Can’t get much simpler than this.
When a metal wheel spans the gap, it triggers the relay . Ergo, each wheel triggers it twice and an engine or lighted car triggers it once for as long as it touches the center portion, so there is a lot of redundancy and this assures activation.
Todd Brody said:
Sensors are the easy part and can be a simple piece of rail long enough to squeeze between two insulators. This is the basis for the Tortoise Bump Accident Sentinal System (Bump A.S.S.) that makes my trains wait for each other at the 60 degree crossing.
The timing is done with a 555 chip and the circuit is very simple. You can run the whole thing off the track power if you regulate it to 5 or 6 volts, or it can run off batteries (4 AAs would go a long time).
Aristocraft was comtemplating coming out with a signal system based on my concept and I even did a prototype for Lewis Polk. If you are handy with a soldering iron and this is something you would like to persue, I can provide more detail.
These are done with a bi-color LED, brass fender washer, a brass tube, some cement, and a small “Dixie cup.”
Here you can see “Casey Joan” next to one of my raised signals. Again, a brass fender washer, a brass tube, a piece of “hardware cloth” cut to size, and a bi-color LED.
Todd I am interested in learning more about your signal system and the chip that you used. I am new to signals, however this looks very simple what you had in the previous pics… Thanks, Travis
The 555 timing chip is extremely versatile, limited only by your imagination. There are plenty of tutorials available on line. They form the basis for most of my automation circuits.
