TimberSurf’s Model Railway
Modelling Tips, Links & Guides for Model Railways
Lumsdonia Railway
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Level Crossing (Barrier)
If you are capable of fitting LED’s to a wagon, then making a test bogie is no different.
Fit pick ups to each of the wheels, on both axles (wheel wiper type)
A carriage bogie or a wagon can be used
Wire the pick ups to the LED/resistor network on veroboard
An anatomy
When installing or fault diagnosing track, it is useful to have a quick method to test if voltage is present along each part of the track and what polarity it is (on DC systems).
You could of course use a multi-meter or a bulb!
But the simplest method is to buy (or make) an LED and resistor circuit board with two prongs/pads the width of the track.
If two Led’s are wired back to back, then the polarity can be detected (on DC systems).
This works perfectly well, but is a faff to keep on the tracks as you sweep down its length. Pushing a truck down the track seems much easier, so lets combine the two! This makes it very easy to check voltage around the whole layout, especily
This makes it very easy
Here are the pic's of the design for the vertical direct drive type
https://www.newrailwaymodellers.co.uk/Forums/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=50608
Supply list
Plastic Level Crossing gates
2mm diameter brass rod (or slightly larger)
Brass tube slightly larger in internal bore than the brass rod
Electrical (Choccy block) connectors
1mm Piano wire (or 0.8 or 1.2)
SG90 servo
Mounting screws (see text)
Servo bracket (see Note 1)
Araldite (two part epoxy)
Servo controller (see Note 2)