Infared Devices

[insfil]

Hi All, has anybody been using the infared signals either by Lionel or MTH,
and if so, can they be applied to K-Line Super Snap track.

[Roger Bielen]

I've used the small block signal type from Z-Stuff with success. When using these it is necessary to also use their relay to turn on whatever accessory you want to trigger. I use mine for a pair of crossing crossbucks.

There's been discussion that the MTH unit is somewhat sensitive to ambient light.

[Big_Boy_4005]

The whole point of using infrared devices is to leave the track out of the activation process. I haven't examined any of the ones on the market except Lionel's 153IR. That one will work with any track, and needs no special consideration such as relays.

[spankybird]

MTH make tow different Infrared Track Activation Devices. Both can operate from fix power. I like the Premier one better.



Item # 45-1028 at list price $29.95

Or the Railking one which can operate from track power or fix power. If you chose fix power, then you can remover the part that clips to the RealTrack.



Item #40-1028 at list price $19.95

Lionel also make one that looks the premier one.

tom

[brianel027]

I've had one of the MTH Premiere IR's for years. I do like it, but as mentioned they are room light sensitive, but you can play around with that. Also when running a train of all dark colored cars, the IR doesn't work as well. I find I need to mix colors of the cars with lighter ones between darker ones.

Ah, nothing is perfect as far as these activation devices. But I do like the MTH IR as well as my Z-stuff block signals, though I had to make small indentations in the train table surface for the Z-Stuff block signals to go into. I think they were designed for use with the '0' tubular track height and I use 027.

[FJ and G]

I've got the MTH RK infrared. I wi***hey would have disguised it better like in the top photo that Tom has posted. I run wires from the track to mine and keep it below the layout where it cannot be seen.

[garyseven]

Check out this review:
http://www.thelynx.com/railscan/articles/reviews/mthirc/

[jkerklo]

I have never understood why a 3-rail track vendor would come out with an infrared detection device. Isolated outside rail detection is a big advantage of three rail track, is much more reliable, and cheaper.

Both Lionel and MTH have isolated rail components for their new track systems. These are reasonably easy to use, although a bit hard to find on their websites. And, the plastic track certainly makes establishing an outside-rail track block easier than insulating high rails from metal "ties." Two cuts and a wire and you have it.

John Kerklo
TCA 94-38455
www.Three-Rail.com

[spankybird]

John,

I beleive the big advantage to this device is the time delay after the train passes. This can be set from 0 to I believe 6 seconds. So once a train passes, lets say a grade crossing, the gates remain closed for several seconds.

[lionelsoni]

But, in defense of John's position, you can simply make the control rail extend as far from the crossing as needed to keep the gate down. This also improves the realism in that the gate goes down earlier way to anticipate the arrival of the train, rather than waiting until it is in the crossing.

[brianel027]

John the other advantage of the IR devices is when your layout and track is already laid in and ballasted. And when you want to the activation on a curve. I use 027 track, and I'm with John on the level of price and simplicity. [:-^]

I have made some of my own insultated rails with 027 track, but I do find the process a little aggrivating. I've pinched through my self made insulator tabs when pressing the track rails into the metal ties. I've never understood why insulated rails were never made for 027 curved sections (another one of those improvements I'm always referring to).

Another advantage of the IR devices (from my viewpoint) is that I have a lot of insulated blocks. Insulating the rails does help slow down current flow a bit, meaning more feeder wires.

I have made my own insulated rail trips by using electrical tape on the back of a piece of heavier baking aluminum foil and making my own imitation of the MARX type. Then I adhere them to the track with carpet tape. But after a period of time I have found these need to be redone as they just don't hold up very well. Also the aluminum surface won't take solder, so I've had to cut the strips for the rail with an "L" shaped tab running off the main section - so I can roll the feeder wire into that section.

I still use the MARX type of activation rail - have had them for years - and they still work fine. Although they are thicker than the ones I've made myself and you do get a little more "clunking" as the train goes over them.

I'm not big on all the added electronics in trains these days - but I know many are and there are those who swear by the new features. But the IR-type devices are one technological advance that is nice: easy to use, no complex wiring, and reliable on 027 curves. Hey, there are plusses and minuses to everything. I actually like the insulated rail idea for its simplicity. But even there, it means you rolling stock wheels all need to be clean for proper operation and the cars all need to be heavy enough to insure a good contact. Over the years I've seen plenty of layouts with insulated rails, where gates go down and then back up only to go down again depending on the type of car activating the insulated rail.

Yep, the IR devices can give you trouble with being room light sensitive (as they are) and they can mis-activate depending on the color of the train car. LIke I said, nothing is perfect.

Fortunately on of the upsides of the train hobby these days is that there are so many choices and possibilies. And choice is the key word: running trains by TMCC is no better than running traditionally with just the transformer - if that's what you choose to do. [^]

[lionelsoni]

Putting in insulators is tedious indeed. I have found that the stiff pressboard used for covers of reports and such is reliable and a pretty close match to the original. I have wondered whether it would be practical to screw existing tubular track down with two screws in every tie and then cut through the ties with a Dremel somewhere between the screws. But I haven't tried it yet.

As for crossing gates' going up and down erratically, my impression is that this is pretty much prototypical. I have seen them do it quite often, especially when the trains are moving slowly. We have a crossing between two railroads here (at McNeil). When trains pass on the short line, the adjacent UP crossing gates inappropriately cycle up and down.

[brianel027]

Well I'll be derailed Bob! Never would have guessed that the real ones behave erratically too... I love it!

To heck with all this scale proportioned this and that... there's plenty of prototypical operation with good ol' fashioned toy trains! [:-^]

Now I'm wondering if anyone has actually seen for real a box car with Mickey Mouse or Bugs Bunny bobbing up and down out of the roof????

Or aliens? [alien]
Or Kooljock? [8D] (Sorry to drag you into this Jon... how you'd like to be in an operating train car????)

[Big_Boy_4005]

QUOTE: Originally posted by lionelsoni

But, in defense of John's position, you can simply make the control rail extend as far from the crossing as needed to keep the gate down. This also improves the realism in that the gate goes down earlier way to anticipate the arrival of the train, rather than waiting until it is in the crossing.

In defense of both positions, I didn't think I had a use for the IR controls since I'm using Gargraves track and have infinate insulated rail capacity. I plan to use that for detecting where the trains are on the entire mainline. But in going for full automation, I need a way to detect if the trains are fouling when they get close to the end of the siding. That's where the IR detectors will come in handy. Like an electric eye, it should be able to cover both tracks. If the commercially available ones can't cover two tracks, emitter and collector pairs are fairly inexpensive, and easy to wire.