Marx 404 signal light

Is that a 404 or some other catalog number? The 404 's that I see look similar to a 153 block signal.

Wups! - my bad - Sometimes you just read the classification in your files incorrectly - that's signal is a 1404  - Thanks Arthur. In the interests of keeping confusion to a minimum I've deleted my post that preceded yours.

It is a 404

I thought that a 1404 is a 5 Light signal.

M.H.M.

Well, I guess in spite of my best intentions I still managed to generate confusion.  The comment I made about the 1404 referred to the signal in the post I had deleted - you're right - the signal the OP is talking about is a 404.

Not a problem.  I think we have it straight now.

Mike

I saw a diagram for a 1404.  It may wire the same as a 404.  They are both block signals

If one has two aspects, and the other has three aspects, they are probably not the same signal, nor would they be wired the same.

Arthur's right.  The 1404 has 5 uncolored lamps oriented to mimic a position-light signal, unlike the 404 which only has two, a red and a green, in a typical vertical arrangement.  With the 1404 the center lamp illuminates regardless of the position indication.  Top and bottom lamps also illuminate to show "clear", with left and right lamps being off.  Alternatively the left and right lamps light, with the top and bottom lamps off, to show "stop".

If you consider dark, i.e. all lamps off, as another possible state then connections to make 1404 work under control from the track could be quite complex.  It is normally only found with a unique manual controller.  The complexity may be why.

I could conceive of a way to drive the 1404 automatically, using diodes for the center lamp.  But these didn't exist in the 1404 as delivered from Marx.

As for the 404, I have a 404 somewhere but I can't remember where I put it for storage 20 years ago.  I'm hoping to find it, and then to determine the function of the two-position switch found on its side, so that we might just figure this out.  I'm certain that we wouldn't need diodes for the 404.

Mike

I use the switch on my 404 to display either red or green. Easy peasy!

Does anyone have a diagram on how to wire the 404 to the track, and does the train stop on red and start on green?

It is not intended to be wired to the track, directly.

The signal definitely will not stop and start a train, used by itself.

Thanks

YW. In fact, never having actually seen and fondled one in person, I am only flying on instruments here, in trying to determine just WTH the other guys are talking about in re this signal, and its other cousins.  I still have not heard, or been able to figure out, why the selector switch, in conjunction with three leads.  Maybe the manufacturer offered the choice of distant control (3 wires) or local manual control (2 wires.)