Signals- How many of you have signals on your layouts? Are they just stand alone signals or are they part of a system?
And for those who have signals or planning to use them on a layout, What is your signal inventory ?
[i.e #of Dwarf signals
# of Single target signals
Dual target signals
and Triple Target signals
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I use Gargraves (Z-stuff) signals due to there simple operation and great scale proportioned looks for my tastes. Just wire into power and set them next to track where they are to operate.............
See them in this video: https://youtu.be/nhv5j9BI2_g
Mark
I'm just starting to plan out my signals, I expect to have quite a few. I have to draw a full schematic of the layout first to figure out how many I will need. There will be single, double and triple heads as necessary.
A while back I picked up 100 searchlight style targets, that take a 5mm LED. I got the targets from WeHonest out of China on eBay. I'll have to make my own masts, ladders and platforms for them. When a bridge is called for, the old 450 isn't a bad structure. I'll just make my custom heads for them. I also bought some dwarfs from WeHonest. That package should be here next week. Speak of the devil, they just showed up in today's mail. They look nice too.
Controlling all this will be the JMRI software and C/MRI hardware. I have all the C/MRI outputs I need, but I have to get the accessory signal driver cards. Those will turn a regular red/green LED into red/yellow/green by using AC on the red and green to make it look yellow. The driver card has a trim pot so you can adjust the flicker rate to favor the red, giving you a more prototypical amber color.
These won't go into service for at least a year, maybe two, but I am thinking about it pretty seriously now, so I'm ready when I get to that point.
i am working on a complete B&O signal system i have the signals working on the control system i hope to finsh soon its fun and when they are working makes you feel you are on the real railroad
Ok general question, is it easier to put the signal system in after you've wired the layout or during it's construction?
I suspect retrofitting in the signaling system after the layout I up and running would be a bit of a challenge.
I love semaphores! Even though this single line branch doesn't really need them, since it is only 'staffed' by a single engine, I like using them. I am borrowing this image link to show the ones featured (along with the requisite 153C track pressure switch. Since my track layout is not permanent, I always set these up after the track is down. 
I intend to use signals, but I admit ignorance as to where to use them, and how they function on a railroad. Can anyone recommend some good reading on the topic?
it depends on how far you are taken your signal system to if you are just doing some basic signals you can retro fit them to your finshed layout if you do a deep system you have to do it when you build it because of the wireing. you have to add sensor to your track if your are controlling signals with the position of your switches then that takes time and you would want to do that when you install the switches i have been working on mine for 2 years now and there are much more to do but i want a true protypical system
nick do you homework i went to the B&O historical society and read up on the practices they are not many people in O scale that do this type of signals i found out that alot of HO people do and there is a club near me that has a working system they let me look around and talk to them i also tested many system before i started on my layout but again it all depends on how far you want to take it
I'd love to have a bunch of scale semaphores (non operating) but not at $50 a piece
NJ International
Semaphore
#3003 Upper Quadrant 3 Lite $49.99 
Does anybody know of any other sources?
Kazar, I plan to do mine after most of the other things are done. They can get in the way when doing scenery. It's easy enough to add the wires to the existing bundles. I'll be using Cat5 wire, and may even use the modular plugs, rather than hard wiring them.
Nickaix, try Googling "railroad signals". I recently watched a 4 part Youtube series presented by a guy who worked for the CN. He explains it pretty well, though after the middle of part 3, my head was spinning. The basics are in parts 1 & 2. There is plenty of other info out there for the searching.
Of course I use them. They may not be entirely prototypical but I have four locations that are essentially hidden or pass into another room. Three is a need to be aware of what occupies that track so a block signal is the way to to. All three return loops have an occupancy signal that remains red if there is something in that block. The same is true for the long single track section between loops and the track that connects the 3 track stub terminal with the rest of the layout. Besides being visually appealing they do serve a purpose because I do tend to forget what is parked out there.
Rich ,
To answer your question about anyone else Have Signals ,yes !
