opinions on Z-stuff signal bridges?

You should try either Trainworld.com or Ross Custom Switches website. Don't go to Z-Stuff or DZ Industry.com, as they only sell to retailer companies in bulk quantity, at least that was the way they did business about two years ago.

I was able to buy replacement DZ-1000 switch machines from Ross Custom switches, so I would go there first for other DZ Industry items.

Lee Fritz

I purchased my double track 3 color signal bridge from Ross Custom Switches at York this past spring. He had the lowest prices I have seen on them. I also wanted to make it bi-directional and spoke to Dennis from Z-Stuff who was there also. He can supply the extra heads which will simply plug into the already existing boards. He was temporarily out of them but will ship when they come in. Hooking up was a simple two wire job but I ran into a small problem. It seems that there is no sensitivity adjustments for the IR detectors. They are preset. My Gargraves track sits on cork roadbed and the feet of the signal bridge is just wide enough to allow them to sit on the layout substrate. I found that just the added height of the cork and track was tripping the IR detector. I had to add packing under the bridge feet to get it high enough so that the track rail head would no longer trip the signal. Seems like the bridge has a lot of clearance and I did not want it as high, but I guess that can't be done. Other than that, the signals work flawlessly. I plan to get another.

Are Z-stuff signals the ones which can be chained together so they indicate like the "real" ones?  Thought at one time one of these systems used regular telephone cord to do it from signal to signal with the modular plugs.

Goes red when train passes, yellow in the next block, then back to green?

Is is that maker?

Kerrigan, I believe that the Z Stuff signals can be daisy chained together.

What you are probably referring to with the telephone connectors is the Atlas/Custom Signals system., which is what I use. It is very realistic.

I believe that Custom Signals also has various types of signal bridges.  

Dan

Kerrigan,

The ones you are referring to are made by Atlas and Custom Signals. They use pc boards that can be daisy-chained together with telephone cords and plugs and use and isolated sectional of rail to trigger the signal. Z Stuff signals use an infrared detector to trigger the signal (by a train passing in front of the detector) and only need two wires to hook them up. The signals also can be daisy-chained by means of "extra wires" provided with the signal.

I do not have the Z- Stuff Signals, but, Atlas-0. Atlas uses the telephone line. You do not have to use the telephone cable for the signal to simulate the green, yellow, red. Insulated rail works fine. But, Z-Stuff is great products, as we just wired the Crossing Gates with Flashing Light and Bells with insulated rail and it Works Fine. If you run into trouble with wiring you can call them and they will guide you through your problem. Z-Stuff goes the distance to help us modelers have Fun With Our Trains. Thanks.