Help with a Plug-N-Play Gateman

It's a little hard to tell just from your description, but it sounds almost like you are using both the track activation method and also the switch.  The track activation method is instead of the switch.

There should (hopefully) be a section within the Gateman's instructions telling you how to hook it up with older systems or something not plug and play.  It should suggest what color wires need to go where.  You will need a hot (which will be the same for the motion and the light) and then there should be a common wire for each of the motion and the light.  This lets you have the light on continuously if you want, but only have the man come out with a train passing.  (though if you want, you can trigger the light with the switch (or track  insulated rail) also).  The hot wire should go to either your track center rail or common ground voltage source from another transformer.  The Common wires go to the track outer rail (or common of the transformer for the light, assuming you want the light on all the time)

It may be necessary to buy a pigtail to mate to the plug n play connector meant to go to a track section if you want to connect it to an insulated rail like the 12029, assuming you don't want to lop off the connector (or use a plug n play track section meant for this).

Just on the odd chance it's better than the instructions, I found a decent write up of the theory of the 12029 here.

Edit:  Just found several manual pages for this here on Lionel's site.  Hopefully some of these may help if it is not the same manual you have.

-Dave

Dave45681 posted:

It's a little hard to tell just from your description, but it sounds almost like you are using both the track activation method and also the switch.  The track activation method is instead of the switch.

There should (hopefully) be a section within the Gateman's instructions telling you how to hook it up with older systems or something not plug and play.  It should suggest what color wires need to go where.  You will need a hot (which will be the same for the motion and the light) and then there should be a common wire for each of the motion and the light.  This lets you have the light on continuously if you want, but only have the man come out with a train passing.  (though if you want, you can trigger the light with the switch (or track  insulated rail) also).  The hot wire should go to either your track center rail or common ground voltage source from another transformer.  The Common wires go to the track outer rail (or common of the transformer for the light, assuming you want the light on all the time)

It may be necessary to buy a pigtail to mate to the plug n play connector meant to go to a track section if you want to connect it to an insulated rail like the 12029, assuming you don't want to lop off the connector (or use a plug n play track section meant for this).

Just on the odd chance it's better than the instructions, I found a decent write up of the theory of the 12029 here.

Edit:  Just found several manual pages for this here on Lionel's site.  Hopefully some of these may help if it is not the same manual you have.

-Dave

Thats the problem: The gateman only appears to work with the switch. I plug the gateman into the track (Isolated - PNP Accessory Track - Isolated without plugging in the switch. The gateman turns on, but when I run the train over the insulated track, nothing happens. No buzz from the mechanics, no swinging doors, nothing. He is NOT stuck either, I have opened the doors manually thinking a gear might be stuck but no, even after opening the door he does not automatically swing out.

I want the train to activate the gateman, not the switch...I dunno what im doing wrong.

Don’t forget, you’ve got to have a common ground set up. 

romiller49 posted:

Don’t forget, you’ve got to have a common ground set up. 

For the inexperienced modeler, what does that mean?

If thats power source, then my power source varies between a CW-80 Transformer and the 54 Watt Lionchief Power Supply. Never both at the same time, its one or the other.

HI THERE 

The TRACK PART is  6-81317  on page 178 on top in the new 2019 catalog .  It is made for gateman item with PLUG & PLAY 

Hope this helps 

WRGMILW posted:

HI THERE 

 

The TRACK PART is  6-81317  on page 178 on top in the new 2019 catalog .  It is made for gateman item with PLUG & PLAY 

Hope this helps 

I understand that there is an accessory activator track pack for the PNP line but I have two isolated track sections from the older accessory track pack (SKU #12029)...shouldn't that work as well?

I have tried BOTH of the PNP Accessory track from my two Lionchief Sets (The Sherman Hill Scout Set (SKU #83624) & Super Chief Passenger Set (SKU #84719)) but neither work right.

Now that I've re-read this and see you are using the PNP connection from your starter sets, I suspect that's your problem here.

If I understand correctly, you put that PNP lock on track in between the two tracks (isolated sections) with the break in the outer rail from the 12029, is that correct?  So it is where the FasTrack Insulated track shown in the 12029 manual would be?

The PNP track from the starter sets is presumably (though I don't have one to check) not the 81317, it's likely the 81313.  The 81313 specifically says it can't operate accessories like this, just constant power things (which is why the light works).

I see 3 options (assuming you don't want to cut up connectors or solder things).  you can either :

1) buy the PNP version (81317),  or

2) you can buy a pig tail (82038), and probably an additional hookup wire for FasTrack (since the 12029 only has 2 wires, one for hot and one for switched outer rail).  The black wire from  the Gateman pigtail should go to an outer rail (not insulated, so outside of the 12029 components area of the track - this is where you will use the additional FT terminal wire, but only the outer rail black terminal).  This will provide the ground for the lights (always on).  The red wire goes to the center rail connection wire (which is on the Insulated section from the 12029, assuming you've not disassembled it and it looks like the manual pictures where it is attached to the track already).  This will provide the hot for both the light and the motion. The white wire goes to the insulated rail connection wire that is part of the 12029.  this will provide the ground for the motion, triggering when a train goes by.

3) If you don't care about the light being on all the time, you can simplify #2 by connecting the black and white wires together from the Gateman pigtail, and connecting them to the insulated rail wire from the 12029, but the light will be dark until the train goes by.  When it does you will get both motion and light.  Red wire still goes to center rail wire of the 12029.

Good Luck.

-Dave

Dave45681 posted:

Now that I've re-read this and see you are using the PNP connection from your starter sets, I suspect that's your problem here.

If I understand correctly, you put that PNP lock on track in between the two tracks (isolated sections) with the break in the outer rail from the 12029, is that correct?  So it is where the FasTrack Insulated track shown in the 12029 manual would be?

The PNP track from the starter sets is presumably (though I don't have one to check) not the 81317, it's likely the 81313.  The 81313 specifically says it can't operate accessories like this, just constant power things (which is why the light works).

I see 3 options (assuming you don't want to cut up connectors or solder things).  you can either :

1) buy the PNP version (81317),  or

2) you can buy a pig tail (82038), and probably an additional hookup wire for FasTrack (since the 12029 only has 2 wires, one for hot and one for switched outer rail).  The black wire from  the Gateman pigtail should go to an outer rail (not insulated, so outside of the 12029 components area of the track - this is where you will use the additional FT terminal wire, but only the outer rail black terminal).  This will provide the ground for the lights (always on).  The red wire goes to the center rail connection wire (which is on the Insulated section from the 12029, assuming you've not disassembled it and it looks like the manual pictures where it is attached to the track already).  This will provide the hot for both the light and the motion. The white wire goes to the insulated rail connection wire that is part of the 12029.  this will provide the ground for the motion, triggering when a train goes by.

3) If you don't care about the light being on all the time, you can simplify #2 by connecting the black and white wires together from the Gateman pigtail, and connecting them to the insulated rail wire from the 12029, but the light will be dark until the train goes by.  When it does you will get both motion and light.  Red wire still goes to center rail wire of the 12029.

Good Luck.

-Dave

 

Yes, the PNP track is located between the two isolated track sections shown in the manual. I have looked at both track sections but neither of them state the SKU number, but after looking at the PNP Accessory Add-On Track compared to the one included in my sets I can see a clear difference.

I would rather spend my money on the actual PNP track rather than rewire a bunch of things.

Thank you SO much for clearing this up, I don't know how I can thank you!

P.S. Will the #12029 Isolated Track Sections still work with the #81373 Accessory Track as well?