Integrated Signals Systems.com
Good luck, John
Allegheny posted:Ok general question, is it easier to put the signal system in after you've wired the layout or during it's construction?
I suspect retrofitting in the signaling system after the layout I up and running would be a bit of a challenge.
It's easier to install the detection blocks during construction. Installation of the actual signals can wait. In my case, I have one outside rail wired to a common bus wire ("U" post on transformers) and the other outside rail is cut into segments for signal detection. I've run signal bus wires and have multiple drops from an outside rail segment to its corresponding bus wire so I get reliable detection. My home-grown system has 47 relays driving 28 signal heads.
A couple of years back Lionel had a line of trackside scale size signals. I purchased quite a few and am just now finding places for them. The selection included scale size banjo, track signal lights, the round signal lights, the semaphore, the gantry signal and grade crossing signals. These signal only ran for a couple of years and then they were discontinued. IMO, these were the best looking and only scale size signals Lionel ever made,
Position lights; as God intended.
Curt
Yes. Stand-alone for now using insulated rail triggering. We're investigating an optical sensor system (infrared) that allows for integration of the signal system because of complications that have developed with insulated rail and some locomotives. Functionally, they do control traffic if obeyed when running multiple trains.
Yepper. Z-stuff block signals and semaphores. As Mark said....2 wires to hook up (12v accessory power buss lines on my layout) and you're good to go.
Sure, they could be connected to each other to be interactive. But as for me and my crowd, just to see them respond to a passing train, transition to a caution/yellow phase shortly thereafter, and then return to green (all adjustable for duration)......that's all the 'excitement' we want from a trackside signal.
Just the effect.
Just the fun.
Just the simplicity.
Thanks, Dennis (Z-Stuff)!
Yep zstuff here
YES,
We are planning to use Z Stuff crossing gates, wig wag crossing signals, one block signal and one dwarf signal.
Using my crystal clear, 20/20 hindsight, I should have developed a signal plan for block/interlocking/road crossing signals when I did my track plan. As it is now, my track is laid, but I only recently decided to add some signals. That's the bad news. The good news is that there's no scenery, yet, so I don't have to work around it to place the signals. Because of the relatively small size of the layout (8 x 23), the signals will probably be stand alone, triggered with an insulated rail.
Our club layout is using signals from Custom Signals. We are only about one third of the way finished. Eventually, we will have a mixture of tri-color signals, PRR position light signals and searchlight style signals.
Yes, the PRR Panhandle uses them. I have 4 Z-Stuff DZ-1060s (PRR 7-light position signals, single head). Two of them are activated by a nearby switch. The other two are block signals (track occupancy in the block ahead of them changes aspect). I also have 2 MTH 30-11030 PRR signal bridges (2 signals each). These are block signals as well. Any signal not controlled by a switch is triggered by insulated rails; I don't use the IR capability.
I am currently planning for the installation of a Z-Stuff DZ-1010 crossing gate and a DZ-1020 crossing signal on the western (Steubenville, OH) side of the layout. These will also be activated by insulated rail. There will be 1 more crossing gate / signal of some sort on the eastern side, probably Z-Stuff. Given that I don't plan to tear up track to install an insulated rail, it will probably use the IR capability.
As Curt noted, PRR position signals are what God intended. By the way, the prototype PRR position signal first appeared in 1915.
George
We have some Z-stuff and MTH signals just for fun. They are individually wired to light or change when a train goes by.
Again, this is just for the fun and excitement of seeing the signal light or change. Don't try to actually control or navigate the trains by using them.
Have Fun!
Ron
I found this book to be an enjoyable and educational read. So much so that I have re-read it twice. Like Elliot said, your head will begin to spin after awhile given all the possible variation the real RRs use. But this book will help you get a good understanding of the basics.
http://www.amazon.com/Railroad...ywords=brian+solomon
Dave
I plan on having signals when I build. I want to use the Atlas ones since they work with the Atlas switches, and I like the way they look and that they can be set up with real yellow signals instead of timed.
