Crossing Gates

Are they operational or fixed?
Mark

I think they can be operational with a slow motion switch machine. Good kit bash project? I can't wait to learn what you learn. te

Actually I was thinking more like using an electromagnet to operate the gate.

Stony and all, would the tiny servos work as actuators? I don't know how to hook them up or make them work but there must be a way to make these work. Will have to give it a go.

Anyone up on servo adapting and control?

www.hobbypartz.com/kahaoubrmo11.html?ctype=2&gclid=CJak_sXb7qsCFRVOgwodjlz9wQ

Loren,
I don't see why the servo wouldn't work. All you need is a mechanical linkage and a driver circuit for the servo. Considering the size of the crossing gate, I think with a bit of balancing and a carefully placed coupler magnet, I ought to be able to used an undertable magnet to lower the gate.

Mark

Mark,
The servo that I gave the link to only throws 60 degrees, so that is not quite enough, plus the action takes place in only .08 of a second which is way too fast, so somehow the action needs to be slowed down for a realistic appearance. I do not know anything about accomplishing this, but I have some hobby shop buddies that are tops with servos and they can give me some info.

It would seem you would need some sort of detection signal perhaps triggered by a reed switch or photo eye to activate the mechanism.

I'm sure some well informed guys will eventually jump in here........hope so.

Stony,

Nice but I was talking about way simple crossing gates that were around from 1890 to 1970 like this:

John

Loren,

A few thoughts come to mind on how to get these operational. You are on the right track with the servo. For a sensor mechanism, you can use the rail logic grade crossing pro. This is an all in one package that controls signal, gates & bells. Since it is designed to use a tortoise switch, it can be converted to use a servo with a Tam Valley Depot singlet decoder. The throw speed of the servos can also be slowed down enough to look prototypical. You then attach music wire to the gate counter weight to control.

Anyone ordered any yet? I would gladly buy one to experiment with.

Stony,

Yes, the servo would be hidden under the layout. I'm wondering if there is any way to operate the signal without going to a lot of expense involved with a computer being involved. I'm trying to keep it as simple and as inexpensive as possible.
There has to be a way to employee the KISS principle?

Crossing gates. You want crossing gates! Well here is a crossing gate- Mate - Not quite Z.





I like Stony's better with the crossbucks, bells, whistles, and lights. I made this to go accross the train room door- Might have worked but the train room turned into train ROOMZ.
For size comparison-those are O scale Santa Fe F-3's.

Sounds cool, but I am VERY electronically CHALLENGED! And I am not alone. It seems there are three distinct levels of electronic know-how out there. One is those that solder… like Stony paints. If it’s more complicated than twisting two wires together, then forget it. Next is the middle ground where I think most of us fall into. If they’re like me, they can solder pretty well… even the really tiny stuff, and they can attach a motor to some mechanism to make it go round and round, or wire in a tortoise switch, or set up a string of lights with inline resistors to drop the voltage (as long as someone tells us what resistor to use).

But then there are the electronic experts that talk about driver circuits, or logic and sensor mechanisms, or a servo singlet decoder, detection signals, reed switches, photo eyes, and slowing something down with computer control??? It’s all Greek to most of us, that’s for sure. I mean sure, we can buy these things, but how in the heck do you use them? How does a reed switch work? What turns it on/off? Why convert a tortoise switch to use a servo with a “Tam Valley Depot singlet decoder” (whatever THAT is) instead of just using the tortoise switch? And what else does one need to make it work? How is it wired in? Just what the heck is everyone talking about?

You see my drift here? A lot of us COULD do it… we are capable of doing the work, but we didn’t study electronics. We don’t etch our own circuit boards, although we probably could if we knew what we what goes to what. We don’t know what wire to put where, or what else is needed even if we DO buy a “Tam Valley Depot singlet decoder”. (And I still don’t know what it does.)

What is needed, is for the techies to go ahead and work things out between themselves here, but then afterwards, the non-techies need “Instructions for Dummies” with (hopefully) everything including photos with captions, and links to where to buy a particular item(s) or part(s), to what to watch out for (easily crossed wires, etc.). I think something like this would be a good addition to ZCS… sort of an Electronics “How To” course for dummies or just for those uneducated in electronics.

Joe

Note the picture tha John showed. The silver relay box. That by itself is somthing nice to have. I am still looking for good diagrams of all sides of those things.

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I think Joe has the right idea to keep it simple. Assuming that some sort of push rod would be used to operate the gate, seems to me that a slow-motion solenoid like Marklin's 89401: standard up/down technology that fits into existing layout control and detection electronics.

Loren: assuming that aforementioned push rod, the angle of rotation is unimportant as you have to convert angular motion to linear. One could build a board that would control the gate operation servo, provide train detection, flash the lights and ring the bell, but one would be looking at a cost of about $100-$200 a unit.

Kelley: Stony has produced so good looking relay boxes...I bought some a while back.

Mark

Dashing Dan wrote: Stony,

Nice but I was talking about way simple crossing gates that were around from 1890 to 1970 like this:

John

John,
Do you have some dimensions for that gate?

In Germany they have these solenoid movement motors that is used for signals and crossing gates. They are about as thick as a marker and I think about 4 or 5 inches long. They have a wire that moves in and out. I will check out how much they are at Conrad.
Oh yes, I know about Stony´s relay box,They are VERY good, I was there at it´s birth . There is another type as in the picture made by US SIGNAL company I do believe. I´d like that type with pehaps a hole on top where you could run a tube that goes to sinals and even rail crossings signals, and even just a wire jump to telegraph poles.
I have the Bernd Baur flashing crossing signals. If I could combine those, with a moving crossing gate that might be somthing. I could see some of the parts being shapeways but I really think, unless you want a plasticville crossing gate, it would ahve to be made out of a composite of materials.
Some of the parts could be made with shapeways, but a printed, etched or lasered crossbucks, and a lasered or etched crossing gate, and tubing or brass rod, would be the way to go.
Not to steal anyone´s ideas or copy the way they do things, but I would take a long hard look at how the N,Ho and others make theirs. and perhaps ask the folks who make them to try to make the same thing in Z. No use trying to reenvent the wheel.
Joe as far as circuits, I feel the same. There are some folks out there that have everything set to do RR crossings. you just need to plug in the wires of the parts in the right places. They will detect the trains, start the flashers, bring down the gates and either make an electronic bell ring or can make a doorbell ring like a crossing. It is just a matter of money.

Kelley wrote: Note the picture that John showed. The silver relay box. That by itself is something nice to have. I am still looking for good diagrams of all sides of those things.

I'd bet a nickel that Stony could draw this and then we could have them. Stony, not to put pressure on you, but is this something you could create on your keyboard?

Lots of these items we want can be manufactured without too much trouble if we are willing to invest some time and effort. Time is lacking for many of us.....money also, but I think the hardest part to come up with is the willingness to get involved.

I'm not criticizing anyone here as I know many of us have a desire to contribute to Z scale, but whether you don't know how to do it or just don't have the creative magic and ability needed to do it is most likely the problem for most of us.