Wiring MTH Block Signal relayless insulated track help???

[UnclePeteRR]

Seven years ago a fellow,lionelsoni,described in detail a simpler way of how to accomplish this using a separate bulb/light instead of a relay.  Perhaps he could display a wiring diagram for the less experienced modelers. unclepeterr

[lionelsoni]

I have actually described this simple way to operate a signal from a control rail (an insulated outside rail), a number of times on the forum, using only an extra incandescent lamp or two.  I hope this "ASCII-art" diagram will suffice:

 |  |  |
 |  |  |
 |  |
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
 |  |--+-------
 |  |  |  | | |
 |  |  |  R X X
 |  |  |  | | |
 |  |  |-------
 |  |  |   |
 |  |      G
 |  |  |   |
 |  |  |----
 |  |  |
 |  |  |

Connect the green (G) lamp's terminal to the layout common, that is, the outside rails generally.  Connect the red (R) lamp's terminal to the supply, whether the center rail (as shown here) or a separate accessory supply.  Connect the signal's common (the terminal connected to both lamps) to the control rail.  Then connect an extra (X) lamp in parallel with the red lamp, that is, effectively between the supply and the control rail.  The extra lamp should have the same voltage rating as the signal lamps but draw twice the current.  When the signal lamps are number 52s or 53s, as they often are or could be, a number 57 is ideal as the extra lamp.  An alternative shown here is to use two extra lamps in parallel, of the same type as in the signal.

Years ago, I was surprised to come across almost the same idea in an old book I was reading.  [Raymond F. Yates, Making and Operating Model Railroads, D. Appleton-Century, New York, 1943]  It was attributed to Albert C. Kalmbach, the founder of the very company that sponsors this web site.  The difference was that he used an ordinary resistor in place of the extra lamp.  However, lamps work much better in this circuit.