New Lionel Signal Bridge---help needed

This may be an obvious question but I'll ask anyway. Are the blocks isolated?

Also how many wiring are coming out of the Signal head ? 

Our they color coded ? 

Thanks,   John 

They must be plugged into the insulated track section.  Mine changes as they should.

I have followed the directions to a tee and no luck on any of the 3 plug in terminals.  I have the terminal on the opposite side of the breaks in the insulated track as shown in the directions.  I guess I will tear apart track tomorrow and play around with it.

I realize this is an older post but I am having the same problem. Using Lionel activator pack. Wired according to the directions.  Did you ever figure out how to get it working?

out on a limb: is it possible that the leads from your transformer to the track lockons need to be reversed (if the positive is going to the outer rail and ground to the center rail)?

Thank you for the suggestion. Tried that. No change. Started thinking I had a feeder wire reversed but I assume that would have caused a short.   Thinking of trying a different activator pack or using the IR option.  Appreciate the response.

please keep us posted. will be a forehead slapper when you do find the solution. we all have had (and will have) several in this great hobby

I know this might not be a popular thread right now but I did just purchase the double signal light and no matter how I wire it up or what position I put the break on the track I cannot get the lights to switch to green I even purchased the correct fast track activator peace with the isolated 5 inch so that I would not have a problem can’t get the lights to change turns on solid red any suggestions I’m all ears

Michael,

Check out my post from back in April about connecting up an automatic gateman with the Fastrack activation track set (see link below).  In your case if you substitute your signal bridge for the gateman does the same scenario apply?

https://ogrforum.com/...2#154730474264898842

In other words, are you using the on/off switch and the activator track set simultaneously?  Is it connected as in the first diagram, or the second one?

Mike 

Thanks Mike, I’ll look into your thread, and play around still. I am just bench testing this and it still doesn’t work right out of the box.  I try so hard to stay with fastrack but it’s a struggle every stretch for the way.

IF YOU ARE USING two or more transformers check to if the transformers are properly phased.

Only using one cw80 for testing. I first used a plug and play section of track that I had , I used it for flood lighting and other plug and play accessories scrap yard and such. When I plugged  it in the light was green using the 5” block sections, but the light would not change then noticed the block section track were not o the same side.. ok fixed that still no change in light. Now looking at the plug in play section it’s self the activation part of the track is wired different , which makes perfect sense now thinking about it I supposed to just the track power on and off that I was using prior. But when using the activation track pack the way it was intended when I plug the signal bridge in it immediately goes to red, And will not trip to any other color. As even the instructions state want to track Power is applied it should go to green and when a train is in the block the light to turn red until it exits the block. So I’m not even getting the correct color upon adding power. This is extremely frustrating because I go to the store and buy things that are supposed to go together and work and time and time again I have been let down I’m not the most technical person out there which adds to this dilemma. I will try to wire up a 10 inch piece of track and try to eliminate the plug and play section to see if that’s the bad part.

oh well  if you are using DZ-1000s as switch machines non-derailing will only work if all transformers are phased.

@Michael bee Could you please post the model numbers for the signal bridge and the Accessory Activator Pack that you're wanting to connect?

Double signal bridge 6-83174

plug expand play accessory activator track pack 6-81317

@Michael bee What you've described leads me to think that the Bridge is working correctly.  The light should only turn red when the bridges white wire is connected to common/ground.  You can test this by connecting its red wire to transformer hot and black wire to transformer common.  Like this, the light should be green.  If you touch the white wire to common, the light should turn red.


It sounds like something is connecting the two outer rails in between the two 5" Isolated Track sections.  For any track sections fitted in between the 5" Isolated sections, those additional track sections' two outer rails need to be Insulated.  The 10" Insulated Track section that comes with the Accessory Activator Pack will keep the outer rails separated in this detection zone.  Any regular 10" track section will not, they have a metal plate underneath that bridges the connection between the outer rails.

Good suggestion Steve.

While you were formulating that I went looking for the instruction manual for the signal bridge at lionelsupport.com.  It took me a while but I finally located it.

I found a surprise: There are two different versions listed under no. 78-3174-250.  One is dated 9/2016; the other 4/2021. i.e. brand new.

Michael, it appears as though there was something that wasn't correct in the 9/2016 version, which was subsequently corrected in the 4/2021 version.  Not knowing precisely what the update is perhaps you should take a peek at the newer one to see if the connection diagram(s) within it have been updated, and will fix your problem.

I've attached a copy.

Mike

You might check this:

Both block sections need to be on the same side and on the opposite side of the lockon as per the Lionel instructions below:

@Michael bee One other thing to check that occurred to me is that (according to the newest directions) the Plug on the Insulated section needs to be on the opposite side of the track from the rail breaks (shown in red below) in the two Isolated track sections.

Please let us know if you get this working or if you need more help.

I appreciate everybody’s input and suggestions. I have wired this up so many different ways it’s not even funny. Even using tube track and a pressure trip the lights will not change. I feel bad bringing it back to the local train shop, but why should have to deal with this. It is just me ... I bought a product to work not a project. I feel to many people don’t feel this way and that’s what let’s companies get away with there “quality control”. Last year or so before all train shows were canceled I bought four cases of command switches... guess how many worked properly?

answer .... none

its a real shame.
I’ll try Lionel on Tuesday, but if there’s no answer or no return call it’s going back to the store.

No luck with Lionel with sending or receiving . The shop owner is willing to help me when I arrive at the shop to hook it up “his way” to see if it’s a defect. He said he would be able to help me out anyway he can.

Bring both the bridge and accessory activator pack with you to the train shop.

Did anyone figure out this issue? I picked up a signal bridge and am having the exact same problem