Crossing Signal for train room?

[Greg E]

I'm decorating a train room and am looking for a crossing signal (preferrably with alternating flashing lights and a bell). It would be nice if I could wall-mount it. Does anyone know of anything like this or someone who sells them?

[RCH]

I think your best bet would be to fabricate your own, since a "real" one would not only be huge but the bright lights and obnoxious bell would drive everyone out of the house.

[Greg E]

Yes, I certainly would not want a "real" one. :)
I was hoping that maybe someone manufactures stuff like this for train rooms, etc. that maybe would be a little more aesthetic. I've considered making my own but thought I would check and see if anyone made them commercially first.

[RCH]

The only ones I've seen are small and cheesy. If it were me, I'd make a scale model of one out of wood, maybe half or quarter size. For a flasher circuit, maybe you could consult with any of our electrically-inclined brethren or even the folks at Radio Shack. They may offer something already set up to plug lamps into. But, aside from the cheesy stuff I've seen at Great American Train Show, there's nothing that I'm aware of.

Now that I think about it, you might actually find something you like at a Great American Train Show or other swap meet. I've never sought crossing signals out, so I'm no expert on what's available, but in the midst of the duds at train shows, you can find gems.

[modelbob]

Try these folks. Intended for live steam, they'd work well...

PS - I work with full size signals, and trust me you don't them unless your layout is in a barn since they're actually quite large.

http://www.grandscalerailroadsignals.com/
http://www.choochoo.us/welcome.html
http://www.trainsignals.com/

[kenw]

Reminds me of some "art" I have in the train room.

I managed to locate thru a friend the station sign for the last depot my grandfather worked at (Lytle, Tx), and got it all the way home. All I had ever seen of it was a picture or 2 and had no clue as to the actual size.

We wound up having to strap it to the top of the minivan, it would not fit inside. It took 2 of us to carry it upstairs where I had planned to hang it from the ceiling in my trainroom.

Alas, it is so big that it cannot be hung and resides on the floor where we set it many years ago......

[Larry]

I have a clock w/all the signal lights, clackity clack of the rail & a steam whistle that goes off every hour. I had it in the house, but it was too noisy when it went off at nite. Use to wake up & think a train was running thru the living room. It has a single
AA battery for the clock & 2 double A's for the sound.
I also have old school bus lights w/a hood over the top of each light assy. They have a 12v. alternating light for these & I hope to someday build a nice set of crossing lights
for my train room.
You can also buy an assy. or mod. board at J.C.Whitney automotive cat. for an alternating flasher system for trucks & buses. It was about $35.00 the last time I checked. You could hook it up to a small bell to get the effect. Most house door bells
are 12 volt w/a transformer. There's probably a hundred ways to build a smaller version.

larry

[leghome]

There is a company in the St Louis area that makes these kinds of signals out of conduit and the appropriate fittings. They are kind of expensive but look like the real thing only smaller. I cannot remember thier name but I have seen them at the GATS show in INDY. Another option if looking like exact thing is not necessary is using PVC drain pipe that could be cut and glued together making a nice looking unit without the high price tag. A can of silver spray paint, a couple of hours and you can have what you want. There has to be a way of hooking up the light as mentioned in hte previous posts. I bought the real thing Cross bucks and lights at an auction and wired it with 12 volt turn signal bulbs and a friend made me a flasher unit. All I need is a 12 volt car battery or the battery charger hooked up to it. I mountedd it to a peice of plywood and placed it on wheels. I roll it out of the garage whenever I have the train crew over or take it to a train show for advertisment. My wife would not let me mount it permanately in the front yard. :rolleyes:

[Larry]

Almost all outdoor train layouts that are open in the season around here have made their crossing signals & gates out of PVC fittings. Like Larry G. said, "It's a lot cheaper"
making it yourself. Maybe you could go to a school bus junk yard & find the lights like I did. They look almost like RR signal lights after you mount them on a 3" PVC pipe post.
You can buy a 3" cross to go about 2' from the top & then get some reducers to get down to 1" or 2" pipe to go out to the light assy's. Then a couple 90* elbows & a short pc. of pipe going to the back of the lites. Use a male adapter at the end of the short pipes to mount the lights on.
The reason I'm giving all these directions is; I've made all kinds of creatures, people,
wedding trelles, & a small bridge out of PVC pipe & fittings. It's a lot of fun.