Working semaphore signals - 4mm

[Peter Beckett]

After reading several excellent articles in RMweb I decided to have a go and build some myself.

I used MSE parts, double sided PCB board and servos motors and control systems by Timesaver Layouts http://www.timesaverlayouts.com/

which are made in Taiwan. They have a very handy interface board which allows control by DCC (I use Digitrax).

I experimented and the smallest footprint I could get was 35mm x 25 mm. I make a hole 30mm x 20mm which allows the signal to sit neatly over the hole and lets me remove the signal for maintenance, etc.

I have attached some photos of my first two signals.

On the layout, they can be operated using the system (each signal has its own unique number) and I have also have them interlocked with points which override manual operation.

I use Tortoise underbase motors which each have 2 separate circuits of normally open/close contacts and these are connected to the servo controller which allows me to interlock the signals

Please excuse the wiring as it has since been modified and is much neater.

I also have working lamps fitted to each semaphore and I use 3v miniature globes fitted into modified Ratio lamps glued to the dolls

 

Peter

[csvt2004]

Hi Peter,

The signals look very neat. Well done!

What did you use for the servo mounting brackets? There looks to be a slot for some adjustment?

 

Richard Binns

[Peter Beckett]

Hi Richard,

if it is a single semaphore I bolt directly to the T section under the baseboard.

If its a double signal I use the brackets supplied by Time Saver and bolt them back to back which allows me to mount 2 servo motors, I then bolt to baseboard as per single unit.

There is a picture of the brackets on this page http://www.timesaverlayouts.com/ANE%20Model%201.html also additional info on the Aussie NMRA site http://www.nmra.org.au/Hints/Servo/servo.html

 

I have not worked out how to add more than 2 signal servos per yet but I dont need it on my layout anyway

 

Peter