# Life-Like Crossing signals



## dieseldude (Apr 21, 2009)

Has anyone ever used the "Life-Like" brand G scale crossing signals on their outdoor layout? I'm guessing that they operate on a motion sensor and are probably battery powered (I could be wrong). They are fairly inexpensive and show up on ebay all the time. I realize that they are meant for indoor layouts, but if they are battery powered (again, just a guess) they could easily be brought in when not in use. Let me know what ya think. Thanks. -Kevin.


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## Madstang (Jan 4, 2008)

Things that are meant for indor usually do not work outside as the plastic is not UV protected and the sun will eat the plastic in a short time! By eat I mean dry out and then it becomes brittle falls apart in pieces.

Would be cool though!

Bubba


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## dieseldude (Apr 21, 2009)

Bubba- Thanks for the input. I kinda figured that they weren't UV stable. Since my "town" in under the shade of a huge maple tree, it might not be a problem. I suppose I could spray them with some Krylon clear UV stabilizer spray, just in case. Thanks again for the thoughts. -Kevin.


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## Madstang (Jan 4, 2008)

Hey ya know it doesn't hurt to give anything a go. If it works thats great, and you would have never know it would had you not tried it. If their reasonable hey do it! Then share the info as they would be cool.

I placed a cow skull outside after spraying with UV protectant, and is pretty much a yearly thing to kee;p it from drying out and cracking.

Bubba


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## takevin (Apr 25, 2010)

Should last it if its uv protected, been thinking about buying those myself.


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## s-4 (Jan 2, 2008)

Hey dieseldude! 
I've used these signals before, and really liked them about 15 years ago. http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/lif/lif1806.htm 
You can power them off battery if you like, but I merely connected them to the track power. 

The set I bought came with a spring-loaded switch which you would stick under the tracks. When the train arrived the lights would start flashing until the last car passed over the switch. After that, the lights would continue to flash for a few moments...this let you place the switch in advance of the crossing. The only problem was that it worked only in one direction. 

If you bought 2 of these you may be able to insert a switch on either side of the crossing to control both sets of flashers. 

For the first couple years, I used to bring this in and out as I would run trains. Eventually I started leaving it outside, but the switch began to rust and eventually failed. The flashers and circuitry lasted about 10 years, but I did replace the crossbuck after the original went missing. The little tabs were easily broken off, probably in a derailment! 

Overall, not a bad product. In the smaller scales you normally have to buy sensors and flasher circuitry separately, but this one had everything you needed.


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