Hi, I do watch your videos from time to time and find that you have a good way of explaining things to the lesser knowledged morsels like myself. I have been toying with the idea of signals for my layout and looked up your site to see if you had done anything. Clearly I found it and as simple and straight forward you portray it I'm just not getting the concept. I will come back to this another day for another go at it. Just wanted to say how much I appreciate the way you inform other modellers like me. Thanks, you provide a great service. lol.
Thanks Richard for your kind feedback. Let me know how you get on with your signals and if you need any help just send me a message via the Station Road Facebook page. Cheers, Julian
Nicely done. FYI. The signal lights are designed to be used on 12 volt DC, so you can just piggy back the input power to the board over to the relay and terminal block, or over to the block and wire it up to the relay, thus eliminating the need for the 2nd transformer. Oh and the page is no longer found on the AliExpress web address
First time I have watched your channel and really enjoyed this topic. You actually explained the operation of a rather expensive kit I bought at an exhibition here in UK about 10 years ago and have not used yet. I probably will now and expand at low cost with your demoed method. Thank you for that and I have now subscribed to your channel. Feeling inspired and already ordered some eBay modules.
Hi Clifford, this is a very belated response to your question. It's just taking me a while to catch-up on the hundreds of comments that come in. My apologies indeed. Thank you for your kind feedback and I hope you've had some success with your signalling. It's certainly been a while since I posted this video and I haven't done anything further with my signalling since. Many other aspects are in the cue first before I can begin to setup the signal system on the actual layout. It's hoped this will be in this years list of projects.
I really like what you have done there, adds some automation without the expensive cost of block detection. I am sure you could work that to go with a 3 aspect signal, would be good for ground signals too. Thanks Alex
Thanks Alex, I'll be putting together a video at some point with a 3 aspect signal experiment. I reckon there's a way to do this with 2 or more signals (distance and home signals) where the amber light is linked to the red of the next signal.
It's great to hear I have shared some inspiration and ideas to others, so thank you Frank for you comment. Funny enough, I stumbled across the solution not through a model railway channel but simply a guy experimenting with a relay module operating a light and an electric motor.
I too keep all my old power supplies as spares; I've found its quite handy to have the voltage and amperage written in white paint marker pen on the side so that I can identify which one I want at a glance. Another great video. :)
Sounds like you might have a greater collection of power adapters than me. I haven't got to the stage of rummaging through a box full to find the right one. However, when I do, I'll adopt your ideal to label them for quick identification.
Right now i see this beautiful idea because i m new in model train. Very good opinion about IR vs photo resistor, i think i can put a street light up to photo resistor sensor to run night. Much appreciate.
Just sipping on my L & P with My Jandals on the coffee table watching and thought. Could I wire this up to a DAPOL semaphore signal you know the sort where there is basically ONE WHITE LED but as the semaphore moves it chages from red to green from the filter and the signal moves. I mean would I get enough current from soldering straight onto one of these? Cheers
Congratulations on your 2000 subscribers julian-great video very informative and most importantly an economical way of installing working signals keep up the good work and thanks for sharing 😎😎😎
Hello. Love your channel and I have subscribed. Here in the UK most of the poles on the colour light signals in the 1960s was either a light - medium grey or in some cases were white. Saying that, in the days of steam the colour was hard to tell for obvious reasons. Black poles could occasionally be seen as well, but I think that was in the later years. hope this helps you. Your videos are very interesting and informative. Keep up the good work. Chris.
Very well demonstrated. Over here in the UK we are spoilt for choice....depending on how much you want to spend or how complicated you want to make it. I think you've proved you can get something reasonably good looking and achievable at a reasonable cost. Just looked at a couple of books. Posts were white/light grey. Hope that helps. Regards. Alan
Thanks Alan, finding out post colour has been quite tricky, there's not a great deal of colour photography from the 60's and of what I could find, there was still a lot of semaphore signals in use.
@@StationRoadModelRailway hi again. Some of the books showed early colour light signal heads on old semaphore posts! They were invariably painted white. I'm guessing it was to make the signals stand out against the background.
I will be using servo motor point switching with a side switch for the colour light signal. they will only show a Red light when in the reverse position. (Some might have to be the other way around.) What I have not worked out is Station Start Signals. They may have to be hand switched. I intend to have two through and one terminus station. As for colour. I have white poles and the rest is still black. Thanks for the video and congratulations on reaching Martin (Thailand)
Thanks Martin for your feedback and sharing your signalling/point solutions. There's definitely many different ways model signalling can be operated. I will have a similar scenario with one of my points entering into the station area where 2 signals will operate depending on the point position. Cheers, Julian
They did use those rounded signals around the sixties, the Southern Region poster "Signal Success" shows a rounded 4 aspect signal with its ladder detail plus gantry mounted signals, Hong Kong also had the same as BR developed Hong Kong's colour signalling system. Two aspects signals were less common than the three and four lamp aspects which allowed for a better flow of trains rather than the start/stop a 2 aspect would give. The rounded ones I suspect were more in line with the Southern's art deco theme that led to curvy "Odeon" signalboxes and quite ornate structures (substations had an almost church look with large glazed windows and some nifty exterior detailing to make them look nice)
Many years ago I did something similar using burglar alarm reed switches in small glass tubes under the track, combined with small magnets glued to the underside of the trains. I did the relay controls by transistors. Using this system I had interlocks to provide a crude block system. For the really technical I used bistable multivibrator circuits for the switching transistors to provide logic for the block system.
Back in the mid 1980's my father-in-law had a OO gauge garden layout and wanted sequential coloured light signals to do the same. Back then there was little commercially available to do this, so basically I just used four reed switches and a relay wired so that the two outer switches un-lathed the relay, and two inner switches latched it. OK it meant that at every "section" had four reed switches in a row, but it meant that if a train was run in the reverse direction the signal correctly displayed red when the section was occupied. The sections were just defined zones, there was no physical blocks. However, these days model railway electronics has come a long way, even without DCC boards....making it much easier to have things like working lights etc.
