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HO Railroad Crossing Signals

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  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Bedford, MA, USA
  • 21,483 posts
Posted by MisterBeasley on Monday, July 27, 2020 6:52 PM

Use all the photocells, per the instructions.

The crossing lights use white for the common and one black wire for each light.  I think there are three terminals on the circuit for these.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

  • Member since
    September 2019
  • 21 posts
Posted by Audioquest on Monday, July 27, 2020 4:47 PM

I am going to purchase Rob Paisley circuit but am unsure where the wires go per diagram.

I have NJ Internation #1095 crossing  signals, no gate.

Each crossing signal has three wires, two wires that are black with resisters on them and one white, would someone please explain.

Also, I do have a flourcent 4' light above my layout, so the photocells should be okay?

 

Also I will be just setting up one of the crossing signals, so would I just need to use two of the photocells to engage the lights?

 

 

Thanks in advance.

 

  • Member since
    September 2019
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Posted by Audioquest on Sunday, July 26, 2020 11:39 AM

Thanks, I emailed him a few days ago, awaiting reply

 

 

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Bakersfield, CA 93308
  • 6,526 posts
Posted by RR_Mel on Saturday, July 25, 2020 12:35 PM

I second the use of Rob Paisley Circuits, they work GREAT!



Mel



 
My Model Railroad  
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/
 
Bakersfield, California
 
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
 

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Bedford, MA, USA
  • 21,483 posts
Posted by MisterBeasley on Saturday, July 25, 2020 12:14 PM

Audioquest

Are you still able to purchase Rob Paisley circuit flashes?

Yes, his web site is www.circuitous.ca

For years, it was a different site, but I believe he was asked by that host to change it.  He responds quickly to emails.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

  • Member since
    September 2019
  • 21 posts
Posted by Audioquest on Friday, July 24, 2020 2:55 PM

Are you still able to purchase Rob Paisley circuit flashes?

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Bedford, MA, USA
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Posted by MisterBeasley on Friday, July 24, 2020 2:51 PM

I haven't used that brand.  The Rob Paisley circuit comes with six detectors so it does provide more optimum detection and on-off response in both directions.  It's visible light, not IR, but seems to work well at low light levels.

I didn't see that the azatrax model supports crossing gates.  I think it's just flashers.  The Oregon Rail Supply crossbucks I got are just LEDs, no circuit, and the Rob Paisley circuit flashes them alternately just like you'd want.

With the number of modelers who might like a feature like this, I'm really surprised that no manufacturer makes a complete package, other than toy-like pressure detectors that put the gates down after the train is on the crossing.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

  • Member since
    September 2019
  • 21 posts
Posted by Audioquest on Friday, July 24, 2020 12:41 PM

has anyone used the azatrax D2t-xing for their crossing signal. 

I was thinking of purchasing since the cost was less expensive then most others

Thanks

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Bakersfield, CA 93308
  • 6,526 posts
Posted by RR_Mel on Friday, July 17, 2020 7:41 PM

 

Henry
 
RR_Andra
 
 
 
Mel
 
 
 
My Model Railroad   
 
Bakersfield, California
 
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
 

  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: Shenandoah Valley
  • 9,094 posts
Posted by BigDaddy on Friday, July 17, 2020 7:18 PM

richhotrain
Were you able to recover damages from the railroad?

I believe the current argot is  RR_Karen   DevilBig SmileDevil

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

  • Member since
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  • From: Dearborn Station
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Posted by richhotrain on Friday, July 17, 2020 7:07 PM

RR_Mel
 
richhotrain

Were you able to recover damages from the railroad?

Rich 

The only damage was the 2” scratch at the bottom of the windshield, didn’t hurt the wiper even though the weight of the cross arm was on it.  The scratch in the windshield is a reminder.
 
My wife was looking forward and didn’t see the signal lights come on in her Peripheral vision.  When she saw the gate moving she stomped the break.  The Santa Fe Dash 8s were really getting after it. 
 

You need to re-enact that scene on your layout.
 
Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Bakersfield, CA 93308
  • 6,526 posts
Posted by RR_Mel on Friday, July 17, 2020 6:57 PM

richhotrain

Were you able to recover damages from the railroad?

Rich

 

 

The only damage was the 2” scratch at the bottom of the windshield, didn’t hurt the wiper even though the weight of the cross arm was on it.  The scratch in the windshield is a reminder.
 
My wife was looking forward and didn’t see the signal lights come on in her Peripheral vision.  When she saw the gate moving she stomped the break.  The Santa Fe Dash 8s were really getting after it.
 
 
 
Mel
 
 
 
My Model Railroad   
 
Bakersfield, California
 
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
 

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,281 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Friday, July 17, 2020 6:27 PM

Were you able to recover damages from the railroad?

