Atlas RR signal system cable question.

[rockislandnut]

Is the Atlas modular six wire signal cable the same as Digitrax loconet cable? I know they both have RJ12 modular jacks but are they reversed like Digitrax?

Thanks.

[Phoebe Vet]

Actually it's the telephone cable that is reversed.  Loconet uses data cables which are wired pin one to pin one, though telephone cables which are wired pin one to pin six will work with most, BUT NOT ALL Loconet devices.

[retsignalmtr]

The Atlas signal control boards have modular sockets that only have four pins with the exception of the socket that the signal plugs into which has six pins, even though the signals only have four wires.  So if you make your own you only need four wire cables.  I don't have any premade cables so I cant help you with the pin arrangement.  But the colors of the wire on the signals cable corresponds to the signals led colors.

[rockislandnut]

I have ten signals in a Integrated Bi-Directional set up. I do have one signal that at times is faulty and goes dark when it should be yellow. It is hooked to a cable that was miss calculated in length at time of installing so I cut it and soldered the stripped wires UNDER the layout ( that was a chore ) . As their tele. wire has a weird type of wire that is thread wrapped for insulation I had a pleasant time bareing the wire to solder ( Sure I did ) and evidently I goofed the solder on one or two of the wires and I did put some very small shrink wrap over each wire.

I know it is the wire for when I get under the layout and jiggle the cable near the splice another person watching the signal tells me it blinks yellow ( I had a train setting in the block ahead of it that was red )

The bottom of my layout is 41 inches from the floor made so I can sit on my butt and work fairly comfortable on the wiring etc.

So if the signal colors match the wire colors then a normal six wire telephone cable would be used as the RJ12 looking down at the top side is ( left to right ) Blue-Yellow-Red-Green-Black-White. The modular plug at the other end is facing the other way and therefore the wires will be the same color to the modular jack they connect to. In that case the outer Blue and the outer White wire will not be used therefore as you said retsighalmtr the four wire modular ( I believe that is a RJ11 ? ) would/could be used.

OK I just did what I should have done before making this thread and looked at the closest signal control board, pulled a plug. The telephone cables from Atlas that connect the signals to the "Signal Control Board"  jacks J1 and J2 are plain old regular six wire telephone cable bought in any box store, Radio Shack etc. The signals disregard the outside color blue and the other outside color white. The modular jacks that come with the signal itself  ( Jack J3 ) are wired differently though as the are Yellow-Green-Red and Black looking down at the modular plug with the wire to the signal facing you. but they are a six wire plug with just four wires and a different configuration than the other board connecting wires.

What irritates me though is why couldn't Atlas just say you could use standard six wire telephone wire. If I would have known that when I first ordered the system I would not have ordered the cable as it is about five times more expensive than sections you can locally buy and their are sizes from two foot through 25 ft with modular plugs on both ends. Cheaper yet if you have a crimper. 

Thanks for your help as another lesson learned here.

.

[retsignalmtr]

If you buy the wire and connectors along with a good crimper you can make your own custom cables any length you need. There are also modular inline connectors so you can lengthen premade cables without having to cut and splice the wires. I get my wire and RJ plugs at  allelectronics.com . Prices are good and they have a good quality crimper. Since the four pin RJ plugs will fit in the same slots on the control boards that the six pins do and the blue and white wires are not used why pay extra for wire that won't be used.

[JaguarJames]

I have a clarification question on the wire color.

"The modular jacks that come with the signal itself ( Jack J3 ) are wired differently though as they are Yellow-Green-Red and Black looking down at the modular plug with the wire to the signal facing you."

Is the RJ-11 retaining clip on top or on bottom as your describing the wire color left to right?

Thanks

 

[gatefive]

The last two answers were correct. Atlas is a straight through wiring system. In other words if you have the connectors at both ends of your cable facing upward with the little plastic snap hook facing you and the wires are from left to right in the same order then your are good to go. If you have both connectors facing up as described but the wiring in reversed then the signal will not work as designed. I use as I wrote .flat  6 conductor telephone cable from either Lowes or Home Depot and RJ-12 connectors and a good crimper. Plastic crimpers won't do the job. Good luck.

Dick Foster

Atlasrr Signal moderator

 

[rrinker]

 This means a Loconet cable is what you want. However, you still need to check. A PROPER Loconet cable is straight through, however except for specific use, such as command station to booster and connection to the BDL-168 block detector, it actually doesn't matter  So not everyone is careful when making Loconet cables. Check before using any self-made or cables other than the supplied ones.

                    --Randy