Hi Malcolm, I totally agree the model railway arena has come a long way from when I got my first Lima train set in the early 80's. From smartphone throttles to iPhone speakers in locomotives, it's quite extraordinary.
Cracking stuff I have also been watching this i enjoy playing with my model railway anymore than im going to install Wire in Tube for the turn out motors simply because i like operating the thing not watching computer sit back and doing the work and as a result this works hand in hand with my signals and I peraonlly think its more engaging than Full automation and I don't think we are in the minority any more and being from Australia. YOU ARE DAMN RIGHT everything seems to be expensive in this hobby lol.
Great video, have a similar system but made myself with a few diodes and resistors and a reed relay, ready made sounds a lot easier, thanks again from Wairoa in New Zealand
Thanks for your feedback, great to hear from Wairoa. Somebody else mentioned reed relays so I did some investigation, and yes, they do the job. The light/IR sensor is non-mechanical equivalent I guess.
I wonder if you could have a setup where you use two sensors placed at either end of the section...and the first sensor 'triggers' the red aspect and waits until the second sensor is tripped - only then will it turn the signal aspect to green. That way you're more reliably keeping the signal at red until the train clears the block.
This is something I didn't investigate further back 3 years ago. I recall working out a circuit that would daisy-chain signals but I'm not sure if two sensors operating one signal would work. One sensor would be 'dark red/light green' and the other would 'dark green/light red'.
Hi, I am at a bit of a loss with this. I have bought the very same circuit board running a two aspect light. My problem is the timer. The timer seems to only work when the sensor detects light and not darkness as like when the wagon crosses and blocks the light on your set up. Am I doing something wrong?
I'm wondering if you bought the correct circuit boards. The version I use is 'dark on/bright off' as per these ones: www.ebay.com/itm/192279028871 There might be a version that is 'dark off/bright on' which would produce the results you're getting. There is also another version of board that can do both and is controlled by a jumper. Maybe check to see if you have this type of circuit board: i.ebayimg.com/00/s/ODAwWDgwMA==/z/qfkAAOSw1BpgWfHz/$_57.JPG?set_id=8800005007
hi there would i need a module for each signal light?and also can you supply a wiring digram of how you set it up,i cant quite see on the video.cheers neil.
Hi Julian, i have a question, my signal lights have two red wires and two blue wires. Would you know how to wire them up since your has 1 red, 1 green and 1 black? Thanks and great video!
Hi there, I have purchased and installed the sensor relay board and it works, but do you know of a sensor relay board for a 3 aspect coloured light signal please ?
The Link to the relay module does not work, but a search of the part number Fc-66 does give results, can you post the part number for the IR Module? Regards
How long did your relays take to arrive? I assume you need one relay for each signal,it looks a good idea. I found a pack of 5 signals on eBay uk for £15 ,looks the same as yours.Will probably wait for awhile yet as I’m still waiting for some decoders to arrive from Rails,it’s been 4 weeks now. Cheers David
Hi David, fortunately I found a local supplier here in NZ and with NZ out of lockdown, it was a matter of days. However, I do order items from the UK and the last lot took 2 months to get here (usually takes 2 weeks), so I'm not surprised delivery times might be considerable.
You were asking for information regarding colour of BR Signal posts (i.e. painted grey or black etc). I have just watched a superb You Tube Video - Chadwick Model Railway at McKinley /65. The video is like a Time Machine depicting the years between the 1950's to 1970 and there are examples of signal posts in different painted colours. I reckon it is worth a watch!
@@StationRoadModelRailway That's ok and if you stop the video at various positions you will see how things changed between 1950's to about 1975. It's boiling hot here in the UK and far too hot to work outdoors. Have a good evening and happy modelling.
If you add a second LDR at the other end of the signal block, the signal, or signals would go to red when a train entered the section from either end. This second LDR needs wiring into one of the wires on the first LDR, and not across both wires.
The light sensor is a good idea for tracks that are used in daylight. I use IR sensors, but I find they are also sensitive to natural lighting in the room (ie, sunlight) and sometimes will trigger if the light is bright and not just on reflection. I am thinking of moving to Hall Effect sensors, which detect magnetic energy. I only need to change the sensor for that as I am already detecting on and off in the Arduino / Relay circuits
I bought 5 of these relay modules for some dwarf signals in my yard. I have an old tech 2 power pack that I will run an accessory bus line off of. Is it possible to run the dwarfs and sensor relay modules off the same accessory bus? I am pretty good at shorting stuff out...lol. any advice you can give would be appreciated. Keep up the good work.. Thanks.
Hi George, I must apologies for the very late response to your comment. I think it would be possible to use the same power source for both the relay and signals, just as long as the signals have a resistor connects. I chose seperate power sources just to be on the safe side with current draw, thinking the relay could surge the power thus effecting the LEDs in the signals. And the more signals and relays connected to power sources, the more current is drawn.
Thanks Martin, definitely a help. I also found a video on TH-cam the other day about BR Signal Engineers in the 60's (very interesting and in colour) and there were glimpses of grey posts. th-cam.com/video/x4maPt3qFI4/w-d-xo.html
Could you explain the use of the sensitivity adjustment. I have purchased several of the units on e-bay and none of them seem to be set the same upon arrival (several in the active state--red position) and i cannot get it set the change its response, Thanks.
Hi Bob. If you're using the light sensor versions I find the easiest way to set sensitivity is firstly to make sure the sensor is in its final position in the track under normal lighting conditions, then place a wagon over the sensor and begin to turn the small sensitivity dial on the circuit board until the red aspect is illuminated, then roll the wagon off the sensor to check if the light goes green. Keep doing this process until you find the right balance. I hope this helps.
