Custom Cantilever Grade Crossing Signal

[tehachapifan]

You may have seen the progress on other boards, but here's my latest project.

Aside from some minor touch up work and the actual installation, the signal is pretty much complete...







Russ

[asciibaron]

awesome - looks like the real thing.

-Steve

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Agreed, definitely a cool piece.

[Walkercolt]

More than nice. Now make ten-thousand of them to sell for $9.95 each! :PAnd we want them delivered next month! ;D

[tehachapifan]

Thanks, guys ;D

More than nice. Now make ten-thousand of them to sell for $9.95 each! :PAnd we want them delivered next month! ;D

Let's see....this one took about 4-5 days to build....X 10,000......might have to push the deadline back by a day ot two!

Russ

[Norm P]

Let's see....this one took about 4-5 days to build....X 10,000......might have to push the deadline back by a day ot two!

Russ

You could be the InterMountain of cantilever signals.

[DKS]

Nice job. What did you use to make the targets and shades? I used brass washers and bits of coffee stirrer sticks; yours are much nicer.

I can attest to how difficult it is make these. I built two, older and newer styles. The crossing arms are from NJI and modified to function.

[tehachapifan]

David-

Your signal is awesome! Are those LED's on the gate arm?

My targets and shades were made from using a crafts punch on .005" brass. The targets I had to drill out for the LED's and the shades had to be sanded flat on the back so they could be glued to the targets. Pretty much a pain!

Where did you find the brass washers? They look like they're just the right size.

Russ

[DKS]

David-

Your signal is awesome! Are those LED's on the gate arm?

My targets and shades were made from using a crafts punch on .005" brass. The targets I had to drill out for the LED's and the shades had to be sanded flat on the back so they could be glued to the targets. Pretty much a pain!

Where did you find the brass washers? They look like they're just the right size.

Russ, thanks! Yes, those are SMD LEDs on the gate arm. They're powered using #40 solenoid wire. The washers are just #80 brass washers from Hob-Bits or Walthers or somebody like that (it was a long time ago)--you can find them in most hobby shops. They are indeed just the right size, except that they're really thick. I was going to do something like what you did, but got lazy when I found the washers.

[tehachapifan]

David, thanks for the info. Solenoid wire? I thought I found small stuff (magnet wire). If you don't mind, where did you purchase the solenoid wire and the those SMD LED's for the gate arms?

Russ

[railbuilderdave]

I think they both look great!  This make me want to try to make one now but I've got to much started.
Dave

[DKS]

David, thanks for the info. Solenoid wire? I thought I found small stuff (magnet wire). If you don't mind, where did you purchase the solenoid wire and the those SMD LED's for the gate arms?

Russ, the solenoid wire I use was scrounged. You can find really fine wire like this in surface-mount switch machines, or, for even finer wire, from old magnetic phono cartridges (this stuff is finer than human hair).

I've gotten SMD LEDs from many sources, including DigiKey (http://www.digikey.com/), eLED (http://www.eled.com/default.asp), LEDTronics (http://www.ledtronics.com/markets/smt_index.htm), Mouser (http://www.mouser.com/home.aspx), NGineering(http://www.ngineering.com/) and others.

[tehachapifan]

David, thanks for the info. Solenoid wire? I thought I found small stuff (magnet wire). If you don't mind, where did you purchase the solenoid wire and the those SMD LED's for the gate arms?

Russ, the solenoid wire I use was scrounged. You can find really fine wire like this in surface-mount switch machines, or, for even finer wire, from old magnetic phono cartridges (this stuff is finer than human hair).

I've gotten SMD LEDs from many sources, including DigiKey (http://www.digikey.com/), eLED (http://www.eled.com/default.asp), LEDTronics (http://www.ledtronics.com/markets/smt_index.htm), Mouser (http://www.mouser.com/home.aspx), NGineering(http://www.ngineering.com/) and others.

OK, thanks for the info!

Russ