Big_Boy_4005 posted:Nickaix, try Googling "railroad signals". I recently watched a 4 part Youtube series presented by a guy who worked for the CN. He explains it pretty well, though after the middle of part 3, my head was spinning. The basics are in parts 1 & 2. There is plenty of other info out there for the searching.
Thank you for this recommendation! Very clear and logical explanation, and made even more sense on a second viewing. The only bad part is, now that it makes sense, I discover that this system (or one very similar) is used East of the Mississippi, whereas my layout is set West of it. Of course, maybe a guy running mostly postwar and MPC trains in a kaleidoscope of road names shouldn't worry too much about dead-on accuracy in signaling 
But I like what I do to have some connection to reality.
These videos can be found on YouTube under the name Ian Juby--but they did come up right away just searching "railroad signals".
This is a NYC Transit Home Signal.
Sold by :
Integrated Signals Systems.com
Good luck, John
I have been just adding signals to my layout this past week . I'm not going for prototypical just working signals so I might not be putting the right ones in right spots. but I am using all 3 aspect signals. for bi directional mainlines since I have a lot of reversing loops and can run either direction. this is how mine will be setup I have 3 setup so far
Looking your Signal schematic drawing above.
Question: On your off-side Signals are they also changing when your train is running opposite direction does the off side signals stay red or are they changing too ?
JOHN
Yes i have two mth B&O style signals and two lionel C&O style and two lionel dwarfs signals. The B&O and C&O style run off lionel IR controller and the two lionel dwarf signals i have hooked up to a toggle switch to manual switch them. I forgot to mention i have 6 dwarf wehonset green and red signals and i don't have them hooked up yet.
they change for instance for instance block one traveling left to right as the train hits the west bound sensor the west light changes red then comes to the east bound sensor and the east bound signal changes red and if the train is only one car the west bound signal will turn green as the track is clear if you have a longer train many cars as long as there is a car over the west bound signal the signal stays red . then we hit block 2 the same thing happens but once block one west bound sensor is clear the light changes to yellow then green I would think once I am finished they will all work like one big loop the last control board would connect into the first control board. right now I have 3 of the 6 boards wired up that should be all for my main level I still have to do the lower level and upper level and figure out how to handle the turnouts there is also a yard I thought about putting signals in and then jumping off of the control board led's on a control panel so you can see what is occupied. for instance I want to add a signal to a switch tower on my transfer table to show the track is clear to come off of the transfer table and then another one to show the main is clear from the lead in to the transfer table but have no idea how to do that the signals in the photo just in front of the santa fe are my block 3 signals I want to add a broken signal head where the mast is broken to the building so when I bring the transfer table to the first position a engine would get a green light to move off the transfer table if the track is clear I then want to add another signal on the side of the rails just past the switch to show if the mainline is clear. which would be from block 3 I am guessing but do I wire it up with wires from both west and east bound signals to it or would it be a Double headed signal ? I have no idea LOL
this is a screen shot of how I plan to do the signals block 1-3 are done signals are in place for block 4 and 6 and all the stand alones are in place need to be wired and the 2 by the transfer table are not done yet.
If you look close you can see block 1 and 3 in this video.
Some great suggestions are being offered up. Seems most of the guys are designing and building the signaling system during construction. Interesting alternatives to signaling vs. prototypical or typical.
I got into that package from WeHonest. I'll admit, they aren't as pretty as some of the signals you guys have posted here, but for the money, they'll get the job done.
Some assembly required!!!
I sat at the workbench, and put all the LED's in place. There's still lots of work to finish these.
Here are the searchlight targets with a 5mm bi color LED.
TWC on my layout without signalsand yard Limits for now!
I am grateful to Big_Boy_4005 for answering a question I have been reluctant to ask: has anyone successfully dealt with WeHonest on eB??
Their offerings include an ATSF style cantilever signal bridge at a decent price.
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