Railway crossing signals

[Duker]

I would like to know how to wire up a basic crossing signal with infrared to locate train travel on Ho scale.

[RR_Mel]

That’s not a lot of info to go on.  Do you have anything or are you starting from zero.  There are quite a few directions that you can go in starting with nothing.

 

 

Mel

 

 

My Model Railroad   

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

 

Bakersfield, California

 

I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

 

[G Paine]

Also, are you talking about just flashers or working crossing gates? Gates are much more complicated to get running correctly

[MisterBeasley]

I have one crossing protected with flashers and one with gates.  Both are activated with Rob Paisley circuits.  The flashers are from Oregon Rail Supply and the gates from NJ International.

These work in low light but are not infrared.  I tried IR  but was unsuccessful, and the visible light works well enough for me, even under night running conditions.

I run the gates with a single Tortoise machine and linkages from Circuitron.

These circuits run at 12 volts DC and drive both the flashers and the gates.

[richg1998]

MisterBeasley mentioned this guy.

Look at the grade crossing circuits. All his circuits are proven.

http://www.circuitous.ca/CircuitIndex.html#Automatic

Rich

[mbinsewi]

The current MR (May), page 22, Cody G gives a step by step on working grade crossing signals.

Mike.

[MisterBeasley]

There is nothing wrong with the article, but it's specific to the Grade Crossing Pro and it does not have gates.  The Rob Paisley circuits are no more or less complicated, just different.

The gates are mechanical and are considerably more effort to install.  I had to modify the linkages just to get them to work.

[mbinsewi]

OK, just thought I'd mention the article, not trying to compare one to other, as I know nothing about Rob Paisley and his curcuits, or do I know anything Grade Crossing Pro.   

I don't have any crossings.

Mike.

[RR_Mel]

I’ve used both Rail Pro and Paisley controllers and now I’m cutting over to an Arduino UNO for my crossings.  Nothing wrong with either, both worked very good.

 

Two advantages of using an Arduino, price and speed control of the gates.  I’m using $1.50 SG90 servos to raise and lower the gates and I can control the exact up and down positions.

 

Early on I used Back Shop switch machines for the gates then switched to Tortoise.

 

The servos are easier to configure mechanically and take up less space than a Tortoise.

 

Actually you can use a Nano, I just prefer the UNO.  I built a couple of card shelves to hold the UNOs.   

 

 

Mel

 

 

My Model Railroad   

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

 

Bakersfield, California

 

I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

 

[NittanyLion]

Any reason on the Uno? Number of pins? 

I am looking at using a Pico for a flasher circuit. Don't need gates or even detection, just an on/off switch. 

[RR_Mel]

NittanyLion

Any reason on the Uno? Number of pins? 

I am looking at using a Pico for a flasher circuit. Don't need gates or even detection, just an on/off switch. 

 

Just convenience.  I built two card shelves to hold UNOs and MEGAs.  Each shelf will hold 8 Arduinos. 

 

 

The DC to DC converters on top supply the Arduino voltages.

I use the UNOs for my random lighting and crossing controllers.  I use a pair of MEGAs for my block signaling system, one for each direction.

 

I made some UNO size mother boards that hold a pair of NANOs each.  I use the NANOs for flashing lights and Bluetooth wireless controls.

 

I tried Picos early on but I had problems programming them.  I don’t have any problems with the Arduinos.  

 

 

Mel

 

 

My Model Railroad   

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

 

Bakersfield, California

 

I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

 

 

[wjstix]

The April 2019 RMC has a good article on installing infra-red triggered crossing signals on an HO layout using Azatrax components.

[RR_Mel]

The Arduino KY-032 Obstacle Avoidance Sensor works very good as an across the track detector.  When used as a break beam (across the track) the output is inverted.

 

I also works very good as a reflective type detector as is.  It is extremely easy to remote the LEDs for custom installation.

 

 

 

And one of the better things about the KT-032 is the cost, at 10 for  $4.99 free S&H on eBay they can’t be beat.

 

  

 

 

Mel

 

 

My Model Railroad   

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

 

Bakersfield, California

 

I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

 

[NittanyLion]

RR_Mel

 

I tried Picos early on but I had problems programming them.  I don’t have any problems with the Arduinos.  

 

 

 

That's useful information. I was struck by the novelty of the size, but if they're troublesome I'd rather spend the whole $1 more on a Nano clone.  I'm probably going to spend more on batteries to run the thing over a couple shows than the parts cost.

 

[RR_Mel]

NittanyLion

 

 

RR_Mel

 

I tried Picos early on but I had problems programming them.  I don’t have any problems with the Arduinos.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

That's useful information. I was struck by the novelty of the size, but if they're troublesome I'd rather spend the whole $1 more on a Nano clone.  I'm probably going to spend more on batteries to run the thing over a couple shows than the parts cost.

 

 

If you’re looking for small you could go with a Trinket.

 

 

I haven’t tried a Trinket but they have amazing power for their size.

 

EDIT:

 

Check it out

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8iCOa0slXo&t=28s

 

 

 

Mel

 

 

My Model Railroad   

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

 

Bakersfield, California

 

I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

 

[York1]

I'm 68 with no background in electronics, computing, or wiring.

How hard is it to learn to use the Arduino?

[RR_Mel]

York1

I'm 68 with no background in electronics, computing, or wiring.

How hard is it to learn to use the Arduino?

 

I worked in electronics all my life starting out at 8 years old and it wasn’t easy for me.  From what I understand the original Arduino concept was developed for artists with no electronic back ground.

 

I wouldn’t say that I have even come close to mastering the Arduino coding but it becomes easier with each project.

 

There are a lot of Forum Members that can help you if you decide to go in that direction.

 

For me its trial and error all the way, I learn something with every project.

 

So far I have a great working random lighting controller, actually eight of them.  I also came up with a good working block signaling system using a pair of MEGAs.  I have a good working crossing controller using servos to raise and lower the gates.  I’m working on a Turnout Controller but I still have problems with the servos drawing excessive current at idle.

 

I started into the Arduino World at 78 and it wasn’t easy for me, I had no programming experience at all.  Now at almost 82 it’s looking much easier.  I bought the Arduino teaching manual and that confused me early on but after copying some programs off the Internet and dinking around with some easy programs the manual does help now when I get in a bind.

 

I figure if I can do it anyone can, I’m as klutzy as they come.  One of the things I found very disturbing is the quantity of Arduino programs (Sketches) on the Internet that DON’T work, that didn’t help me at all.

 

 

Mel

 

 

My Model Railroad   

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

 

Bakersfield, California

 

I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

 

[York1]

RR_Mel

I figure if I can do it anyone can, I’m as klutzy as they come. 

Thanks, I have been thinking about trying it with something simple.  I would really like to set up automatic crossing lights, but I wasn't sure if I could handle it.  When I get a chance I'll give it a try.

[rrinker]

 If you want to make use of Arduinos without learning to actually program them, check out Geoff Bunza's projects. He has a simple getting started bit that shows you how to hook an Arduino to your PC and install the required software, and then for each of his example project, he provides all the code. You just copy and paste it. You don't have to actually understand it if you want to use the project exactly as designed. It shows you where to hook up lights and switches and so forth, and if you hook it up exactly like the diagram and copy the code without changing anythiung, it will just work.

 You can start out using other peoples' projects, and then later start working out why the code used does what it does.

                                          --Randy