Model Railroading > Video of Working Semaphore on my HO Layout

If you've followed my Fort Wayne Union Junction in progress in previous posts, this is one of the home semaphore signals. This signal is at "I" on the tower board, No. 35. (See attached photo.)

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?3,3879265,3879267#msg-3879267

It's a Tomar. I know that servos and circuit boards are the rage now with model semaphores, but this one operates with a Tortoise switch machine. It simulates a prototype with a motor behind the signal head (so there is no bounce like that on a mechanical version or the lower quadrant style used on the Southern Pacific). The Tortoise was modified with a T-nut, brass lever and miniature push-rod connector as illustrated by Jeff Wilson in his Junctions and Towers book (Kalmbach).

Per the Wabash rulebook,  the top blade on this home interlocking signal does not move as the only aspects are red over red (stop) and red over green (proceed through diverging route at prescribed speed). My signal maintainer friend is to show me how to make the signal drop when a train passes it per the prototype with the use of a detector and relays.  When I've finished up all the wiring, a green light will light up on the tower board when the signal is set and go out when the signal is "knocked down".

Semaphores didn't appear lit in the daytime, though I may activate that feature for night operation.

Of course, a miniature armstong lever operates it. I apologize about the focus, but my point-and-shoot will not manually focus in the macro mode.

Victor A. Baird
http://www.erstwhilepublications.com



Edited 14 time(s). Last edit at 02/04/16 08:04 by wabash2800.

---

You must be a registered subscriber to watch videos. Join Today!

This is so sharp!! 

Javier Cervantes
Castle Rock , CO

Very Nice !

Ed Stewart
Jacksonville, FL

Love the semaphore video, very nice.

Stanley Jackowski
Valrico, FL

Man, that is really sweet.

I may play around with reducing the supplied voltage (my current source is 9 volts) as agree with my signal maintainer friend that the speed may be a tad too fast.

If you would like to see some footage of the real thing in operation, go to the tube and search under my first and last name for a video titled, "Penn Central FP7s at Wolcottville in 1972" starting at 2:46. (The second train order hoop sequence with Jerry Spilner shows the signal action better.) You can see the blade come down as the front of the train passes the signal. These videos were taken by me as kid with a Super 8 camera.

(There's another guy there with the same name with non train videos.)

Victor A. Baird
http://www.erstwhilepublications.com



Edited 8 time(s). Last edit at 02/04/16 17:32 by wabash2800.

I've used Tomar signals for 30 years! Great products.
cf7

I run my tortoise machines at 6 volts for my switches, much more realistic speed. I like your semaphore. I have a couple of lower quads I have to get setup.

Posted from Android

SP4360, if you are using SP lower quadrants you might want to get a bounce to them like the real thing. I believe Mr. Fugate and his followers have been able to do that. You might want to do a search and see how they do it. I believe the bounce is caused by a free fall, using gravity (and counter weights?) coming up to the stop position only, though the motion in the other direction is driven by the electric motor at the bottom of the mast.

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,3788892

Some British modelers use a slow motion switch motor like mine for purely mechanical semaphores (the kind with the rods going up the side of the mast and piping on the ground). I have seen the results and they don't operate like mechanicals. But I suppose it's like anything else in modeling, some folks don't care, don't know, or both.

Many modelers don't understand the different kinds of motion in various kinds of semaphores. If you study your prototype, you'll see what I mean. Again, I am modeling a kind with an electric motor behind the signal head. The slow motion is the same with no jerkiness or bounce in both directions. I'm planning some mechanial semaphore dwarfs and want a mechanical motion for those.

Victor A. Baird
http://www.erstwhilepublications.com



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 02/05/16 09:43 by wabash2800.

In the process of installing two more semaphores today, I hooked up an old DC power pack to test speeds with the rheostat as suggested by my signal maintainer friend. Of course, the motor is quieter at the lower speed too.  Unfortunately, I can't tell you the voltage right now as the meter I have is a cheapy that doesn't measure voltages in the model railroad range very well. However, once I get a better meter, I'll wire up some resisters from my 9V power supply. Of course, this is the back side of the same signal this time.

Victor A. Baird
http://www.erstwhilepublications.com
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/06/16 18:15 by wabash2800.

You must be a registered subscriber to watch videos. Join Today!

The new voltage that seems to work the best is 5 volts.

Victor A. Baird
http://www.erstwhilepublications.com