Lionel 6-2151 Semaphore Operation

Keith,

Sounds like a wiring issue.

Here is a scan of the instructions that would have come with the 153C Contactor that you should be using. Turn your contactor over and look for 153C stamped on the bottom.

http://www.lionelcrossing.com/.../10/Lionel_153_C.pdf

Hope this helps.

It's not a wiring issue, it's how it was made - opposite of the 151.

HERE is the owner's manual.

Yep, mine too, enjoy it while it last.  Mine burned out after about 4 hours of operation... I will not buy another!

I have this semaphore on my layout. The way I've always looked at its odd operation is that it's a "happy" semaphore. It's normally in the horizontal position with the red light illuminated. However, when a train approaches, it changes to the vertical position with the green light illuminated, giving the approaching train the all clear. This is hardly prototypical, but it certainly makes the train's 1/48 scale engineer very happy! If only all of life were so accommodating...

MPC developed this semaphore in the late 1970s. I acquired one NIB in the late 1990s. It's been keeping the engineers on my layout happy ever since. Perhaps the reason mine has worked so reliably for so long is that I power it with a separate, small AC transformer that I've set for optimal operation.

Cheers!

Keith

Thank you all for your advice.  I'm new here, and that was my first post.   I'm pleased and impressed with the help I received.  I reviewed the owners manual posted, and I'm certain that its wired correctly and operating as designed.  My thinking was that the arm would be vertical with a green light at rest, and then turn red and rotate the to arm horizontal while activated by the passing train.  As mentioned above, that's how the older 151 Semaphores operated, but this model is the opposite.  I'll put this one to use elsewhere on my layout, but I'm going to pick up one of the older 151's first chance I get.  I like the older stuff better anyway.  Thanks again.

The 2151 can be made to operate correctly by swapping the green and red lenses. I will say it does operate more reliably than the postwar 151, which needed constant attention to the tension or else the blade wouldn't lower properly. However, keep the voltage low or else the lightbulb will melt the plastic.

@Mikado 4501 posted:

The 2151 can be made to operate correctly by swapping the green and red lenses. I will say it does operate more reliably than the postwar 151, which needed constant attention to the tension or else the blade wouldn't lower properly. However, keep the voltage low or else the lightbulb will melt the plastic.

True, swapping lenses will give you a green when no train is approaching and a red as it passes, but the semaphore flag will still be in the wrong position at all times. Notwithstanding that issue, I had already swapped the lenses as you recommended, and just am waiting to see if anyone notices the flag in the wrong position - I'm guessing my grandson, wife, son and daughter won't notice

When all is said and done, it does make you wonder if that error just "slipped through" the design phase, or if it was a conscious decision for some reason.

George

@GeoPeg posted:

When all is said and done, it does make you wonder if that error just "slipped through" the design phase, or if it was a conscious decision for some reason.

George

As I posted on this thread 6-1/2 years ago (!) . . .

The way I've always looked at the 6-2151's odd operation is that it's a "happy" semaphore. It's normally in the horizontal position with the red light illuminated. However, when a train approaches, it changes to the vertical position with the green light illuminated, giving the approaching train the all-clear. This is hardly prototypical, of course, but it certainly makes the train's 1/48 scale engineer very happy! If only all of life were so accommodating.