Hi Julian, enjoyed this signalling demonstration. .I think you did mention the source of the electronic control but I have been back though and can't find it. Do you have contact info? many thanks Tom
Hi Tom, I must apologies for the very late response to your comment. Of course with this video now being 3 years old, the link in the description has long since gone, so here's a fresh link to the control device... www.ebay.com/itm/192279028871
Hi julian great video mate I really enjoyed it I have installed the dapol working semaphore signals at my model of stranraer harbour station they are working every will I work them by push buttons on my control panel for the stranraer line on my layout I use 12v dc to work them on my mainlines I use 3/4 aspect colour light signales work by royart switches I use 9v battery to work them at the moment here in the UK we have a good choice of colour light signales them can be expensive depending on wha what brand you buy I use eckon and berko signles stay safe and well mate goodbye for now clive
Hi Clive, I have considered purchasing some Dapol semaphores and think I'll will get some. I imagine I could control them in the same way as the colour light signals, with sensor relays.
@@StationRoadModelRailway hi julian train tech make a until for dapol semaphore signals and colour light signales Gaugemaster sale them for dcc signal control I hope this information will help you mate clive
@@StationRoadModelRailway hi julian if you are going to use the dapol semaphore signals dapol now recommend use 9v to 12v dc or 14v ac not 16v ac I hope this information is of interest to you mate clive
Hello there , great video for us that want to keep DC running our trains, with very good descriptions of what's is required to complete this project, but what is the relay part number or details of it and the light sensor details please.
Hi Julian great video. Great idea. Can you tell me please where i can purchase the signals with the small LEDs ? Having trouble locating them on the web. Thanks so much
Hi Paul, I bought the smaller LED versions from a seller on TradeMe (NZ version of ebay) but they haven't had any further listings in some time and think they may have switched to the larger LED versions. On a quick search I can't seem to find the smaller versions either, the closes it got was this... www.ebay.com.au/itm/5-x-HO-or-OO-Scale-2-aspects-Railway-LEDs-Signals-G-R/400236322380 If you google image '2 aspect ho signal evemodel' it brings up lots of options.
Has anyone ever built the NZR '54 Df loco for model rail? I just love that "all wheel" undercarriage of those monsters (like a class 40 on steroids) and whilst my set is predominantly UK I would seriously consider a '54 Df :)
Hi Peter, this is a very belated response to your question. It's just taking me a while to catch-up on the hundreds of comments that come in. My apologies indeed. Answering your question, I don't see why not and it is something I'm going to try.
Great video Julian, well done and Thank You. I have been seriously thinking about this system, BUT, mine is a single track layout with running in both directions and I can't fathom out a way to avoid trains travelling in one direction interfering with the signal in the other direction. Any thoughts, anybody?
Hmmm, that is a tricky one. You'll notice I placed the sensor after the signal (half coach length approx) but in the case of a single track line, the sensor would need to be directly opposite the signal I guess.
Hi Roy, this is a very belated response to your question. It's just taking me a while to catch-up on the hundreds of comments that come in. My apologies indeed. To answer your question you'll find links in the description to these relays circuits. All though these particular items are shown as unavailable, just scroll down to similar/related products.
Hi Julian, What do you mean by "It's cold in New Zealand"? We had 15°C during the day and it's still 13°C at midnight! (Napier) Are you interested in a cheaper, way more flexible way to control your semaphores? Controllable by buttons or DCC commands? 2 aspects to many aspects, 256 rgb leds, 768 single colour leds or a mix of them all separately dimmable, servos, sound modules, ... User defined patterns, day night control, ... Well, you have to use your soldering iron. Have a look here - Google translator is your friend - And it's running on my desk wiki.mobaledlib.de/
It's a bit colder here in Christchurch, daytime highs of 10-11ºc, -4ºc overnight on several occasions. Thanks for the link/info, I'll be sure to check it out, sounds brilliant.
Just let me know if you want to know more. I'm happy to chat and also show you. Here a video of a analog push button example: th-cam.com/video/61KeRJHV5X4/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for this video. Do you think those relay modules could be used on a railway crossing? I'd want to automate this railway crossing on my layout: th-cam.com/video/C_KhdUhr5rY/w-d-xo.html Thanks.
Good day Julian, just come across your channel and I admire the honesty and method of your presentation. I have liked and subscribed to your channel. From my past activities I fondly remember Dean Bell, Sam Panapa and Franco Botica being great ambassadors for your country.
I have been using these modules for some time. Cheap. Just need sometimes put a sneaky building and lamp to provide a light, say a foot crossing or platers shed with lamp. I used as stop end sensors on a shelf railway. Going to use as simple signal changer when train approaches.
I've got 3 crossing bucks I have installed 3mm red LED bulbs in and got a flashing circuit from fleaBay. Now I need a way to turn the bucks on and off as a train enters and leaves the intersection. Others have suggested reed switches or photo cells to turn the flasher on and off. Any ideas? I do have an Arduino and have seen the code to make the flashers flash but I need a control for the flasher itself. My flasher circuit works on either 9 volt or 5 volt DC and I'm using a 9 volt wall wart. Cheers from eastern TN
I use a similar method, but have taken it a bit further and do a approach limited for my Lionel old school signal bridges. Nothing like having a green light over yellow flashing, then have it switch to red as a train go by. You can do all kinds of aspects... Makes it interesting...
Hi Mark, I'm glad I was able to help. I'd have to say, DCC block detection confuses the he*l out of me, so this was the best signal solution for me, that I could understand.😳
I have a couple of the Atlas color signals made for their proprietary signal control system, but the problem I'm finding, since I'm still DC, there are no block detection that is compatible with Atlas' system, and made to work with DC. The other issue, these are from Atlas' first run, so the LEDs are common cathode. I'm having a bugger of a time trying to figure out a system.