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Bakersfield, CA 93308
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Posted by RR_Mel on Friday, July 17, 2020 5:29 PM

 

It was worse than Yikes!
 
The cross arm actually hit right on the windshield wipers and put a scratch in the windshield.  I looked out the window and saw the ditch lights.  We weren’t in any danger because the gate was 10 or so feet from the locomotive.  We waited until the cross arm lifted to move the van fearing it would ding either the wipers or windshield or both.  
 
 
 
Mel
 
 
 
My Model Railroad   
 
Bakersfield, California
 
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
 

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,281 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Friday, July 17, 2020 5:12 PM

RR_Mel
 
richhotrain

Nice videos, Mel.  Any way to slow down the movement of the gates?

Rich 

That was video of my GCP and yes there is a pot for controlling the speed of the Tortoise on the board.  I went with that setting because that is very close to the speed of the Santa fe crossing close to our house.  They come down so fast that once it caught my wife landing on the hood of our mini van.

Yikes!  Huh?

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Bakersfield, CA 93308
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Posted by RR_Mel on Friday, July 17, 2020 4:46 PM

richhotrain

Nice videos, Mel.  Any way to slow down the movement of the gates?

Rich

 

That was video of my GCP and yes there is a pot for controlling the speed of the Tortoise on the board.  I went with that setting because that is very close to the speed of the Santa fe crossing close to our house.  They come down so fast that once it caught my wife landing on the hood of our mini van.


Mel



 
My Model Railroad  
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/
 
Bakersfield, California
 
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
 

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Bakersfield, CA 93308
  • 6,526 posts
Posted by RR_Mel on Friday, July 17, 2020 4:39 PM

Audioquest

Mel,

since you cut over to Arduino controller, would you consider selling your GCP

Thanks

 

I’d rather not part with it.  Kinda like tossing something, I might reuse it someday.



Mel


 
My Model Railroad  
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/
 
Bakersfield, California
 
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
 

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,281 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Friday, July 17, 2020 4:36 PM

Nice videos, Mel.  Any way to slow down the movement of the gates?

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    September 2019
  • 21 posts
Posted by Audioquest on Friday, July 17, 2020 2:29 PM

Mel,

since you cut over to Arduino controller, would you consider selling your GCP

Thanks

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Bakersfield, CA 93308
  • 6,526 posts
Posted by RR_Mel on Wednesday, July 1, 2020 2:48 PM

This is my East crossing using a Tortoise to operate the gates.  The crossings uses a Rail Logic Grade Crossing Pro controller and the gates and signals are NJI.  The reason for the delay after the locomotive goes by is that the controller is actually controlling two crossings 4’ apart.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7gZp9MPvrm3OEU3X1NIOElnMTg/view?usp=sharing

The West crossing only has one set of lights for each side of the crossing.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7gZp9MPvrm3M003clFiYVlscHc/view?usp=sharing


The same Tortoise operates both crossings with linkage.


Mel


 
My Model Railroad  
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/
 
Bakersfield, California
 
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
 

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Bedford, MA, USA
  • 21,483 posts
Posted by MisterBeasley on Wednesday, July 1, 2020 2:21 PM

I use Rob Paisley's detection and crossing signal support electronics, both for flashing crossbucks I got from Oregon Rail Supply and for moving gates and flashing crossbucks from NJ International.  The gates also required a single Tortoise machine and dual linkages from Circuitron.

This gave me the remote detection I wanted for what at the time was the best price.  I got the circuit boards pre-assembled.  There's a lot of wiring but it all worked great the first time.

The crossbucks are a kit and they require some tiny wire soldering.  The gates had a flimsy wire to drive the motion that I had to redesign a bit and rework.

The circuits also will drive a bell, which I don't have.  However, I hooked it up to a REAL crossing bell someone had, and it actually worked.  Pretty loud.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Bakersfield, CA 93308
  • 6,526 posts
Posted by RR_Mel on Wednesday, July 1, 2020 1:25 PM

 

Crossing Signals are independent from track voltage, doesn’t make any difference DC or DCC.  I used Logic Rail controllers with IR detection.

https://www.logicrailtech.com/gcp.htm

I recently cut over to using an Arduino and micro servos mainly because I like dinking with Arduino processors and servos.

EDIT:

Link to my Arduino controller:

https://melvineperry.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_97.html



Mel


 
My Model Railroad   
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/
 
Bakersfield, California
 
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
 

 

  • Member since
    September 2019
  • 21 posts
HO Railroad Crossing Signals
Posted by Audioquest on Wednesday, July 1, 2020 12:58 PM

Are there any railroad crossing signals that will work on a DCC layout that can be automated.

 

Thanks in advance.

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