3 LED Signals


RJDaPirate

New Member
Good Morning Everyone,
After many hours of searching I've decided to hit you up for advise. Trying model turnout signling to LEDs for a control panel and also the overhead signaling for the tracks themselves. I've been able to wire up the LED to indicate which route is open for traffic but I can't figure out how to get a RED light for the now close route.

Using:
Tortoise with 12v DC power
3 Cathode Bi-Color (Gr/Red) LEDs
DPDT switches

Any help is greatly appreciated.
 
Are you running track power in DC or DCC? If DC it could be as simple as wiring the red LED directly to the track (assuming you are using directionally powered turnouts. Another way is to use Atlas Snap relays, which are essentially DPDT latching relays. I don't use Tortise switch machines, so am not familiar if they are "stall motors" or require a momentary contact. If the latter, you could hook up an Atlas relay so it gets the momentary contact to flip it one way or another. Then use the relay like a DPDT toggle.
 
The tortoise gives you two "Form C" contacts, where each one connects a single input to either of two outputs. You only need to use one of these: let's call the 3 terminals common, normally open, and normally closed, where "normally closed" is joined to the common when the turnout is in the "normal" state.

Connect +12V to common on the Tortoise. Connect the middle terminal of all the LEDs to Gnd. Then for any red or green light you want on when the switch is "normal", connect that light's terminal via 1000 ohms to "normally closed". For any light you want on when the switch is reversed, connect that light's terminal via 1000 ohms to "normally open". I think that'll do it.
 
What about the second light.

I done as you suggested and it works great. The question is how do I wire it so the spur line signal goes to green but the main line signal changes to RED?
 
OK I have new question for this. I just got 3 tortoise machines and want to have the LED indicator at the switches since I wont be able to see the turnout. I am using bi-color 2 lead LED's. can someone tell me the simple and easiest way to make these work the way I want, green for main and red for diverging route. I looked on here but couldnt find anything that really spelled it out.

And sorry for hijacking this thread!!!!
 
OK I have new question for this. I just got 3 tortoise machines and want to have the LED indicator at the switches since I wont be able to see the turnout. I am using bi-color 2 lead LED's. can someone tell me the simple and easiest way to make these work the way I want, green for main and red for diverging route.
As the prior poster noted, you can just put them in series with the tortoise power feeds. The down side of this method is that it provides an indication of how the power is being applied to the turnout not necessarily the actual turnout position.

I would also point out as long as this is only for you to operate it will work great. If you ever plan to have other operators you might want to consider using two separate LEDs. An RG color blind person (7% of the male population) will not be able to tell which direction the turnout is from a bi-color.
 



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