Hi Michael, I must apologies for the very late response to your comment. I'm not familiar with the Atlas signals but I think there is a circuit device that can convert cathode to anode and vice versa.
me i did this with arduinos and sensors and code signals were cheap 3 aspect ones from china it was around £10 uk pounds per signal see my videos for more and see them in action
Very interesting! I've subscribed to your channel. Really interesting to get a view from 'Down-under' on modelling the British railway scene. I can only imagine the difficulty it must be ( and cost!) when it comes to getting the rolling stock and other essential items that we take for granted in the UK. Check out my channel, 'Yeovil Central' when you get the time, modelling a similar period in the west country.
Thanks for your kind words, and yes, winter in the garage working on the Station Road layout can be unpleasant. I'm slowing installing insulation in the garage so it will be an all-year-round better environment. The opposite happens in summer where it gets too hot.
There are cheap chinese versions of this circuit available through ebay, even cheaper and will work as three or two aspect signals. You can also vary the length of the delay. These use infra red LEDs and detectors. They suggest fitting the IR LED above the track and the detector between the rails. I mounted them between the rails, side by side and the loco or wagons reflect the IR nicely. It works regardless of ambient lighting. I retro fitted some signals which were made with grain of wheat bulbs and fitted 3mm LEDs.
I'm thinking once there is more than 1 signal installed, I can link an amber light to the next signals relay. So for a 3 aspect signal, the red and green would be controlled by it's corresponding sensor and the amber would be controlled by the next signals sensor. Hope that makes sense? I plan on doing a video to demonstrate this in the coming month.
What are the white wires plugged intto the board? Where do they go? And why is the red wire from the battery not plugged into the board, and instead pluged into the power strip? Thanks!!!
Great have been looking for Light signals on a budget and DC which is hard to find as every thing now going over to dcc which is out of my budget range. Thank you so much Steve Young.
Julian im delighted to have found your channel. Watching the episode on control of colour lights I"m wondering if a similar (infrared) control could be set up with a counter to count the revolutions a train makes on a circuit of track, where I am trying to simulate an actual journey. In other words rather than personally count the number of times the train circles the layout, could it be automated to a counter. If you thought it worthwhile would you demontrate how to do this. Great channel.
I have an old train set I would like to sell. Track and all. Its O gauge with all the cars. Some still have their boxes. Can you recommend a site to advertise in\at? The engine weighs more than the rest of the cars combined.
Hello from Klaas Mastenbroek in Mount Gambier South Australia, i have model rail way and also DCC . I have 3D printed the signalheads and build my own signals , this video is very helpful in making the signals almost automatic.My question is where do we buy these relais?
Hi. Just found your channel and subscribed. This looks interesting. I have ordered a couple of these along with some other bits and pieces to attempt some coach lighting. I wonder if there is any way to use something like this to operate semaphore signals?
Hi Richard, this is a very belated response to your question. It's just taking me a while to catch-up on the hundreds of comments that come in. My apologies indeed. Thank you for your feedback and in answering your question, the relay might work with a motorised semaphore signal, but not sure how. You'd first need to install some sort of servo motor for the signal that has momentary power I guess? The other option would be to purchase signals that come pre-motorised like Dapol's signals.
Apologies for the slow reply. I'm not entirely sure, but I can't see why not. It's been a while since I produced this video and I haven't looked at the layout signalling since, but it will come up in a series at some point.
Hi, I do watch your videos from time to time and find that you have a good way of explaining things to the lesser knowledged morsels like myself. I have been toying with the idea of signals for my layout and looked up your site to see if you had done anything. Clearly I found it and as simple and straight forward you portray it I'm just not getting the concept. I will come back to this another day for another go at it. Just wanted to say how much I appreciate the way you inform other modellers like me. Thanks, you provide a great service. lol.
Thanks Richard for your kind feedback. Let me know how you get on with your signals and if you need any help just send me a message via the Station Road Facebook page. Cheers, Julian
Nicely done. FYI. The signal lights are designed to be used on 12 volt DC, so you can just piggy back the input power to the board over to the relay and terminal block, or over to the block and wire it up to the relay, thus eliminating the need for the 2nd transformer. Oh and the page is no longer found on the AliExpress web address
www.ebay.com/itm/192279028871
This was very helpful indeed. For those of us still running DC on relatively small HO layouts, this signal system will be perfect!
First time I have watched your channel and really enjoyed this topic. You actually explained the operation of a rather expensive kit I bought at an exhibition here in UK about 10 years ago and have not used yet. I probably will now and expand at low cost with your demoed method. Thank you for that and I have now subscribed to your channel. Feeling inspired and already ordered some eBay modules.
Hi Clifford, this is a very belated response to your question. It's just taking me a while to catch-up on the hundreds of comments that come in. My apologies indeed. Thank you for your kind feedback and I hope you've had some success with your signalling. It's certainly been a while since I posted this video and I haven't done anything further with my signalling since. Many other aspects are in the cue first before I can begin to setup the signal system on the actual layout. It's hoped this will be in this years list of projects.
As I am converting to DCC for DC - this is an awesome and inexpensive way for signalling and not breaking the bank.
I really like what you have done there, adds some automation without the expensive cost of block detection.
I am sure you could work that to go with a 3 aspect signal, would be good for ground signals too.
Thanks
Alex
Thanks Alex, I'll be putting together a video at some point with a 3 aspect signal experiment. I reckon there's a way to do this with 2 or more signals (distance and home signals) where the amber light is linked to the red of the next signal.
Thank you, you've made my mind up, I'm going down the same route, you've demonstrated it very clearly.
It's great to hear I have shared some inspiration and ideas to others, so thank you Frank for you comment. Funny enough, I stumbled across the solution not through a model railway channel but simply a guy experimenting with a relay module operating a light and an electric motor.
I too keep all my old power supplies as spares; I've found its quite handy to have the voltage and amperage written in white paint marker pen on the side so that I can identify which one I want at a glance.
Another great video.
:)
Sounds like you might have a greater collection of power adapters than me. I haven't got to the stage of rummaging through a box full to find the right one. However, when I do, I'll adopt your ideal to label them for quick identification.
