# Scratch built HO crossing signals



## deedub35 (Jan 29, 2014)

I wanted some crossing signals on my layout. I found the Walthers ones too large. I thought the NJ International ones were too pricey. So I built some using some styrene tubes, strips, and railings I got from my LHS. I got the heads and LEDs from e-Bay. The controller I ordered online from ITT Products. It uses infrared sensors so that I did not need to put sensors in the rail bed and it will work when the room is dark.

I had a lot of fun and already know what I would do a little differently if I decide to build another set. I would use warren trusses in the front and mount the heads higher. I would also use solenoid wire so that I could add a fifth head facing the opposite way at the end of the cantilever. I used 30 gauge wire wrap left over from my traffic light project and the 3/16 styrene tubes were at capacity with the 4 heads (12 wires total)

I left the door open to add crossing bell sounds and operating arms if/when I have more money.

Sensors are placed on poles 3" from each sidewalk across the tracks so the signals work bi-directionally. The controller is independent of track power so works with DCC.









Here it is in operation. The controller has a 1 second delay so when the train clears both sensors the lights shut off after 1 second.









This is the scene at this end of the table.


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## microbuss (Mar 13, 2015)

kool I wants a set


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## Shdwdrgn (Dec 23, 2014)

Nice job! A question though... You said you pulled 12 wires through the tubing? You should need to pull more than three. It looks like you have three pair of lights, and each pair alternate flashing back and forth, correct? So essentially you could wire a common ground wire to all of the LEDs, then one wire to all the left lights and a third wire to all the right lights. You would leave a little slack in the wire so you have room to solder and sleeve each lead, then shove the excess wire back into the tube as you seat the LED (or you could leave the same amount of slack coming out for all of the LEDs, then pull the wires in tight all together), but it should make it far easier to only have three wires coming out underneath.

Just something to keep in mind if you ever build more.


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## deedub35 (Jan 29, 2014)

Shdwdrgn said:


> Nice job! A question though... You said you pulled 12 wires through the tubing? You should need to pull more than three. It looks like you have three pair of lights, and each pair alternate flashing back and forth, correct? So essentially you could wire a common ground wire to all of the LEDs, then one wire to all the left lights and a third wire to all the right lights. You would leave a little slack in the wire so you have room to solder and sleeve each lead, then shove the excess wire back into the tube as you seat the LED (or you could leave the same amount of slack coming out for all of the LEDs, then pull the wires in tight all together), but it should make it far easier to only have three wires coming out underneath.
> 
> Just something to keep in mind if you ever build more.


There are four pairs of heads. Three pairs are facing traffic. One pair is on the upright facing the opposite direction. The prototypes in my city have a fifth head facing the opposite direction at the end of the cantilever.

I made each pair of heads a unit - a couple strips of styrene to connect the two heads together. I seated the LEDs with some CA. Then snipped off the leads leaving about 1mm protruding out the back.

When I wired each pair of heads I used three wires - red for common positive - black for the left LED negative - and green for the right LED negative. Three wires per pair of heads times four pairs of heads is 12 wires coming out of the base.

The stiffness of 30 gauge wire wrap and the internal diameter of a 3/16" styrene tube doesn't really facilitate being able to shove the slack back in. Next time I'll use some solenoid wire as suggested by another poster.


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## Shdwdrgn (Dec 23, 2014)

Yeah you work with what you've got, and space is certainly tight when you're building scale models. What you did turned out really good looking. Wish I had more time in the day to get started building my layout. Someday...


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