Model Railroading > Scratchbuilding Nightmare

Finally winding up my signalling project on my CSX Cumberland Sub layout this weekend. But not before I had to knuckle down to some serious scratchbuilding. 3 Jungle Gym signal bridges, 2 Safetrans mast signals, 2 B&O CPL masts and 2 B&O CPL bracket post masts. The 3 new bridges were freelanced from pictures I shot at the actual locations
and were built from Evergreen tubing and many different sizes of strip stock. Also many different styrene parts from Plastsruct. The signal heads are all Oregon Rail Supply hooded targets and LED`s wired up with 34 guage magnet wire. I have a 12 volt DC. homemade system to light them up. Dropping resistors were used to limit current to the LED`s. The Safetrans mast signals were also made from Evergreen stock and Plastruct. The see-through grating on the service platforms were made from SD60 intake grills. Oregon Rail Supply targets and LED`s were used also. The signalling in these areas is groomed towards my track configuration and the 2 5 target bridges are capable of displaying 8 different aspects through my logic. The B&O masts were made from brass stock soldered together and more parts from Oregon Rail Supply were used. For the B&O CPL targets I used PRR targets with the center light filled in. Oregon Rail supply sells round PC boards which press fit into the back of the targets. This makes soldering LED`s and wiring a breeze. The B&O bracket post masts came in brass kit form from Integrated Signal Systems (don`t know if they`re even in business anymore) but these kits are beautiful after assembly. The railings on the service platforms were made from bent brass wire and soldered in place. I always make bending jigs to be consistent. Modified Oregon Rail Supply were also used on these. I painted all signals with Vallejo acrylics thinned with Windex.  The Vallejo Fat Aluminum and black acrylics are about the easiest paint I ever used. I still have a few  wiring glitches in my logic that have to be traced out but for the most part all signals worked perfect when I installed them. I use Dallee TRAK DT detectors on my entire layout and Dallee flasher circuits to generate flashing aspects. They have been trouble free since I put them and are the most user friendly electronc
devices I have. Finally my layout can operate 100% on signal indication.

Here`s a bunch of pictures,
Tom
 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/15/17 13:02 by globalethanol.

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2 more

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EAS Patterson Creek signal bridge

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3 more from P-Creek

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Medium-Approach-Medium on #2 track

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WAS

picture 3-  medium approach on #1 track



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/15/17 11:35 by globalethanol.

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3 more:

Clear on #2
Medium Clear off the scale track
Restricting on #1



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/15/17 11:34 by globalethanol.

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B&O CPL mast signals

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some B&O aspects:

1-  restricted proceed
2-  approach medium
3-  approach

Richmond Controls sunny white LED`s for the marker lights



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 04/15/17 14:28 by globalethanol.

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EAS Okonoko and the eastbound intermediates at Paw Paw, W. Va.

happy modeling all,
Tom



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/15/17 11:31 by globalethanol.

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I can't imagine taking on such a project as this.  Your signals all look great, and congratulations on the completion of them.

Jim

Excellent work!

that is amazing work great attention to detail and scale very nice

Awesome!   Great work Tom. Working signals are 2nd to none on the layout. Change the title please to "Scratchbuilding awesomeness"! LOL

Bruce

alot of time on this stuff. this is why you see no scenery but you gotta have the signals

tom

Wonderful work!   What program are you using or will you use to operate your signals?

Steve Barkley, MMR

Amazing work, thanks for sharing with us.
Tim Costello

no program at all, just basic electricity with 12 volt relays (4pdt contacts) and alot of them. I made many trips to the Cumberland and Keystone subs dating back to the late 70`s and sat and watched signals work. I also was fortunate to be  able to visit most of the towers and see the interlocking machines at work. Couple that with listening to the signals being called out on the radio, knowing how the track was laid out and valuable info from tower operators and friends I was able to piece it all together and draw up my own program. To be honest, I `m not so sure how easy it would be to write a program that works exactly like the prototype. Basic electricity got the job done for me. The outputs of my Dallee dectectors and toggle switches on my dispatcher and tower boards drive the 12 volt relays to create logic. Every wire on my system is color coded and I can trace a problem in a matter of minutes even with over 600 relays and just about all of the contacts used. All of my switch machine power, TOL`s and signals are generated from this relay board under the layout. My good friend "perklocal" and myself carried it down the steps one day after I built it in the driveway. It`s about 13 feet long and sounds great when those relays are clicking. My inputs come in from the top, go thru mazes of relay contacts and come the bottom as working signals etc.I make office furniture for a living for the last 34 years and have had plenty of time to figure this stuff out in my head while I`m at work

Happy Easter,
tom

BaylorMax Wrote:
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> Wonderful work!   What program are you using or
> will you use to operate your signals?
>
> Steve Barkley, MMR



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/15/17 13:48 by globalethanol.

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Beautiful !

I have Rule 261 (bi-directional signalling) in effect between Hancock and P-Creek and since Oregon Rail Supply doesn`t offer 4 light hooded targets, I use NORAC signal rules and aspects.

tom



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/15/17 15:34 by globalethanol.