Congratulations to over 2,000 subscribers Julian!! Well done! Thanks for sharing this video. Cheers Onno.
Thanks mate, it sort of snuck up on me by surprise. I suspect all the global lockdowns have played a roll in increasing subscriber numbers.
Right now i see this beautiful idea because i m new in model train. Very good opinion about IR vs photo resistor, i think i can put a street light up to photo resistor sensor to run night. Much appreciate.
Just sipping on my L & P with My Jandals on the coffee table watching and thought. Could I wire this up to a DAPOL semaphore signal you know the sort where there is basically ONE WHITE LED but as the semaphore moves it chages from red to green from the filter and the signal moves. I mean would I get enough current from soldering straight onto one of these? Cheers
Congratulations on your 2000 subscribers julian-great video very informative and most importantly an economical way of installing working signals keep up the good work and thanks for sharing 😎😎😎
Thanks Mike. I hope to cobble together a competition of some sort in the coming weeks as a token of my appreciation to all my subscribers.
Hello. Love your channel and I have subscribed. Here in the UK most of the poles on the colour light signals in the 1960s was either a light - medium grey or in some cases were white. Saying that, in the days of steam the colour was hard to tell for obvious reasons. Black poles could occasionally be seen as well, but I think that was in the later years. hope this helps you. Your videos are very interesting and informative. Keep up the good work. Chris.
Very well demonstrated. Over here in the UK we are spoilt for choice....depending on how much you want to spend or how complicated you want to make it. I think you've proved you can get something reasonably good looking and achievable at a reasonable cost. Just looked at a couple of books. Posts were white/light grey. Hope that helps. Regards. Alan
Thanks Alan, finding out post colour has been quite tricky, there's not a great deal of colour photography from the 60's and of what I could find, there was still a lot of semaphore signals in use.
@@StationRoadModelRailway hi again. Some of the books showed early colour light signal heads on old semaphore posts! They were invariably painted white. I'm guessing it was to make the signals stand out against the background.
I will be using servo motor point switching with a side switch for the colour light signal. they will only show a Red light when in the reverse position. (Some might have to be the other way around.) What I have not worked out is Station Start Signals. They may have to be hand switched. I intend to have two through and one terminus station. As for colour. I have white poles and the rest is still black. Thanks for the video and congratulations on reaching Martin (Thailand)
Thanks Martin for your feedback and sharing your signalling/point solutions. There's definitely many different ways model signalling can be operated. I will have a similar scenario with one of my points entering into the station area where 2 signals will operate depending on the point position. Cheers, Julian
They did use those rounded signals around the sixties, the Southern Region poster "Signal Success" shows a rounded 4 aspect signal with its ladder detail plus gantry mounted signals, Hong Kong also had the same as BR developed Hong Kong's colour signalling system. Two aspects signals were less common than the three and four lamp aspects which allowed for a better flow of trains rather than the start/stop a 2 aspect would give. The rounded ones I suspect were more in line with the Southern's art deco theme that led to curvy "Odeon" signalboxes and quite ornate structures (substations had an almost church look with large glazed windows and some nifty exterior detailing to make them look nice)
Did you know that the amazon link you provided for the IR sensor board needs a 5V supply, not 12V as per the daylight version from ebay?
Many years ago I did something similar using burglar alarm reed switches in small glass tubes under the track, combined with small magnets glued to the underside of the trains. I did the relay controls by transistors. Using this system I had interlocks to provide a crude block system. For the really technical I used bistable multivibrator circuits for the switching transistors to provide logic for the block system.
That sounds extraordinary, love hearing about ingenious, alternative methods of doing things.
at 10:19 is there one where i can use for a 3 aspect signal? green / yellow / red?
Thanks for this great idea just fixed up with Berko Signal to install on airfix signal gantry.
Back in the mid 1980's my father-in-law had a OO gauge garden layout and wanted sequential coloured light signals to do the same. Back then there was little commercially available to do this, so basically I just used four reed switches and a relay wired so that the two outer switches un-lathed the relay, and two inner switches latched it. OK it meant that at every "section" had four reed switches in a row, but it meant that if a train was run in the reverse direction the signal correctly displayed red when the section was occupied. The sections were just defined zones, there was no physical blocks. However, these days model railway electronics has come a long way, even without DCC boards....making it much easier to have things like working lights etc.
Hi Malcolm, I totally agree the model railway arena has come a long way from when I got my first Lima train set in the early 80's. From smartphone throttles to iPhone speakers in locomotives, it's quite extraordinary.
Cracking stuff I have also been watching this i enjoy playing with my model railway anymore than im going to install Wire in Tube for the turn out motors simply because i like operating the thing not watching computer sit back and doing the work and as a result this works hand in hand with my signals and I peraonlly think its more engaging than Full automation and I don't think we are in the minority any more and being from Australia. YOU ARE DAMN RIGHT everything seems to be expensive in this hobby lol.
Great video, have a similar system but made myself with a few diodes and resistors and a reed relay, ready made sounds a lot easier, thanks again from Wairoa in New Zealand
Thanks for your feedback, great to hear from Wairoa. Somebody else mentioned reed relays so I did some investigation, and yes, they do the job. The light/IR sensor is non-mechanical equivalent I guess.
I wonder if you could have a setup where you use two sensors placed at either end of the section...and the first sensor 'triggers' the red aspect and waits until the second sensor is tripped - only then will it turn the signal aspect to green. That way you're more reliably keeping the signal at red until the train clears the block.
This is something I didn't investigate further back 3 years ago. I recall working out a circuit that would daisy-chain signals but I'm not sure if two sensors operating one signal would work. One sensor would be 'dark red/light green' and the other would 'dark green/light red'.
Very informative and well presented. Thank you.
Regards Robert
Thank you Robert for your kind words, it's greatly encouraging.
Hi, I am at a bit of a loss with this. I have bought the very same circuit board running a two aspect light. My problem is the timer. The timer seems to only work when the sensor detects light and not darkness as like when the wagon crosses and blocks the light on your set up. Am I doing something wrong?
