You've asked a very big question.

What's your definition of 'prototypical'?

Most folks only use signals to indicate the position of their switches (turnouts).  Some add extra realism by indicating the occupied status of sections of track (blocks).  Very, very few do a full signaling system that prototypically matches route- and/or speed- style controls used by prototype railroads.

Atlas' stuff will do any and all of these.  It works well.  But along with this, and as a result, its quite pricey.

Mike

Back in the dark ages I made an operating control panel using insulated outside rails.  Aside from showing certain switch positions it was fairly pointless because everything on the layout was visible from that location.

Agree, prototypical signals is a very large topic. Block signals are pretty straightforward, especially if unidirectional, but most of us don't have block after block of single track. Interlocking signals are a different kettle of fish. In addition, different railroads had different aspects. B&O signals are different from PRR signals, are different from railroads that used searchlight or "traffic light" signals. Amtrak has put colored lights in old PRR position light signals, but they did not adopt B&O color position aspects, they invented their own. I see their blinking signals and have no idea what they mean.

My understanding of the folks that have built 3-rail signals is that most use either magnetic reed switches or blocking of a light detector for train detection. Z-stuff sells the light detector and provides circuit diagrams on their website.

An idea I have for my own layout, but haven't built yet, is signaling for one interlocked grade crossing. Kill sections prevent any collision already, but I want signals to show STOP for 3 directions, and CLEAR for one. Clear for three of the directions will be full speed, but one direction through the curve of a turnout will be limited speed. On my B&O layout, this means a white marker over the green on three routes, and a white marker under the green on one. I recently acquired NJ International B&O color position light signals to do this, but this project is pretty far down on the list.

@360RPM posted:

Which is the easiest and best system for prototypical signals? Atlas, etc.

Ha,ha, you do realize this is the tinplate forum? We like our signals monstrously oversized with big painted red and green bulbs sticking out. And we wire them to change as the train is already  passing them.

@Will Prototype signals change as the train passes them as well. I have prototype photos of trains passing signals where the semaphore blade has not yet completely dropped, because the train has just passed it and the block boundary.

To add to my earlier post, the signals at my interlocked crossing will not require any train detection. Like prototype CTC signals, they will be set by switches on a model board, determined by which route and direction have permission to run. In my case one rotary switch will select the route through the crossing, and one toggle switch will choose the direction. Based on this, three directions through the crossing will show red signals, one direction will show green, one route will be powered, and one route will have power killed. There is some complexity here, but much less than involved in train detection--something to consider.

I am very conscious that only one of these four signals will be readily visible from my most frequent operating position (three easily visible from aisle view, the other a neck stretch). While I want to follow through on this project, I have no interest in installing a lot of signals in places where I won't be able to see them without breaking my neck.

I've purchased more signal heads than needed for the crossing project, so I will be seeking other signal applications in the future for them. I suspect I will use dummy signal heads where they would be too hard to see, saving a lot of wiring complexity. Again, this is so far down on the priority list, it's probably a mistake for me to focus on it in these posts.

Now that Atlas has officially bought out Custom Signals maybe we will see more, including maybe some D signals and the modern signal bridges they bought from someone in HO years ago, which is pretty much the prototype standard these days.  Christopher had wiring diagrams and circuit boards for his Custom Signals that would allow anything from basic blocks to full CTC.  Maybe Atlas will make those available too.

O Signal System, O Scale Electrical | Atlas Model Railroad (atlasrr.com)

I ordered and paid for a searchlight signal SIX(6) months  ago.

So far nothing has been shipped.

Order History

"Prototypical Tinplate".  Nope.  Sorry.  Just can't get my head around that...