Building Your Own Railroad Signals 

As far as I know, WeHonest does not build semaphore-type signals at this time, but I'd drop them a line - it seems like they are always adding new products. In the meantime, Tomar makes a very nice lower quadrant semaphore signal, but like all Tomar signals they are a little pricey: tomarindustries.com/products/semaphore-h-840?_pos=12&_sid=7877ecad9&_ss=r I would never attempt to build my own semaphore signal, nor my own crossing gates!

@@rwissbaum9849 You're right, those are beautiful. But I just needed static signals for my unpowered diorama. I think I may have considered paying for them even though I didn't need the motion or lights, until I found they sold all their parts ala carte. Still have lots of parts if I ever need to build a couple more someday.

First, a disclaimer: I am *not* an expert on signals; I have picked up a little bit here and there, but please do some research on your own to confirm - or correct! - what I'm about to say. The searchlight signal was patented in, I think, about 1910. It consists of a light source, a lens, three colored filters on a solenoid-actuated armature, and a second lens. The two lens system meant that for the first time, the lights were visible for distances of a mile or more. There is a great video showing how the searchlight signal works: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-HfxSJgGltuw.html The invention of the searchlight signal marked the beginning of the end of semaphore signals. The Type D signal uses the same two-lens system, but without the solenoid-controlled armature; instead, each light has a fixed color filter. A D-type signal head can have 1, 2, or 3 lamps, each of a different color. In the western states, a "snow hood" was commonly used on type D signal heads (and in fact, snow hoods are increasingly common throughout the US.) Both the searchlight SA signals and the type D signals have seen heavy use throughout the 20th century. The D&RGW adopted the type D signal as early as 1920, but it wouldn't surprise me at all to see searchlight signals in use on the D&RGW even in the 1950s. I model the Rio Grande in the late 1950s and I have both type D and searchlight signals on my layout (but that doesn't necessarily make it prototypical!) In the modern era, type D signal heads are slowly replacing the searchlight signals - in my opinion, because of fewer moving parts. Signal *aspects* (that is, the combination of lights displayed) can control train speed only, or they can control train speed and route (to a limited extent). If you want to control just train speed, you need - at most - five aspects: Clear (continue at normal speed), Approach Medium (continue through the signal but reduce to medium speed), Approach (proceed through the signal reducing to medium speed and prepare to stop at the next signal), Restricting (Proceed at restricted speed), and Stop (do not continue past the signal). (I do not model the Restricting aspect because the D&RGW used a lunar aspect (a dim white light) to indicate Restricting - this is quite hard to model with LEDs.) These aspects (except for Restricting) can be modeled using a single SA head, a dual SA head, or a single or dual type D head. If you want to indicate route as well as speed, you need to distinguish between the straight and the diverging routes, and will add three aspects: Diverging Clear, Diverging Approach, and Diverging Approach Medium. These three aspects all require a dual head signal, because the upper light is red and the lower light is green, yellow, or flashing yellow (at least, they are on the D&RGW). In these cases, the aspects mean the same as regards speed, but warn the engineer that the diverging route through the turnout has been selected. JMRI has a great web page illustrating signal aspects: www.jmri.org/xml/signals/RG-1965/aspects.xml These aspects were taken from the D&RGW Rules of the Operating Department. This is an incredibly complex subject, and I expect there are very few people left who could speak knowledgeably about signalling practices in the 1950s. For the modern era, you might reach out to some actual engineers.

Thank you very much for the great information. I really appreciate it. And again thank you for your great videos.

I hadn't even thought of 3D printed parts! I guess my age is showing... and 3/64" brass tube is $6 for two 12 inch pieces. In N scale, you'll almost have to use magnet wire. *Resist* the urge to use the brass tube as the common conductor - I think that's why my first two signals developed shorts.

Can you provide links to the Thingaverse parts? Have you checked to see how much it would cost to print them on Shapeways?

@@rwissbaum9849 I'm an old guy myself. The print calls for 1mm tube and if I remember right it was like $12.00 for 1 piece and 3/64 comes in at 1.19mm. You can bet I'll try the 3/64 next time. That's like an extra coat of paint. Yes, the magnet wire is fragile so I sometimes throw a coat of clear nail polish to help. Thanks for the tip.

You always come up with good subject matter. I have a bunch of older signals that was thinking of retro fitting with LEDs. This is model railroading in the 21st century.

I hate to mess with your economic justification, but the N scale signals range in price from $3 to $8 each (plus $2.49 shipping). They are not as nicely detailed as the HO scale signals I have shown, but for the price, I would certainly check out one or two before I bought that 3D printer.

I built my first two signals almost 18 years ago - those were the two that developed shorts in less than a month. I did not pluck up the courage to try again for almost 10 years - I let a whole drawer full of parts languish the entire time. Then I built the next three signals and was incredibly pleased with myself - even today they look quite nice and they perform beautifully. Then, about a year ago, someone (Mike of Main Track Trains) posted a video showing some grade crossing signals made by a company called WeHonest in China - here is the video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-AOPQMWP7HEU.html I was impressed enough to order a pair, and for $13.50 (shipping included) they were a great deal: not as good as my crossing flashers from Tomar, but also one-tenth the price! Then last February, Jimmy of the DIY/Digital posted a video of his N scale block signals from the same company. That prompted me to check out their current list of offerings, and I was blown away. I've bought three different styles from them so far; my favorites are the two styles I've shown in the video. If only I'd known then what I know now... ...which is what prompted me to make and post this video.