Any thoughts on the MTH operating watchman shanty #30-9186 and the K-Line #6-22412 ? Can they be triggered in the usual insulated rail way ? Reliability ?
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Dan,
I have no knowledge of the K-Line product, however, I have the the product installed on my layout.
While an excellent product, the MTH shack will not work properly if triggered soley by an insulated rail. It requires, in addition, some kind of a relay. I used a Z-Stuff DZ1008 relay that is intended for use with a DZ1000 switch motor. However, any SPST relay should work fine.
I made a purchase of the K-Line version on Ebay. Just under $62.00 including shipping. I'll let you know how I like it when it arrives.
Barry Broskowitz posted:The MTH shack will not work properly if triggered solely by an insulated rail. It requires, in addition, some kind of a relay. I used a Z-Stuff DZ1008 relay that is intended for use with a DZ1000 switch motor. However, any SPST relay should work fine.
That doesn't seem right! Do MTH's instructions with the piece or catalog descriptions disclose that?
I have found the MTH shack very reliable. I just use the switch it comes with to activate it.
RadioRon posted:That doesn't seem right! Do MTH's instructions with the piece or catalog descriptions disclose that?
It's a pretty safe bet its not in the catalog, but the instructions I believe cover it.
There are a growing number of accessories that are no longer simple "complete the common circuit" type of actuation. The connection needed to activate these new accessories is most likely applying some sort of positive voltage when you hook up the switch as shown in the manual, that's why a simple insulated rail trigger won't work. (Unless you use that insulated rail as a trigger to flip a separate relay that then connects the actual 2 connection points on the accessory, as Barry suggested.)
-Dave
Instruction booklet that comes with the MTH Shanty. Click on the underlined phrase. A lot like the crossing gates. Power out/down, (NO contact) and Power in/up (NC contact). Instructions show an ITAD used and makes mention of the isolated rail section. Some type of NC/NO relay required/or supplied as part of the controller.
Don,
That doesn't seem right!
It most certainly is right.
Do MTH's instructions with the piece or catalog descriptions disclose that?
Read the instructions yourself and then you can tell me.
A suitable "circuit board" isn't hard to make.
( 
"circuit BOARD"....you gotta look 
)
I wonder if the Gunrunner product will work with it? Hmmmm.
I have both, each on a different layout. Both are activated by a Lionel electric eye (or whatever it's called). The K-Line one, with the smooth operation, is the winner, IMO...both for action as well as looks.
I didn't know Lionel made an infra-red sensor. I thought it was an MTH product. Joe, would you happen to have the instruction booklet ?
Joe Hohmann posted:Dan Padova posted:I didn't know Lionel made an infra-red sensor. I thought it was an MTH product. Joe, would you happen to have the instruction booklet ?
I have instruction booklets for the 2 watchman shanties and the Lionel 153IR controller. Now what? I am not "computer savy". BTW, OGR forum threads years ago did not speak well of the MTH sensor. Something to do with room lighting affecting it.
Where in PA do you live?
Update: Google "Lionel 153IR contoller". They have a pfd of the manual. There are hook-up examples, but not for a K-Line shanty. Somehow stupid me was able to figure it out.
RadioRon posted:Barry Broskowitz posted:The MTH shack will not work properly if triggered solely by an insulated rail. It requires, in addition, some kind of a relay. I used a Z-Stuff DZ1008 relay that is intended for use with a DZ1000 switch motor. However, any SPST relay should work fine.
That doesn't seem right! Do MTH's instructions with the piece or catalog descriptions disclose that?
The manual says: Hook it to a switch ( manual on-off switch), OR hook it to a IR device (ITAD). It seems the on-off switch comes with the shanty, but I don't remember it.
The MTH shanty is a motor-driven accessory. That is, the motor (reversible) drives a mechanism which opens the door and moves the gateman into position. The motor operating in the reverse direction likewise moves the gateman back into the shack and closes the door.
There are two electrical signals required for a full-cycle actuation...normally closed (NC) and normally open (NO). These are the conditions under which a passing train would trigger the accessory....including the use of an insulated rail.
However, the accessory motor requires power not only when the train is immediately present, but also after it has passed the triggering area. THAT's where the necessary relay comes into play.
And, by the way, the accessory requires full activation in each direction in order to reverse. There are stops at the end of the gateman/door motion in both directions which turn off the power to the accessory motor. If you interrupt this signal before the motion reaches a stop, you cannot reverse the direction until you resume the operation to its full extent, reaching the stop.
I have one of the MTH gateman accessories. I much prefer it to the solenoid-powered device (albeit simpler in design) of the more iconic Lionel gateman accessory. The motor drive on this MTH accessory....and the MTH log/coal dump cars....is simply more gentil and to my liking than the bang-buzzing mechanisms in the (more iconic) Lionel versions.
But, that's just one man's opinion, of course.
FWIW
KD
Joe Hohmann posted:Joe Hohmann posted:Dan Padova posted:I didn't know Lionel made an infra-red sensor. I thought it was an MTH product. Joe, would you happen to have the instruction booklet ?
I have instruction booklets for the 2 watchman shanties and the Lionel 153IR controller. Now what? I am not "computer savy". BTW, OGR forum threads years ago did not speak well of the MTH sensor. Something to do with room lighting affecting it.
Where in PA do you live?
Update: Google "Lionel 153IR contoller". They have a pfd of the manual. There are hook-up examples, but not for a K-Line shanty. Somehow stupid me was able to figure it out.
I'm still a bit confused about the method of activating these gatemen accessories. When I receive the one I purchased, I might learn something then.
Received my K-Line watchman's shanty today. I bench tested it and am very pleased with it's operation.
Wow, never seen the K-Line version before. I like it!
