42 - Signaling - Part 2 - Signal Animator/2

In this video, I try out the Signal Animator/2 from Logic Rail Technologies (www.logicrailt.... This device provides very basic signal animation using photocells or IR sensors, and makes a quick and easy way to add signals to your layout based on the movement of trains.

[@donwhead]

In reference to your comment about light sequence at 05:40, on real-world prototype signals I've seen, the signal is GREEN until the train "knocks it down" (crosses over the sensor), at which point the signal goes RED to indicate to any trains behind it that the block ahead is occupied. Once the train clears the next block, the signal will change to YELLOW, saying that the block ahead is clear, but the next block may be occupied. Once the train clears the block ahead of that, the signal will change to GREEN. So, GREED-RED-YELLOW does make sense for a standard signal indication, especially if it's meant to be set to a timer.

[@gncascadedivision]

Oh sure, and that's how it's correctly working here. I was more indicating that beyond a single signal, this solution doesn't provide any of those capabilities to follow sequence as additional blocks are entered. The Signal Animator/2 works great if you just want the one signal to go through a sequence based on a delay, which is what it's designed to do, but I need a little more than that. The first video in the series outlines more. Iain

[@BriansModelTrains]

The Chadwick model railway uses the Sig-na-Trak SigM20. Not sure if you have seen it. Best of luck.

[@gncascadedivision]

Yep, I've looked at them. They're very extensible and give a lot of options, but if you're having to spend that much time configuring each device and signal, could just as easily / awkwardly use JMRI or similar (which is what I'm trying to avoid). Iain