Need ideas on how to protect a Postwar Lionel 151 signal

Sounds like your Fahnstock clips were overheating. If it was the coil it would smell burnt & no longer work. How many volts were you using? 10-12 should be enough.

I am using a postwar ZW transformer and the 151 signal is triggered with a modern Lionel 153IR with power to the 151 signal hooked into the track for a power source. The track has an old Lionel 91 Circuit breaker proctecting the track power.

 

I had a train parked on the other side of the room by the 151 signal as I was testing something on the other side of the room.  The voltage supplying power to the track and the 151 signal was cranked up quite a bit to almost 3/4 power. I turned around and noticed the signal activated and right away shut off the power completely (transformer power off). I felt the base of the signal and it was very warm. The actual coil assembly bottom was too hot to handle. What was strange was with power off a puff of smoke rose from the signal bottom as I held it upside down quite some time after turning off power with that you know you are in trouble burnt smell. Part of the problem is the signal is just too quiet and is partly hidden from where I was in the room. I thought of possibly hooking up a crossing signal bell to work when this 151 is activated.

 

  Until I have a permanent solution I will try to remember not to park any train by the 153IR detector and to keep the switch on the 153IR unit to off position until I wish to use that 151 signal.

Contact member Dale H, I recall him talking about a 30 second timer for this issue.