usually fairly close to the turnout ..
Well, I just had something go terribly wrong with one of the switch machines. But before I say what happened.
This machine was isolated from the customized setup.
This machine was only connected to the distribution control board power.
Nothing was improper with connections or installations.
For context, here's what the system looks like
https://www.walthers.com/products/walthers-control-system
Had the system plugged in and got distracted and went upstairs. Came back donwstairs 2 hours later and could smell burning plastic. One of the machines was burning hot and was "melting down" the 3d printed risers I created for the track. Definitely could have been worse if the substrate was combustible.
Previously, I had 3 of these units fail a year ago to which Walthers replaced citing a bad batch with malfunctioning logic control. Since I bought a half dozen at once, not sure if it came from the same factory lot. Walters had replaced them with new ones, but I never marked them as to which were a functional batch and which were new.
This all depends on whether you just want turnout position indicators, or you intend to actually implement a proper signal control system with interlocked signals and turnouts.
The former will be functional but not fully realistic. Just place a light near the points of the turnout.
The latter will be realistic but can be fairly complicated to implement.
wvgca with only one set, they are usually placed with good view of the operator ... if you have places where they can be seen from eiher side, then go with two ... one on each side ... usually fairly close to the turnout ..
No and no. (If you're trying to model a realstic system. Maybe if you're putting in switch point indicators...)
There's only ever ONE signal controlling any specific location in a specific direction.
Each signal controls ONE track, in ONE direction, at the point where the signal is located.
If you have two or more tracks, EACH track will need it's own signal protecting any entrance into any controlled location. And each direction into the controlled point needs its own separate signal.
e.g. [prototypically] if you have a double track main with a simple crossover, and you make that crossover a controlled and signalled point/interlocking, there will be four signals - one for each track in each direction, placed outside of the crossover. The crossover and signals will be "interlocked" so that a train cannot get a "Clear" signal against a reversed switch, or against a train operating in the opposite direction.
Chris van der Heide
My Algoma Central Railway Modeling Blog
http://www.lundsten.dk/us_signaling/signalbasics/
cv_acr http://www.lundsten.dk/us_signaling/signalbasics/
This is a great resource, but a bit more complicated than I'd likely implement.
Paying a bit more attention to metra in Chicago, looks like it's just a red or green light in a logical position, left or right side of the switch. I'd make these double sided signals since it would be easier to wire up.
You can't call it a "Dwarf" signal anymore, it's now a "Verrtically Challenged" sigal
NorthsideChiPaying a bit more attention to metra in Chicago, looks like it's just a red or green light in a logical position, left or right side of the switch.
The way the signals are oriented is that there are routes through the groups of switches and there is a signal at the entrance to each route. One signal might indicate how the train is supposed to move across several switches. Each switch does not have it's own signal.
Each signal indicates either the speed at which the train is to proceed or whether the train is going on a normal (straight away) or diverging (through a curved route of a switch or turnout).
Signals also tell the train what to do PAST the signal.
It would help if you had a picture or diagram of what you are trying to signal.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com