What Turnout Direction Lights Do you Suggest

[peahrens]

I have my 5x9 HO layout track completed, with a control panel for the 20 or so Tortoises on my Walthers Shinohara turnouts.   The panel has DPDT's with adjacent bicolor LEDs, so I can tell the lineups at a glance.  I thought it would be nice to add turnout position indicator lights by the turnouts for a neat effect, but don't know anything about what is prototypical nor what to buy and how to wire.  Could I just add these appropriately for the mainline turnouts (to yards, etc)?  Is there a light for each direction?  What to do at crossovers?  Would dwarf red / green lights do the trick? Which ones are favorites?  How to wire these (e.g., from 2nd Tortoise contacts, etc)? 

I doubt I will eventually add other (block?) signals with occupancy sensors, but thought addressing turnout direction might be a nice, reasonably easy addition.  There are about 6 single mainline turnouts and 2 crossovers, so 10 turnouts to address if this is a proper idea.

Is there a reference article on signaling I should be aware of?

Thanks for any suggestions.    

[NP01]

I used dwarf signals by quickarelectronics, eBay item number 230917467270. These are red green 2-lead bipolar LEDs and you wire them in series with the tortoise. The stall current on a tortoise motoris about 20 mA which is perfect for an LED, so no resistors or separate supply is required. These look prototypical enough for me at about $1 each. 

I have a panel with about 18 tortoises similar to yours on but I chose SPDT switches for fewer solder joints. I did not put in panel lights because the position of the switch tells me the turnout position. 

For my new addition though, I am going to use DCC control and computerized signalling. I sure did not think an year ago I will get this far. 

NP. 

[farrellaa]

Check out this idea that I sent to Elmer. It is for use with a Tortise machine and doesn't require resistors since the Tortise uses low voltage . (Thanks again Elmer for putting it on your website.)

   -Bob

http://www.waynes-trains.com/site/Signals/OtherSignalStuff/LED-SwitchLamp.html

[BroadwayLion]

ROAR

[gandydancer19]

Most control panels are made to look like CTC boards.  That is why we use the indicators.  I use green for the main route, and red for the alternate route.  (The colors don't really show up good on this photo.)  I use bipolar LED's.  For the crossover, I just put the LED next to the switch.  Hope this helps.

[BroadwayLion]

Did I ever show you my control Panel:

Handle in normal position = switch or signal in normal position.

Handle in the pulled position = switch in reverse position or signal in clear condition.

In normal GRS installations the Lights are supposed to be the lever numbers, and these are marked on the model board above. (GRS lights are one per lever, and are square not round -- these sort of look like US&S indicators.) LION used poetic License (No. B127300) because round holes were easier to make and because I like the look of them better.

LION is now building NEW MODEL BOARD (The black display above the machine) which will show positions of trains. It will be mounted about two feet higher so that I can better see the railroad and it would be more prototypical that way.

ROAR

[delray1967]

Kind of on this subject, but I was looking for what colors to paint switch stand targets; though individual railroads are different, red/green for main line targets and either yellow/white or yellow/red for all other (industry and yard) turnouts.  I'm thinking if you see green, you know it's lined for the main; yellow is a safe through route (not into a deadend siding) and red or white, think about it before proceeding (industry, yard, or other potentially occupied by standing cut of cars-route).

This isn't necessarily prototypical, but made sense to me.  Maybe research your prototype (read official documentation or look at old color photos) and see what looks right to you.