Electric Automatic Crossing Gates

[cbrussell]

Which electric automatic crossing gate system would you recommend for the on30 gauge trains? I know Bachmann makes a mechanical,system but I am looking for an electric/sensor type system Should I go HO gauge or O guage?
Thank you.

[J. S. Bach]

O scale as the scenery and trains are O.

[dutchbuilder]

I wander if there were automatic gates used.
After all it's narrow gauge.

Ton

[cbrussell]

I wasn’t so concerned about being period correct but was going to use them for a Christmas Village scene we are planning for next year. I am new to the hobby so I am a bit in the dark when it comes to scale. I was looking for something that operated by infrared sensor of something like that and had incorporated sound and lights.
Thanks for all the help.

[Geoff12765]

I briefly had the Bachmann HO mechanical version, (as with you, for a Christmas village type layout), but returned it as the On30 loco (a Bachmann 2-6-0) was too wide, it hit the upright posts    So you should definitely get something built for O scale, or be prepared to do some major modifications!

Happy Christmas.

[Len]

You could use a Tortoise switch motor to drive a 'dummy' crossiing gate. The Circuitron application note on wiring this using a train detection module can be found at:
http://www.circuitron.com/index_files/AN/AN-6000-05.pdf

Mechanically, it would look something like this:


Len

[cbrussell]

Yes, I found the cars were too wide and hitting the Hawthorne Village Crossing Gate assembly.
I will have to investigate the Circuitron system.
I was looking at the Zstuff components, both for the Crossing Gate System and for a system to stop trains at various points along their route like at train stations. My problem is I am not very “electrical” savvy so need to go with the simplest system possible.
Anyone have a preference?

[Len]

I like the Circuitron stuff. If you use their search function for 'application notes' there are all kinds of ideas on using their various modules for a variety of things. One of them shows how to use their AR-2 reversing module to program stops on a loop.

Len

[Tom_C]

I use azatrax sensors. They aren't cheap if you need several of them, but I tried z-stuff sensors and when I added snow to my layout last Christmas they lost their mind. Z-stuff products are good, but I had a whole bunch of snow material everywhere and with all the reflective surface there was too much light scatter.  The azatrax stuff is bullet proof.

Azatrax also has crossing gates and signals, but I don't use them.  I use MTH or the lionel scale size banjo signal and it fits well with On30.  The Lionel is discontinued but I have found them on Ebay.  Here is one right now, but be sure you look for model #6-14149 because that is the scale model.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Lionel-Scale-Sized-Banjo-Signal-6-14149-NOS-46-170-/253335064278?&_trksid=p2056016.l4276

Here is the MTH that is currently available,

https://mthtrains.com/30-11006

but I like the discontinued model that is black and you can also find them from time to time on ebay and they fit into the holiday display better than the newer silver models.  There are none right now, but here are some completed auctions for the 30-11010 model:

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=mth+30-11010&_in_kw=1&_ex_kw=&_sacat=0&LH_Complete=1&_udlo=&_udhi=&_samilow=&_samihi=&_sadis=15&_stpos=20110&_sargn=-1%26saslc%3D1&_salic=1&_sop=12&_dmd=1&_ipg=50

I was looking at the Zstuff components, both for the Crossing Gate System and for a system to stop trains at various points along their route like at train stations. My problem is I am not very “electrical” savvy so need to go with the simplest system possible.
Anyone have a preference?

For automated control I use the Tamvalley train shuttle.  I use it for a bachmann railbus that acts like a trolley and have it set to stop at the station on either end and at various mid points to pick up passengers.  I even added track switches this year (turnouts) that splits off the track at 2 points and the train shuttle controls it all automatically.  Very handy device, but it takes a bit of work to wire it all up because it uses rail gaps to detect train location.

http://www.tamvalleydepot.com/products/trainshuttle.html