I'm wondering if you bought the correct circuit boards. The version I use is 'dark on/bright off' as per these ones: www.ebay.com/itm/192279028871
There might be a version that is 'dark off/bright on' which would produce the results you're getting. There is also another version of board that can do both and is controlled by a jumper. Maybe check to see if you have this type of circuit board: i.ebayimg.com/00/s/ODAwWDgwMA==/z/qfkAAOSw1BpgWfHz/$_57.JPG?set_id=8800005007
Hi Thanks for your reply. I think you are probably right . I will order via your link. Thanks again. John
hi there would i need a module for each signal light?and also can you supply a wiring digram of how you set it up,i cant quite see on the video.cheers neil.
Hi Julian, i have a question, my signal lights have two red wires and two blue wires. Would you know how to wire them up since your has 1 red, 1 green and 1 black?
Thanks and great video!
Hi there, I have purchased and installed the sensor relay board and it works, but do you know of a sensor relay board for a 3 aspect coloured light signal please ?
The Link to the relay module does not work, but a search of the part number Fc-66 does give results, can you post the part number for the IR Module? Regards
How long did your relays take to arrive? I assume you need one relay for each signal,it looks a good idea. I found a pack of 5 signals on eBay uk for £15 ,looks the same as yours.Will probably wait for awhile yet as I’m still waiting for some decoders to arrive from Rails,it’s been 4 weeks now. Cheers David
Hi David, fortunately I found a local supplier here in NZ and with NZ out of lockdown, it was a matter of days. However, I do order items from the UK and the last lot took 2 months to get here (usually takes 2 weeks), so I'm not surprised delivery times might be considerable.
You were asking for information regarding colour of BR Signal posts (i.e. painted grey or black etc). I have just watched a superb You Tube Video - Chadwick Model Railway at McKinley /65. The video is like a Time Machine depicting the years between the 1950's to 1970 and there are examples of signal posts in different painted colours. I reckon it is worth a watch!
Brilliant, thanks Malcolm. I have watched that particular video in the past but I didn't think to go back to it for reference on signal pole colours.
@@StationRoadModelRailway That's ok and if you stop the video at various positions you will see how things changed between 1950's to about 1975. It's boiling hot here in the UK and far too hot to work outdoors. Have a good evening and happy modelling.
If you add a second LDR at the other end of the signal block, the signal, or signals would go to red when a train entered the section from either end. This second LDR needs wiring into one of the wires on the first LDR, and not across both wires.
The light sensor is a good idea for tracks that are used in daylight. I use IR sensors, but I find they are also sensitive to natural lighting in the room (ie, sunlight) and sometimes will trigger if the light is bright and not just on reflection.
I am thinking of moving to Hall Effect sensors, which detect magnetic energy. I only need to change the sensor for that as I am already detecting on and off in the Arduino / Relay circuits
I put a feature needing a lamp, like say foot crossing or shed near sensor for night use.
I bought 5 of these relay modules for some dwarf signals in my yard. I have an old tech 2 power pack that I will run an accessory bus line off of. Is it possible to run the dwarfs and sensor relay modules off the same accessory bus? I am pretty good at shorting stuff out...lol. any advice you can give would be appreciated. Keep up the good work.. Thanks.
Hi George, I must apologies for the very late response to your comment. I think it would be possible to use the same power source for both the relay and signals, just as long as the signals have a resistor connects. I chose seperate power sources just to be on the safe side with current draw, thinking the relay could surge the power thus effecting the LEDs in the signals. And the more signals and relays connected to power sources, the more current is drawn.
Great video. !
Thanks mate, hope it was useful.
Hi. Found a picture of a three aspect signal in the sixties, the post was grey and the top where the lights are is black. Hope this helps.
Martin
Thanks Martin, definitely a help. I also found a video on TH-cam the other day about BR Signal Engineers in the 60's (very interesting and in colour) and there were glimpses of grey posts. th-cam.com/video/x4maPt3qFI4/w-d-xo.html
hi its 06.55 in the morning here 21 june longest day light and its trying to rain in the north east
Ah, summer days. NZ might be in the middle of winter, but you could say we're half way to summer again.
can you have one power pack to run 4 lights
I don't think there would be any issues running multiple signals off a single power supply.
@@StationRoadModelRailway
Do you have the link where you can purchase the relay from ? Thanks
www.ebay.com/itm/192279028871
Thank you , these wouldn’t be any good for holding a train back at station ?
@@StationRoadModelRailway Thank you , these wouldn’t be any good for holding a train back at the station ?
will that sensor fit between the rails of an N gauge track?
very interested if you can run more than one signal from one relay circuit
Hi Ian, yes I hope to have a video up at some point demonstrating how this could work. Stay tuned...
Station Road Model Railway staying tuned!
Just seen this what a brilliant product
Simple and effective
Where are they available from ? Is it a NZ product
Great video
www.ebay.com.au/itm/5-pcs-OO-or-HO-Scale-3mm-LEDs-made-2-aspect-Railway-LEDs-Signals-G-R-N/402379537527
Hi ,would you know how many relays can be powered by one 12v power supply? Cheers David
Could you explain the use of the sensitivity adjustment. I have purchased several of the units on e-bay and none of them seem to be set the same upon arrival (several in the active state--red position) and i cannot get it set the change its response, Thanks.
Hi Bob. If you're using the light sensor versions I find the easiest way to set sensitivity is firstly to make sure the sensor is in its final position in the track under normal lighting conditions, then place a wagon over the sensor and begin to turn the small sensitivity dial on the circuit board until the red aspect is illuminated, then roll the wagon off the sensor to check if the light goes green. Keep doing this process until you find the right balance. I hope this helps.
@@StationRoadModelRailway Thank you so much for you help!. It is appreciated. I will give it a try to see how it turns out....again thank you.
