Signalling help required

[JohnR]

I am current planning my next layout, which is based on Ian Futers Victoria Park, but with a centre road. The location is broadly the same - west end of Glasgow off the North Clyde line, with parcels traffic and some regional passenger services out to, eg Stirling etc. (DMUs, 101s, 156s etc) 

 

My next step is to work out what signalling is needed - I havnt done any modern signalling before now - and not anything as potentially complex as a small city terminus like this. I am really taken with the Train Tech signals, ( Here: http://www.train-tech.com/index.php/signalling/dcc-colour-light-signals-ds ) as they seem to be easy to install and configure, and would like to include a feather or theatre box - just something a bit fancy! If thats not plausible, then so be it, but it would be fun if a case could be made!

 

I think I need a ground signal to control the exit from the headshunt, and possibly one for the entrance? What about the centre road? I take it the approach signals would be most likely to be "off-scene"?

 

Any help and advice welcome!

 

 

Edited October 12, 2021 by JohnR
Updated diagram

[The Stationmaster]

Ground position light reading from each of the three sidings but if there are any passenger trains involved in running to/from the terminus you need to provide (dummy) trap points on all three sidings (assuming the two long ones atre actually sidings.

 

Approach signal 2 aspected red/yellow with a theatre style route indicator and a position light subsidiary.  Exit signal from each platform line a three aspect signal with no need for any sort of indicator or subsidiary signal.

[JohnR]

Sorry if my diagram wasnt clearer, but there are 3 passenger platforms - would these need trap points too? The lines are (from the top) P3, P2, Centre Road, P1. Would there be a ground signal into the headshunt (from P1?)

 

In terms of the approach signal, assuming that it is located immediately in advance of the 3-way point, would I need more than one theatre box, given that the Train Tech product cant display different numbers? Whats a position light subsudiary?

 

Sorry for all the questions.

Edited October 12, 2021 by JohnR

[Stephen Freeman]

As far as I know they don't do a theatre box and I am not over keen on their feathers as the aspects are about the size as the main ones, when of course they should be smaller. I have been building some colour light signals based on their parts, I will be posting some photos on my own thread in due course, still have a few to take, hopefully in the next day or two, once I am feeling a bit better. Yes, it has arrived despite the fact of 2 jabs each, we have a hat-trick of posiitive PCR tests, so confined to quarters until the 18th.

 

Anyway back to the Feathers, hoods are easily fashioned from thin wall tube, the only really tricky bit is soldering all the SMD LEDS in place on a length of gapped PCB.

[bécasse]

The spur (bottom right) needs a trap point and the middle siding needs an "either way" trap point. Both types are shown in this 1963 photo of a Southern Region (but to current national standards) installation.

[Michael Hodgson]

4 hours ago, JohnR said:

I take it the approach signals would be most likely to be "off-scene"?

 

You have what looks like a footbridge at your scenic break, so I guess yes, you could argue that the approach signal is in rear of that to give better sighting.

 

A position light subsidiary is two diagonal white lights like a colour light shunting signal half way up the signal post.  It doesn't need its own red, because it uses the red of the main signal (and only lights up with that at red).

 

PS:  Even if you model the approach signal, you won't easily be able to see the aspect it's showing from the front of the layout, so depends on viewing angle.

Edited October 12, 2021 by Michael Hodgson
PS

[Joseph_Pestell]

If I have correctly interpreted the drawing, there is a viewblocker in the form of a footbridge. So the approach signal is going to be off-scene.

[JohnR]

16 hours ago, Michael Hodgson said:

You have what looks like a footbridge at your scenic break, so I guess yes, you could argue that the approach signal is in rear of that to give better sighting.

 

 

 

51 minutes ago, Joseph_Pestell said:

If I have correctly interpreted the drawing, there is a viewblocker in the form of a footbridge. So the approach signal is going to be off-scene.

 

Actually, thats on Ian Futers original plan (which I used as a background for guidance), I havnt decided what to do there. 

 

[The Stationmaster]

22 hours ago, JohnR said:

Sorry if my diagram wasnt clearer, but there are 3 passenger platforms - would these need trap points too? The lines are (from the top) P3, P2, Centre Road, P1. Would there be a ground signal into the headshunt (from P1?)

 

In terms of the approach signal, assuming that it is located immediately in advance of the 3-way point, would I need more than one theatre box, given that the Train Tech product cant display different numbers? Whats a position light subsudiary?

 

Sorry for all the questions.

Right - thanks.   Yes P1 would need a position light subsidiary to read into the siding (hardly a headshunt as there's only the P1 platform line reached from it.). The passenger platform lines don't need trap points.

 

This is a ground pod sition light signal (GPL) as you would have to read fopr movements from the centre road and the siding - different parts of teh railway n mounted them in different ways so you would ideally need to follow the practice of the BR Region or whatever which you are modelling -

 

 

These are colour light (running or main aspect) signals with subsidiary position lights - note that mounting methods varied between BR Regions and over time

 

 

 

 

Edited October 13, 2021 by The Stationmaster

[Rick-H]

JohnR

 

Further to your statement "would I need more than one theatre box, given that the Train Tech product cant display different numbers? ". I have designed and made a fully functioning 2 aspect signal with a Theatre Indicator and Associated Light in OO gauge. The signal can take up to 16 inputs to control it and the indicator can display A to F & 0 to 9 (normal 8 bar indicator) depending upon the inputs. See the attached (I hope) photo of the signal.

If you or others would like I can go into details.

Rick