Signals & Safety Devices

Notice the crossing gates, which are activated by insulated rail:

I have 2 pairs of crossing gates at that location; one pair services the outer main line shown in this video, and the other pair services the inner main line. Arnold

Here you can see the pair of crossing gates in action servicing the inner main loop:

Arnold

Incidentally, let's not limit this to Postwar or similar Lionel signals and safety devices.

If you have Pre-War, MTH, infra red, or other old or modern signals and safety devices, I would love to see them and know how they work. Arnold

I've had just about every signal Lionel, MTH and other manufactures made throughout the years. I'm a recovering signal-holic.

One of my favorite animation projects was a servo actuated crossing gate which operated in real time just like real gates.

@BOB WALKER posted:

One of my favorite animation projects was a servo actuated crossing gate which operated in real time just like real gates.

Bob, I Googled Servo Actuators, which I never heard of before, and gather that they are sophisticated and very accurate and reliable, like the real thing as you say.

I also gather from your Forum profile that you were a pioneer in using such actuators on model railroads.

Thanks for sharing this with us. Arnold

Lionel Postwar Semaphore in action:

This one uses the old fashioned weight bearing trigger device. Arnold

Ok Arnold, good idea for a thread.  Here are a few of mine, mostly pre-war :

American Flyer 1930's :

          Hornby post war 1950's          Lionel - post war

    Marx 1940

     Marx pre war 1930-1945                                                                            Tinplate likely prewar but make unknown

Best wishes everyone, hope you are having a good week so far

Don

@BOB WALKER,

Would you mind posting a little more info on the wiring and parts needed for your servo gate crossing?  It sounds and looks cool, and I don't have a clue on where to start.

The tell-tale is for the signal bridge which is not really a signal bridge in the usual sense. It is an indicator to tell the engine crew when the last car of the cut is one car-length from the bumping post and the tankers' dome will be correctly positioned when stopped a few feet from the post.

Green = one car

Red = correct position

If this is ever re-incorporated in a layout, the green will be changed out to an amber light.

The tell-tale is MTH and the bridge is (I think) Lionel.

Here is the wiring diagram for the servo based crossing gate.

Hi Arnold!

Here's a Lionel Postwar Gantry Signal at work protecting my layout. It is connected to Lionel's IR senser not visible in the photo. That's an MPC era Hudson leading a postwar poultry car on its way to market.

Well Arnold, I have found another track side signal so I thought I would post it for this thread.  This one the Lionel #069 crossing signal has a somewhat interesting back story in its history.  It was actually the very first track actuated accessory that Lionel offered and the year was 1921.  It was actuated by a special piece of track with an insulated outside rail on one side.  This accessory was offered for both O gauge and Standard gauge the numbers being 069 for 0 gauge and 69 for std gauge and the only difference being the piece of special track that was supplied with the signal.  It carried on this way from 1921 to 1935 when a contact actuator was supplied instead of a piece of track and the numbers changed to 069N and 69N.

It was made in 3 color schemes: white base, cream base and maroon base.   They were made with the white and cream base first then the maroon base followed.  Given this one is a maroon base but still stamped 069 (No "N") I estimate this was made from the late 20's to 1935.

So you could have a bell ringing crossing signal for your layout beginning in 1921.

Best wishes to all

Don

@Don McErlean posted:

Well Arnold, I have found another track side signal so I thought I would post it for this thread.  This one the Lionel #069 crossing signal has a somewhat interesting back story in its history.  It was actually the very first track actuated accessory that Lionel offered and the year was 1921.  It was actuated by a special piece of track with an insulated outside rail on one side.  This accessory was offered for both O gauge and Standard gauge the numbers being 069 for 0 gauge and 69 for std gauge and the only difference being the piece of special track that was supplied with the signal.  It carried on this way from 1921 to 1935 when a contact actuator was supplied instead of a piece of track and the numbers changed to 069N and 69N.

It was made in 3 color schemes: white base, cream base and maroon base.   They were made with the white and cream base first then the maroon base followed.  Given this one is a maroon base but still stamped 069 (No "N") I estimate this was made from the late 20's to 1935.

So you could have a bell ringing crossing signal for your layout beginning in 1921.

Best wishes to all

Don

Thanks, Don, for your above post.

What's so interesting to me about it is that this much older pre-war accessory arguably used the more reliable triggering device, to wit: the track with the insulated outside rail, instead of the weight bearing device more commonly used during the postwar era. Arnold

Arnold:  great observation. My reference speculates that the problem, at least while Standard gauge was available was making sure the customer got the right piece of track and the inventory concerns of having two different configurations.  The contactor could handle both gauges hence the configuration of the accessory was the same.   I agree however having fussed with the connector that the insulated rail is much more reliable.
Best wishes

Don

Got my Lionel Postwar Crossing Gates working better than before. Notice in this short video the pair of crossing gates protecting the inner loop, which are activated by an insulated outside rail block:

The pair of crossing gates protecting the outer loop remains deactivated because no train was running on that loop.

The problem with the insulated outside rail block was due to previously having fiber pins between each track in the block. Now, the crossing gates work perfectly because I only have fiber pins at the beginning and end of the insulated outside rail block. Arnold