Hi Julian, enjoyed this signalling demonstration. .I think you did mention the source of the electronic control but I have been back though and can't find it. Do you have contact info?
many thanks
Tom
Hi Tom, I must apologies for the very late response to your comment. Of course with this video now being 3 years old, the link in the description has long since gone, so here's a fresh link to the control device... www.ebay.com/itm/192279028871
Hi julian great video mate I really enjoyed it I have installed the dapol working semaphore signals at my model of stranraer harbour station they are working every will I work them by push buttons on my control panel for the stranraer line on my layout I use 12v dc to work them on my mainlines I use 3/4 aspect colour light signales work by royart switches I use 9v battery to work them at the moment here in the UK we have a good choice of colour light signales them can be expensive depending on wha what brand you buy I use eckon and berko signles stay safe and well mate goodbye for now clive
Hi Clive, I have considered purchasing some Dapol semaphores and think I'll will get some. I imagine I could control them in the same way as the colour light signals, with sensor relays.
@@StationRoadModelRailway hi julian train tech make a until for dapol semaphore signals and colour light signales Gaugemaster sale them for dcc signal control I hope this information will help you mate clive
Thanks Clive, very much appreciated.
@@StationRoadModelRailway hi julian if you are going to use the dapol semaphore signals dapol now recommend use 9v to 12v dc or 14v ac not 16v ac I hope this information is of interest to you mate clive
Yes, I saw Dapol had to do a recall on their signals.
Hello there , great video for us that want to keep DC running our trains, with very good descriptions of what's is required to complete this project, but what is the relay part number or details of it and the light sensor details please.
www.ebay.com/itm/192279028871
Hi Julian great video. Great idea. Can you tell me please where i can purchase the signals with the small LEDs ? Having trouble locating them on the web. Thanks so much
I live in Australia
Hi Paul, I bought the smaller LED versions from a seller on TradeMe (NZ version of ebay) but they haven't had any further listings in some time and think they may have switched to the larger LED versions. On a quick search I can't seem to find the smaller versions either, the closes it got was this... www.ebay.com.au/itm/5-x-HO-or-OO-Scale-2-aspects-Railway-LEDs-Signals-G-R/400236322380
If you google image '2 aspect ho signal evemodel' it brings up lots of options.
Has anyone ever built the NZR '54 Df loco for model rail? I just love that "all wheel" undercarriage of those monsters (like a class 40 on steroids) and whilst my set is predominantly UK I would seriously consider a '54 Df :)
Could you put the amber light into the red connection of the previous signal (when using 3 aspect signals)?
Hi Peter, this is a very belated response to your question. It's just taking me a while to catch-up on the hundreds of comments that come in. My apologies indeed. Answering your question, I don't see why not and it is something I'm going to try.
Great video Julian, well done and Thank You. I have been seriously thinking about this system, BUT, mine is a single track layout with running in both directions and I can't fathom out a way to avoid trains travelling in one direction interfering with the signal in the other direction. Any thoughts, anybody?
Hmmm, that is a tricky one. You'll notice I placed the sensor after the signal (half coach length approx) but in the case of a single track line, the sensor would need to be directly opposite the signal I guess.
Where did you obtain the relay board from, many thanks for sharing.
Hi Roy, this is a very belated response to your question. It's just taking me a while to catch-up on the hundreds of comments that come in. My apologies indeed. To answer your question you'll find links in the description to these relays circuits. All though these particular items are shown as unavailable, just scroll down to similar/related products.
Is the green led light lime or regular dark green
I think it's just a regular green LED.
Don't freeze your butt off! Insulate your garage and put a heater in it (he said kindly)!
The signal posts are white when they're cleaned . Network rail are fitting ban new signals. Google this for more info Tony McKenna Gateacre Liverpool
Great cheap idea
Ha Ha All the British Railways in the 60's were one colour - dirt!
All aboard the dirt train!
Video is very shaky. Not visible
The camera is being handheld at very close range so movement is inevitable. I'm not sure what's not visible though, It's pretty clear to me.
They were and still are galvanized so they don't rust.
Instead of block detection you have point detection.
Hi Julian,
What do you mean by "It's cold in New Zealand"? We had 15°C during the day and it's still 13°C at midnight! (Napier)
Are you interested in a cheaper, way more flexible way to control your semaphores? Controllable by buttons or DCC commands?
2 aspects to many aspects, 256 rgb leds, 768 single colour leds or a mix of them all separately dimmable, servos, sound modules, ...
User defined patterns, day night control, ...
Well, you have to use your soldering iron.
Have a look here - Google translator is your friend - And it's running on my desk
wiki.mobaledlib.de/
It's a bit colder here in Christchurch, daytime highs of 10-11ºc, -4ºc overnight on several occasions. Thanks for the link/info, I'll be sure to check it out, sounds brilliant.
Just let me know if you want to know more. I'm happy to chat and also show you.
Here a video of a analog push button example:
th-cam.com/video/61KeRJHV5X4/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for this video. Do you think those relay modules could be used on a railway crossing? I'd want to automate this railway crossing on my layout: th-cam.com/video/C_KhdUhr5rY/w-d-xo.html Thanks.
Great video Julian! A great solution for those that don't want to go along the block detection route. Simple but really effective!
Good day Julian, just come across your channel and I admire the honesty and method of your presentation. I have liked and subscribed to your channel. From my past activities I fondly remember Dean Bell, Sam Panapa and Franco Botica being great ambassadors for your country.
I have been using these modules for some time. Cheap. Just need sometimes put a sneaky building and lamp to provide a light, say a foot crossing or platers shed with lamp. I used as stop end sensors on a shelf railway. Going to use as simple signal changer when train approaches.
