# signals?



## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

I have a modest track power layout with two LGB series turnouts that I'd like to operate remotely. They're wired up and working fine with an LGB switch box, but it's hard for me to tell, standing at the remote switch, which track the turnout is heading into. And visitors, including kids, love to come and press buttons, but they have no idea what's doing what. Is there an easy way to make a signal? Just a LED or two would be fine. Or a commercial signal, if there is one. I should note I'm running multiple trains using aristo' onboard train engineer and TRACK POWER, so I don't have any block wiring and would rather not install any. 

What I'd like is to have, say, a light that was green when the switch was set straight and red when it was set to turn. 



I'm open to the idea of upgrading these 16000 switches to usa or aristo # 6s, but I assume I'd have the same problems 
Any suggestions?


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## dltrains (Jan 2, 2008)

Lownote, 
Do you want a trackside signal you can see from your panel? Or do you want to wire two lights in line with your switch control and keep them in your control panel for referance? Or both? If memory serves me correctly you can find the two light wiring diagram in "Wiring Basics for Model Railroads" 
Dave


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

I should have bee clearer--I want to put a trackside signal light at the switch.


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## craigcoffman (Jan 2, 2008)

I did this at one time.. am wanting to re-do them now. I used some simple cpvc tubing for the mast & some christmas lights for the indicators... with painted beer caps for the targets behind the lights. Wasn't the most prototypical & most turned up their noses at them, but they did work. At the time I was using aristo switch boxes for the switch control & they have accessory outputs that were perfect for this, with LGB boxes, you have to buy the pricey add-on accessory switch. 
In my experience though, unless you made a round of all switches prior to running to make sure each switch was clean of debris & functioning correctly, it was still possible to get a good indicator then find out when the train hit the switch that the points weren't quite thrown all the way. This was mostly a function of the way the Aristo acc switch mechanism worked though. Don't know about the LGB one. That being said, failure to get a good signal light, either red or green, saved me many, many derails. 
-- 
craig 

Oh. I don't have any web-space for posting photos currently, but here's what they looked like at night. (the green indicators are on the side masts, I don't have any video showing them in operation or with the indicators turned red, sorry). 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yh6VJ9hU9aw


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

Thank you craig. I was thinking of making my own signals as well. 

So the Arisot switch has accessory outputs that run DC out? 

There's probably a way to use the remote wire terminal on the LGB switch--the same pule that throws th switch could throw switch in a signal. I just don't know enough about the parts that would be involved. 

I have one LGB EPL accessory switch, and i figured it could maybe do it with that, but in my experience they decrease the reliabiity of the switch a little.


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## craigcoffman (Jan 2, 2008)

Lownote: 

No the aristo machine has basically a Single Pole Dual Throw switch built in, in simply switches whatever you provide, be it ac or dc to one of two poles. I used AC for lighting myself. I think the LGB accessory is the same, but I don't know for sure. 

-- 
craig


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## Schlosser (Jan 2, 2008)

Lownote: 
The Lgb supplementary switch (LGB 12070) that attaches to an EPL switch motor can be used to illuminate red/green bulbs on a control panel to indicate which direction the points are set for. This is often better than something next to the switch, especially if you can't see the bloomin' thing! 

The old O gauge (not 027) Lionel switches I grew up with had a neat center position off toggle with a red and green bulb. Really neat. 

Art


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

Rocky in florada made some great signal stands from scratch. You might E mail him. He did some Dwraf singnals that looked great.


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## Guest (Apr 28, 2008)

Try these guys the make a great signal and electronics to go with them..http://www.geocities.com/shilohsig/ 
Nick


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

I've looked at the Shiloh site, and what I can't understand is how to make the signal work. I'm not using track blocks--it's track power, but not DCC, and I'm not tryng to detect a train. I just want a signal light at the switch so I know which way the points are thrown when I'm not near the switch, or so visitors to the railroad know. I'm not sure how to do that, and the shiloh site doesn't give any info on how their signals are tripped. 

This is probably really easy, 'm just a novice. I have one LGB EPL supplementary switch, the little add-on ting, ad I may just set that up on the bench and poke around with an LED till I get it to work


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## Guest (Apr 29, 2008)

lownote, 

read or download this pdf: http://www.lgboa.com/data/downloads/00559interim.pdf from page 105 onwards you see how to use the epl-switch. 

for homebuilt led signals have a look in neighbours garden: 

http://www.gscalemad.co.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=11224&hl=signal 

http://www.gscalemad.co.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=11715&hl=LED+signal 

korm 
.


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

Thank you! 

So if I'm getting this right, it looks like, for example, I'd wire one lead of each LED (a red and a green) to the inside rail, and then run a wire from the outside rail to terminal one of the EPL suppl.switch. Then I'd run a wire from terminal two of the suppl. switch to the red LED, and a wire from terminal three of the suppl. switch to the green led. It looks like then when I thre the switch DC power would go from one led to the other. 

Is that basically right?


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## Guest (Apr 30, 2008)

i am not sure, if i understood you. 
one foot each of the two LEDs you connect directly to the source. the other wire from the source goes in the middle-connection of the epl switch. the two outs from the epl are connected to one LED each. 
(i think, LEDs can work only in "one dirction". and don't forget the necessary diod, that they need) 
(and each epl-switch is really two switches. for instance, to have one signal on red, while the other is green. or one for the signal, and the other for giving power to a siding track) 

edit: look at your epl switch. it has som triangles/arrows embossed. you put the wire from the source where an arrow is directed inwards. on the two outwards arrows right and left from it you connect the red and the green LED.


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## paintjockey (Jan 3, 2008)

Here is a link to the model making forum on signals i started making. Sorry, i don't remember how to shorten the link. 
http://www.mylargescale.com/Community/Forums/tabid/56/forumid/8/postid/19598/view/topic/Default.aspx 

If ya have any questions give me a shout. 
Terry


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

Thank you. I tried using pens and barrier strip, as in the Gscale Mad forum post, but could not find the right size barrier strip.


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