Flashing Cross Bucks

John C.-

The crossbucks look like an exact match for MTH's 30-11014 scale crossing flashes, with the exception of the wiring. My guess is the wiring would be similar to the PW Lionel #154 flasher (given the presence of three wires), so under that assumption the white would be the common and each green wire would power one half of the signal. In terms of automating the signal, you would need to purchase a crossing flasher circuit such as the Dallee #367. I was able to find a wiring diagram for the #367 here; the diagram on the upper right side of page 1 would be the wiring diagram to follow. Since you mentioned two tracks, simply connect the insulated rails from each track together, this way the signals would flash if a train were on either track.

Good luck!

-John

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-pcs-compact-Circuit-Board-to-make-the-crossing-signals-flash-Alternately-/250995524072?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item3a707fc1e8

Arthur-

In this application the suggested flasher would unfortunately not work, as it is designed for signals which use two pairs of wires (one pair for each half of the flasher). John's signal has three wires, so one wire must be common to both circuits.

-John

Those are made by Right O Way , out of business , they came with a circuit board to make them work , you will damage them hooking them to the track directly , Dallee may have a circuit board to make them work

John,

I believe these are what you have. Unfortunately, if you did not get the little board with them you will have to come up with a flasher circuit - not that hard.

In the base of each signal there are two 560 ohm resistors necessary for the LEDs. One in series with each side (2 LEDs) of the cross buck.

Dave

I picked up a copy of Easy Electronics Projects for Toy Trains by David Greenwald.

http://www.amazon.com/Easy-Ele...citations/0897784014

I made a flasher circuit for a Lionel 154 Highway signal and it works quite well. He gives you a shopping list for the necessary parts you get at Radio Shack.  I think it is more fun to build a project like this when you can.

Steve

John,

Last year I picked up what you see in the photos, also for $10 at a show. If I remember correctly, the MSRP typed on the package just above the bar-code was $39.95, from way back when they were in business. I cut off that portion of the package when I began working on this project.

If you want sound also, you might consider looking for the MTH cross bucks with sound (30-11014) at less than the Dallee board price.

Dave

MTH makes a crossing signal with sound.  Stock number is 30-11014.  It comes with 2 signals, the electronics board, and a speaker in a plastic housing that can be mounted using screw holes in the back of the housing.  The signals are nicely detailed and the bell sound is very good.  I used an ITAD as a detector, but I don't recommend them, as they are too sensitive to room lighting.  I was constantly adjusting their sensitivity.  You can use other detectors to activate the signals.  The catalog list is $69.95 for the set.  

Steve:  $133.00???????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Barry, don't get grandiose ideas.

Yes - $ 133.00 is too high...  But look and there are used ones for around $ 33 bucks.

It is a Kalmbach Book ...  I'm not sure but I think it is out of print.  I got mine about 3-4 years ago at a local hobby shop for $ 17 bucks.   Search the internet, maybe one can be found for a better price.

Steve

Strikes me that somewhere I saw posted a schematic for building such a flasher, not in a $130 book.

I used a variant of this for a FRED.  Not sure if this will help.

http://cappels.org/dproj/simpl...Flasher_Circuit.html

Thanks, turtlelinez.  But the trick to to get 2 lamps to flash alternately. 

I did it years ago with capacitors and a relay, and decades ago with a rotating drum powered by an Erector motor (it also controlled traffic signals), but now I'd want solid state.

GRJ, I figured if anyone would have a schematic, it would be you.  Thanks.

Since it shows a #154 signal, I assume it can handle sufficient amperage for an incandescent.  Any idea what input AC voltage should be?

I'm guessing it's 10-12 volts for the standard 14 volt bulbs.  I haven't actually tried it, but it's a pretty simple circuit, no reason to think there'll be any issue with it.  I'd probably start at a lower in the 9-10 range as the peak voltage out of the bridge and cap will be in the 12-14 volt range in that case.

Thank you all for all of the information/responses.

GRJ.  Appears the output would be DC, half-wave--correct?  I assume putting a 1k resistor in out to each bulb would permit use of LEDs.

John,

   I plan to use the opto-relay we talked about in a different post to activate the 154 crossing signal also, in conjunction with my FasTrack CC switch.

PCRR/Dave 

GRJ.  That site has some very interesting kits, including one that controls traffic signals.

If one has several flashing highway signals, it would be good to have a single controller with high capacity, that outputs hot for each bulb.  Run 2 wires around the layout, each feeding 1 bulb in each signal.  Get ground from an insulated outside rail.  If using LEDs, my guess is to put a diode and a 1000 ohm resistor in series with each bulb.

03-17-2014   

I ordered the MTH crossing gates with sound from LINCOLN, NE today for $59.99; which is a good price but bad because these are nowhere on the priority list.  I thought that we had gotten a great deal on the two signals we purchased not realizing I’d have to but another electronic piece to make the gates work.  A piece by itself, with no sound, ranges from $20 to $30.  After this discovery I thought to myself why am I going to buy just a circuit board to make the lights flash when for $30 more than that, $60.00 total, I can get: a sound system, a circuit board and two more crossing gates?  This became a no brainer less laying out $70 for stuff I don’t need, but farther down the road are nice details.

Secondly, because we now will have four crossing bucks, I stretched the Cataract road out farther than originally planned to have it cross the tracks on the far end town.  I think the nice long curve looks nice.