Found some old old NJ Int Signals...what to do with them?

[Regg05]

My grandmother found two old signals from my first layout probably 10-12 years ago and they are New Jersey International.  They are brass and kind of faded for being in the attic all these years.  One of the signals have both the red and green lights still in them with very small wires...and the other one only has the green bulb...the red bulb looks to have fell out along with the attached wire.  All wiring on both looks to be frayed...not sure tho

Someone told me that I should buy new LED's and install? If so how do I do that and what exactly do I buy?  Is it extensive...im sure some soldering has to be done which i have limited experience in.

I wzs going to throw them in the garbage but considering that im in the process of a new layout and signals are quite expensive....im not sure

Any ideas suggestions?

Regg

[Bayfield Transfer Railway]

If you don't want them and don't want to fix them put them on Ebay or any of the model railroad auction sites on Facebook.

 

[hon30critter]

Hi Regg:

Definitely don't throw them out. Somebody will pay good money for them, especially if they are brass (OK, it won't be like winning the lottery but you can probably get a few bucks for them).

However, if I were you, I would use them a a learning exercise in how to work with LEDs.

If they have the typical older glass bulbs then 3mm LEDs will fit very nicely in their place. Red and Green 3mm LEDs are cheap on ebay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/100pcs-3mm-White-Green-Red-Blue-Yellow-LED-Light-Bulb-Emitting-Diode-Lamp-/201435368812?hash=item2ee67bcd6c:g:V74AAOxy2CZTcGQ7

You will also need resistors:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/100PCS-Resistors-1K-Ohms-OHM-1-4W-5-Carbon-Film-NEW-/201414888250?hash=item2ee5434b3a:g:RfwAAOSwuMFUi5tb

And you will need wire. I would just get red and black to start, but if you are getting into DCC decoder installations having some of the other colours on hand is not a bad idea. Magnet wire can be easily hidden but the larger sizes are easier to work with:

https://www.tcsdcc.com/Customer_Content/Products/Supplies/Wire/Wire.htm

Heat shrink tubing or liquid electrical 'tape'. You need to insulate the LED leads when putting them into the brass signal heads:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/8Size-70pcs-Assortment-2-1-Heat-Shrink-Tubing-Tube-Sleeving-Wrap-Wire-Cable-Kit-/141701359251?hash=item20fe0f2693:g:EKMAAOSw9N1Viihl

http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&page=1&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3ALiquid%20Electrical%20Tape

You will need a 12 volt DC power supply. One power supply can feed a whole bunch of signals or other lighting. There are other ways to power the LEDs but I won't complicate things by going into them:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_20?url=search-alias%3Delectronics&field-keywords=12+volt+power+supply&sprefix=12+volt+power+supply%2Caps%2C147&rh=n%3A172282%2Ck%3A12+volt+power+supply

 

You will have to do some soldering but it's pretty basic. To clean the insulation off the magnet wire just draw it over a hot soldering iron. Avoid the smoke.

LEDs are polarity sensitive. The long lead on a 3mm LED is positive.

I would use canopy glue or Aileen's Tacky Glue to mount the LEDs.

Install the resistors below the layout surface so they can't be seen. It doesn't matter which lead the resistors go on but if you always put the resistors on the positive lead it makes it easy to tell the polarity.

Give it a try. What you learn will last you a lifetime.

Dave

[Regg05]

So my question now would be if i buy those items mentioned above which i certainly have no problem doing, how do the signals operate?

Are they automatic or do I need some type of sensor or controller to control the signal?

Regg

[rrinker]

 The signals are just the lights. You will need some method of controlling them, anythign from a simple switch to manually change the colors to a fully automatic system that detects the position of the train and turns on the proper color.

              --Randy

[richhotrain]

Regg, which NJ International signals do you have?

If you connect them to Tortoises, the movement of the Tortoise in controlling the route of the point rails will also control the appearance of the red and green LEDs.

Dave makes a good suggestion about trying to repair these signals, but this would be quite a task for a novice.

Could you use these signals on your layout if they were repaired?

Rich

[MisterBeasley]

Miniatronics makes small bulbs that might fit the signals.  They come in red, green and yellow, in addition to clear.

Ideally, you would be better off with LEDs, but the Miniatronics bulbs come with wires already attached so you won't have to solder wires to the bulbs.  You can get 16-volt bulbs, so you don't need resistors, and you don't have to worry about polarity with bulbs, either.

LEDs essentially last forever, while bulbs eventually burn out.  I run a lot of these 16-volt bulbs at 12 volts, which softens the light and also makes them last pretty much indefinitely.

[rogerhensley]

If you don't know what to do with them, the Madison County Historical Society will take them off of your hands. (Free of course.) I am just beginning to use signals on the HO railroad we have built. Send me an e-mail if interested.

[Regg05]

Rich

I honestly don't know what type of NJ signals they are just know they're brass and old.  I have to post a few pics and yes if that was the thought....to hopefully get them repaired and working so they could go on the layout.

My question is this..yes I will have the tortoise switch machines at the turnouts...do i need to buy another turnouts for the signals at those same turnouts?

Regg

[richhotrain]

Regg05

Rich

I honestly don't know what type of NJ signals they are just know they're brass and old.  I have to post a few pics and yes if that was the thought....to hopefully get them repaired and working so they could go on the layout.

My question is this..yes I will have the tortoise switch machines at the turnouts...do i need to buy another turnouts for the signals at those same turnouts?

Regg

The Tortoise that controls the turnout is also the source of power for the NJ signal. As the Tortoise throws the point rails straight or divergent, it can also be used at the same time to control the lighting (red/green) on the signal.