Atlas Signal System - MTH Signals

Are you asking HOW to electrically modify the MTH signals (Gut the MTH board and direct wire to heads) so they will work with the Atlas/Custom Signal boards?

Suggest going to Custom Signal website (Atlas uses these boards) to view the various boards available to solve almost any complex signaling problems.  Also I moderate a (lately inactive) Yahoo site specifically about Custom Signals.  Feel free to ask Terry Christopher (owner) for signalling advice of what to use.

Having worked for Atlas since 1999 until last year and working with Terry from Custom Signals since before then I know Custom Signals uses the Atlas Signal control boards but has special turnout control boards made for his multi head signals. This allows him to control all prototypical track configurations as offered in his track configuration library. The main thing to consider are the signals themselves. The Atlas/Custom Signals are wired using "common cathode". My best recollection of the MTH signals are not wired using that design and would not operate using the Atlas Signal control circuit boards. You could try contacting Terry Christopher directly at 845-592-1302 (Custom Signals) . I'm sure he will have the same answer.

The "problem" with MTH signals is that they're actually only two-aspect signals -- i.e., occupied/unoccupied with a four-second yellow-before-green. The Atlas signals are true three-aspect signals (or four if you include dark-before-approach). This allows for sustained approach (yellow) and I believe flashing as well depending on the hardware you have behind the signals. The plug-ins are just to the LEDs in the heads; all control is in the Atlas/Custom Signals boards.

You would have to disassemble the MTH signal and re-wire the diodes (which some people have done. Another option would be using some inexpensive "We Honest" plastic signals from eBay which have three LEDs and bare wires (included resistor for 12VDC). They're not much for detail, but at $4 each the price is hard to beat -- add a little paint to the post and they'll work.

Terry Christopher posted on his website that as of May 1 he was closing down.  So is anyone suggesting contacting him?

I'm curious because I am getting to the signaling phase of my layout?

I knew he was , but he did not post a cutoff date so obviously May 1 was it.  I assume he has signed over all his stuff to Atlas so their signal stuff continues on.  Just too bad he won't be the "go to" guy for questions.  Probably should consider closing my Custom Signal Yahoo account.

This is bad news. I was going to do some signals also using the Atlas system, but Custom Signals had some interesting options to go with the Atlas system. It was the other way around, Custom Signals was using the standard Atlas system, they were just adding on to it with additional capabilities. The Atlas system will be fine unless Atlas shuts down as well and hopefully that won't happen for a long time.

I know Terry  posted he was going to get out of business but that may not happen for awhile if at all.

Thanks to one and all!

My first thought was to deal with Custom Signals but, when I visited the website early in May, I found the message quoted above. However, based on your collective advice I found the courage to gut one of the little MTH CPLs and was interested to see that there are 5 wires leading from the diodes (LEDs?) to the circuit board - I would have expected 4 or 6 but not 5.  Once I get enough railroad built to be able to test the Atlas system, I'll experiment with a MTH dwarf and figure out how to make it work.

Gratefully,

Dopey

I have not taken these apart but if its like the MTH color lights I used, I recall vaguely it was wired so the yellow and green were wired parallel but reversed polarity of each other thus one current lit the yellow and other current lit green.  Be aware the resistors are on the board not in LED leads so you will need to provide resistors to current limit,

That's an interesting way to handle the yellow "aspect." Seems like a good way to ensure that the green and yellow don't light at the same time unless AC leaks into the circuit.

Rapid Transit:

I may be totally misunderstanding what you are asking. It sounds like you want to use MTH signals especially dwarf signals with Atlas O signal boards?

Perhaps another route - Z-Stuff sells a DZ-1011 dwarf signal that is a detector also along with a DZ-1008 relay. If you use the DZ-1011 to detect the presence of the train it will send a signal to a DZ-1008 relay that will power MTH/Lionel/Z-stuff signals. This way you can purchase any signal you want and be able to power it with the same system. An added advantage is that there is no need to isolate track rail to make this system work.

Joe

At the risk of offering only 'theoretical' advice (as I haven't actually done it... yet), my thinking about setting up signaling systems of various kinds has focused on using an Arduino micro-computer, in conjunction with a set of track sensors (IR LEDs).  It seems to me this offers the most flexibility, especially if you are wanting to emulate the more complicated prototypical signalling combinations.  There is an advantage of being able to do most of the controlling/timing/sequencing 'in silico' - as opposed to hardwired dedicated boards - and then provide power to whatever set of lights you choose.  This approach is mostly a matter of writing (or in many cases, adapting already written) Arduino 'sketches'.

FWIW,

Rich