# Talking Station



## yd328 (Dec 19, 2017)

So here's a talking station that I picked up from ebay, it did come with an operating button. It was $57 shipped, I had to add the speaker horn about $7 shipped. It had a needle in the reproducer but I put in a new one from my Victrola . It said the sound was not tested in the description so I figured it would not make any sound. Looking in the reproducer it looked like somebody poked a finger in there. I wired it and it actually works, it sounds ok too. :smokin:

















Gary


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## upsman55 (Jan 11, 2013)

Looks great. Nice that you got it to work without too much trouble.


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

Very cool.


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## cramden (Oct 13, 2015)

That's a good buy for one in working condition. You might be able to put a piece of tape on the paper in the reproducer to help with the sound. If you can't and the sound level is okay then don't worry about it. It's hard to see from the pics but do you know if you have a 755 or a 755A? The later "A" stations had a resistor wired in to keep a small amount of current to the track when the train stops to avoid the reverse unit from dropping into neutral.


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## yd328 (Dec 19, 2017)

I'll try to add a sound clip. It is a 755, no resistor.




Gary


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## yd328 (Dec 19, 2017)

There is also a white, maybe yellow wire, separate from the 4 wire ribbon I'm not sure where that goes. A track trip maybe?

Gary


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

The white wire is used to stop the train when the talking station plays and restart the train when the recording ends. It connects to a 707 track terminal that is installed in a length of track that has the base post rail isolated with two fiber pins. The 755A has a resistor that allows about 3V on the track to prevent the reverse unit from cycling to neutral.


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

The 755 you have sounds really good. The record is in excellent shape. That particular record has the same recording on both sides so it can be flipped if necessary when one side degrades. Some of the newer records have a different recording on each side.


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## yd328 (Dec 19, 2017)

AmFlyer said:


> The white wire is used to stop the train when the talking station plays and restart the train when the recording ends. It connects to a 707 track terminal that is installed in a length of track that has the base post rail isolated with two fiber pins. The 755A has a resistor that allows about 3V on the track to prevent the reverse unit from cycling to neutral.


Can a resistor be added if it is needed?

Gary


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

The correct resistor can be purchased from Port Lines. Rather than modify the internal wiring of the 755 it is easier to just connect the resistor across one of the fiber pin joints in the track. Connecting the resistor from the 707 track clip to the base post is electrically the same as wiring the resistor across the contacts inside the 755 and is much easier.


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## cramden (Oct 13, 2015)

yd328 said:


> Can a resistor be added if it is needed?
> 
> Gary


Yes, a resistor can be added. In fact, Gilbert offered a 709 lock out eliminator to overcome this flaw in the earlier station as well as the 758 "Sam" and the 761 semaphore. They come up on ebay at times but a plain resistor will work. Doug at Portlines carries them for $3.00. You wire one side to the base post on the dead block clip for the station and the other end to the base post of the clip that comes off of the transformer. That will keep about 3 volts to the dead block so the reverse won't cycle. I don't know the value of the resistor so I can't tell you what other source you could use to pick up one. Hope this helps.


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## yd328 (Dec 19, 2017)

Thanks for the tips. I also plan to add the semaphores so they will be a big help. :thumbsup:

Gary


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