zstripe BTW: Where's Motley at?
BTW: Where's Motley at?
Rich
Alton Junction
Rich,
OK!..But You have to remember, it's in my attic, so knocking out that part will go through my roof. I guess I could build a little bump out on the roof...then everyone can ask me why that's on my roof. Only one side of the roof has a dormer, the other side where the mainline runs, is a knee wall. Excellent planning on my part.
Take Care!
Let's go golfing...I'll bring my Canadian Clubs, You, BYOB.
Frank
Well, then, knock the wall out. What's more important, structural integrity or prototypicality???
Yeah! The mirror is tilted now...so you can't be seen in it, but the mirror only shows an image of the one side that the gates are on, not the other where they would be in real life. Both sides of road, not only on one side. In that area, there is just not enough room to put any on the otherside of the road,,, unless, I knock part of the wall out.
Frank, those crossing gates with the LEDs on the gates would be awesome. Can you tilt the mirror in some way to do it effectively?
I was kicking around the idea of getting the one's with the gates with the LED's on the gates and cross buck. But I only need one. It's on a back wall, where the double track mainline runs past the industial area of the city. My problem, I use a mirror there so it looks like the street goes on. Problem being, the mirror only shows the one on one side, which don't look too prototypical.
I guess I could remove the mirror...but It would lose the effect.
Frank, I agree with you.
But, for me, the easiest, albeit the costliest, solution was just to add a flasher circuit board.
That may be true. A flasher Unit could be the answer for some, for I want it now, or I don't want to build my own crowd. But it is alot cheaper if you build your own. For instance....the flashing LED above doesn't need anything else but a power supply and one resistor, that comes with it. 10 with resistors for ten dollars. If you want two photocells for detection for under five dollars. The other circuit that I posted with diagram, all the components cost less than ten dollars.
I decided to put Mars lights on a couple of my DC switchers, Amber LED's like those, just one resistor, soldered to the light board on the engine and your done, couldn't get any simpler then that. Those LED'S have the flasher built in....in case you didn't know.
Haven't heard much from the OP. Maybe he got discouraged. I have a whole bunch of crossing signals and several flasher units to alternate the lights. I use NCE BD20s for occupancy detection.
A flasher unit is the answer.
Hustle_Muscle,
Something else to think about....or consider, just run across them today:
You should be able to click on btm for wiring diagram for info.
A lot easier to use these, than a circuit. Replace LED'S you have with these, include an on-off switch and you are all set. I just ordered a bunch of them. Different colors.
3MM RED DIFFUSED FLASHING
PERFECT FOR WARNING LAMPS ON TOP OF TALL BUILDINGS, ADVERTISING SIGNS, RESTURANTS, BARS, WATER TOWERS, ETC
AND OTHER PLACES THAT PRESENT AN EXTREME HAZARD
Pictures and Wiring Diagram
Hustle_muscle,
If you OK with working with Electronic circuits, you can make your own flashing circuit, with a IC LM555 timer, electrolytic cap, resister and parts you already have. You just have one crossing signal, so it would be easy. Built two of these circuits years ago, for my son, his Millenium Falcon's model laser cannon's. There are a lot of free circuits out there, if you are comfortable with Electronic's. On this one the on off switch would go at top right, where 6v-12v is. Lot cheaper then any you could buy, already made:
Click on pic, for helpful info.
BTW: That whole circuit above without switch...is one inch square.
richhotrain Flasher units really do add realism. Is this a cost issue? Rich
Flasher units really do add realism.
Is this a cost issue?
The tracks in my layout are too close to the edge (2.5 inches from center of straight section) to allow another crossing light, therefore, I don't see why I'd have to spend around at least 40 bucks (or maybe less) for a pair of crossing lights and a flasher if I'm only able to use one of them.
Check out my work here:
http://rmd-painting.weebly.com/
Yes a togle switch will work. I use a Logic Rail grade crossing pro. It uses photo sensers to detect a train approaching and turn the lights on. After the train pass the the grade crossing, the light go out. This works with DC or DCC layouts. Joe
A flasher unit from Dallee is about $24 and a BD-20 current detector from NCE is about $12.
Yes...You can. If they are two Red LED's 12VDC, Neg side of power goes to one leg of each LED, longer one...... plus+ from power supply goes to one end of switch, other pole of switch goes to the short leg of each LED with a 1000k resistor, when you turn on switch they will both light, should they not, switch positive/negative leads on power supply.
EDIT: Should the LED's not be bright enough for you, go to a lower resistor, like a 780 ohm. 1/4 watt would be fine.
I have a pair of Oregon rail supply crossing signals but no flasher. Is the flasher necessary or could I just use a toggle switch to turn the lights on and off without any flashing lights?