Disc Signal

[WVLR]

There's not much point in having a railway signal if it doesn't work
so I decided when I built this kit I would have not only the lantern
working but also a servo to turn the disc.

It uses an Atmel ATtiny84a as the servo controller with home written
driver code in C, the plan is to control this signal and others on my
railway using a 2 wire system similar to DCC.

<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/HGT5ht2LMyA?ve ... width="640" height="390"></embed>

[andymctractor]

I take your point about working signals and your project is very impressive but it also sounds expensive per signal. Also I'm imagining this would be more practical on an indoor signal. Fascinating though.

I have a Roundhouse Festiniog signal kit, which I bought to check out the practicality of having signals at all on my garden line, The Crowfoot Light Railway. I've come up with a manual operation idea on a signal that can be removed and stowed away from pets when not in use.

Good luck

[Marquis DeCarabas]

v. nice indeed - glad to see all 4 aspects in there, as the discs could and would turn both ways - some of them also applied in both directions.

[Soar Valley Light]

That's a beautiful piece of work.

I have to admit to having a deep interest in signalling which is somewhat at odds with most narrow gauge practice! There is nothing worse (in my book) than cosmetic signals, unless they are inappropriately located cosmetic signals. Despite my interest I'd rather not see them than see them wrongly used. Everyones railway is their own though and they are perfectly entitled to do as they please. (I have to say oversignalling is almost as inappropriate!)

Anyway, well done on a well executed piece of work which will be used as the signal engineer intended!

[Dannypenguin]

+1 Like

[MDLR]

Wire in tube and a crank at the bottom of the post would've worked JUST as well............................

[WVLR]

I take your point about working signals and your project is very impressive but it also sounds expensive per signal.

It shouldn't cost too much as I'm designing and building this for my own use and using standard parts.
I suppose the main cost is the time it takes to make it all and modifying the signal kit.

The idea is to control turnouts, signals etc either from a switch box or by the train itself using sensors on the track.

If anyone is interested than I could supply just the electronics.

Peco have beaten me to it and brought out a similar system which does cost
a lot of money:-

http://www.peco-uk.com/page.asp?id=Switch2014

[WVLR]

Wire in tube and a crank at the bottom of the post would've worked JUST as well............................

How does this work automatically ?

[MDLR]

It doesn't: you have somebody called a SIGNALMAN who operates the points and signals for you!

[WVLR]

It doesn't: you have somebody called a SIGNALMAN who operates the points and signals for you!

So it doesn't actually fit within the scope of what I'm trying to achieve then.