153C vs. MTH TAD: Opinons?

[marmelmm]

As noted here,  I'm planning to build a trolley layout at an upcoming traction meet.  Now, the construction of this is going to be strictly tabletop on top of carpet tablecovers, so, in order to do blocks with the trolleys*, I've decided to get clever and use track switches to control the blocks (i.e. as a car passes the switch, the preceding block goes dead and the signal goes red) as per "How To Operate Lionel Trains And Accessories" circa 1953 or so

This will be my first experience using 153C switches.  Any tips or hints?  Would the MTH TAD switches work better?  Any recommended sources for them if so? 

VTY,

-MMM-

* Block control would basically be between the Portland/Douglas Avenue loop and Longport.  The Inlet carbarn area would be manually controlled, using the antiderail feature of 1022 switches as block controls.
 

[Wes Whitmore]

I use the ITADs.  I found that the IR sensor doesn't always trip depending on the room light.  Other people have had some of these issues too.  Some work well.  The lighter the room, the worse for me.  A super easy and reliable fix is to just bypass that little eye and ground that contact where the eye connected to the relay to a small little section of track.  When the trolly hit is, it trips the relay.  The ITADs have a variable timing circuit that you might find useful.  It keeps the relay closed for a set amount of time, then releases it.  Works like a champ.  I have my ITAD ripped apart and mounted to a board, so I could mount it under the layout and use it on any track.  If you need more info, I can draw something up.

Wes

[winrose46]

In my experience, the MTH unit is far to sensitive to room light. I even replaced my incandesant bulbs with florsecent I got some improvement. On my layout it only works in tunnels.  I have had no issues with the Lionel version on my layout.

[dbaker48]

 Does anyone have experience with the sensors from Zstuff, I know their other products are great.  These look very interesting to me.

[Wes Whitmore]

ITADs work great with the mod...I needed the mod because my old layout relied on them to work flawlessly to direct trains from colliding with one another, and they did until I changed layouts.  The only fault is the IR, and I wouldn't trust any IR to trigger every time, especially on a traveling layout where it runs all day in different lighting environments.  The timing circuit alone was worth the $20.

Wes