I've got 3 crossing bucks I have installed 3mm red LED bulbs in and got a flashing circuit from fleaBay. Now I need a way to turn the bucks on and off as a train enters and leaves the intersection. Others have suggested reed switches or photo cells to turn the flasher on and off. Any ideas? I do have an Arduino and have seen the code to make the flashers flash but I need a control for the flasher itself. My flasher circuit works on either 9 volt or 5 volt DC and I'm using a 9 volt wall wart. Cheers from eastern TN
I use a similar method, but have taken it a bit further and do a approach limited for my Lionel old school signal bridges. Nothing like having a green light over yellow flashing, then have it switch to red as a train go by. You can do all kinds of aspects... Makes it interesting...
Thankyou for making it simple as I am not very good in wiring aspects cheers mate.
Hi Mark, I'm glad I was able to help. I'd have to say, DCC block detection confuses the he*l out of me, so this was the best signal solution for me, that I could understand.😳
You can use the same 12v supply don’t have to use a separate one or 9v battery
I have a couple of the Atlas color signals made for their proprietary signal control system, but the problem I'm finding, since I'm still DC, there are no block detection that is compatible with Atlas' system, and made to work with DC. The other issue, these are from Atlas' first run, so the LEDs are common cathode. I'm having a bugger of a time trying to figure out a system.
Hi Michael, I must apologies for the very late response to your comment. I'm not familiar with the Atlas signals but I think there is a circuit device that can convert cathode to anode and vice versa.
Having a problem finding the IR version, can you let me know what description you would use and where you can find it these days?
Thanks
www.amazon.com/Aexit-electrical-Reflection-Infrared-Reciever/dp/B07ML5QKPF
me i did this with arduinos and sensors and code signals were cheap 3 aspect ones from china it was around £10 uk pounds per signal see my videos for more and see them in action
There's definitely plenty of cheap signalling stock out there, particularly on ebay.
Great !
Your link to me to another product... any suggestions to get what you are demonstrating?
Sorry, I'm not sure I follow the question you're asking. Are you referring to the 'Relays' link in the description?
Plzzzzzz sale me
Very interesting! I've subscribed to your channel. Really interesting to get a view from 'Down-under' on modelling the British railway scene. I can only imagine the difficulty it must be ( and cost!) when it comes to getting the rolling stock and other essential items that we take for granted in the UK. Check out my channel, 'Yeovil Central' when you get the time, modelling a similar period in the west country.
Very good video, and yeah winter sucks here in NZ
Thanks for your kind words, and yes, winter in the garage working on the Station Road layout can be unpleasant. I'm slowing installing insulation in the garage so it will be an all-year-round better environment. The opposite happens in summer where it gets too hot.
There are cheap chinese versions of this circuit available through ebay, even cheaper and will work as three or two aspect signals. You can also vary the length of the delay. These use infra red LEDs and detectors. They suggest fitting the IR LED above the track and the detector between the rails. I mounted them between the rails, side by side and the loco or wagons reflect the IR nicely. It works regardless of ambient lighting. I retro fitted some signals which were made with grain of wheat bulbs and fitted 3mm LEDs.
Great video mate. How would you go about wiring a 3 aspect signal to one of these modules?
I'm thinking once there is more than 1 signal installed, I can link an amber light to the next signals relay. So for a 3 aspect signal, the red and green would be controlled by it's corresponding sensor and the amber would be controlled by the next signals sensor. Hope that makes sense? I plan on doing a video to demonstrate this in the coming month.
Station Road Model Railway cheers
What are the white wires plugged intto the board? Where do they go? And why is the red wire from the battery not plugged into the board, and instead pluged into the power strip? Thanks!!!
Great have been looking for Light signals on a budget and DC which is hard to find as every thing now going over to dcc which is out of my budget range. Thank you so much Steve Young.
Julian im delighted to have found your channel. Watching the episode on control of colour lights I"m wondering if a similar (infrared) control could be set up with a counter to count the revolutions a train makes on a circuit of track, where I am trying to simulate an actual journey. In other words rather than personally count the number of times the train circles the layout, could it be automated to a counter. If you thought it worthwhile would you demontrate how to do this. Great channel.
Very nice video! Would I be able to connect 2 signals to this to cover each end of the block facing both directions?
Great video , but . . . . . . . . . . . . shortest day is 21st june ( southern hemisphere )
All the signals in uk in the 60's through to 90's were black. from Tony of Liverpool.
This was both informative and extremely enjoyable. Thank you for your time.
Can you tell me if you managed to get three aspect signals working on this item please
Would it accept two photoreceptor pieces to create a toggle on/off situation, instead?
Hi, can you use the same power supply for both relay and light operations?
I have an old train set I would like to sell. Track and all. Its O gauge with all the cars. Some still have their boxes. Can you recommend a site to advertise in\at? The engine weighs more than the rest of the cars combined.
Not sure I'm the best person to ask. I'm based in NZ and I would use an auction site here called TradeMe but this is NZ only. Maybe try ebay?
Hello from Klaas Mastenbroek in Mount Gambier South Australia, i have model rail way and also DCC . I have 3D printed the signalheads and build my own signals , this video is very helpful in making the signals almost automatic.My question is where do we buy these relais?
Klaas Mastenbroek I’ve just ordered my relays from eBay uk which are posted from China so will take about 5 weeks.
Hi. Just found your channel and subscribed. This looks interesting. I have ordered a couple of these along with some other bits and pieces to attempt some coach lighting. I wonder if there is any way to use something like this to operate semaphore signals?
Hi Richard, this is a very belated response to your question. It's just taking me a while to catch-up on the hundreds of comments that come in. My apologies indeed. Thank you for your feedback and in answering your question, the relay might work with a motorised semaphore signal, but not sure how. You'd first need to install some sort of servo motor for the signal that has momentary power I guess? The other option would be to purchase signals that come pre-motorised like Dapol's signals.
Good budget way to control signals. But, can you add additional photoresistors to the same circuit?
Apologies for the slow reply. I'm not entirely sure, but I can't see why not. It's been a while since I produced this video and I haven't looked at the layout signalling since, but it will come up in a series at some point.
Brilliant,thank you