I prefer the Horn-Hook couplers to all else. I feel much more comfortable with those and they're less likely to in couple. Yes they're less realistic than the knuckle couplers but I feel like the knuckle couplers unhook more easily.

I even removed my Knuckle couplers from all my Walter's Amtrak Superliner cars, and the locomotive they came with, and replaced them all with Bachmann Horn-Hook couplers and they seem to work better.

Again, less realistic than knuckle couplers but they work better for me and I'm most comfortable using those!

https://www.deviantart.com/willm3luvtrains/art/Bachmann-Crossing-Signals-and-Gates-with-Lighted-838268576

That's just a picture of Bachmann crossing signals I modified to make them look like they were actually flashing. I modified the "lights" in the signals and added lights to the arms. They're supposed to be lit with L.E.D.s.

I know several or many people have actually lit up the crossing signals themselves and kudos to those who have (I never did though and I use signals that already come with lights.) I however was just wondering if anyone has added lights to the gates. Actually working lights.

My request to you is if any of you have added lights to your crossing gates, and I hope some of you, well, more of you do or have, if you could post photos of them, whether on here or Flickr or Deviant Art. And if you have any videos, I'd like to see them on Flickr, Pond5, or Shutterstock (I prefer watching videos on those sites.)

I would just like to see more lit up toy crossing gates, especially HO crossing gates, be them Bachmann, Life-Like, Tyco, NJ International, Tomar Industries, MTH, etc. I have a strong passion and obsession with stuff like this. And seeing how rare lighted crossing gates are for me, this would mean a lot to me!

To show almost what I mean, here's a photo of a crossing gate I made using Lego pieces

https://www.deviantart.com/willm3luvtrains/art/Lego-Crossing-Gate-Tiles-4-840933561

The gate doesn't light up, I was just showing my passion for crossing gates, especially with lights or light-like objects on them (they look more realistic this way and this is rarely shown on toys and in things like cartoons.) The gate arm is made of 1x4 flat tiles with red and white danger stripes, flat 1x2 pieces behind the tiles to hold them together, and the "lights" are 1x1 transparent red round pieces. I used modeling clay to hold the lights in place on the gate arm. Also included is a Life-Like non-operating HO scale signal.

I hope someone responds to this but respectfully please!

I'm so glad I found this! I'm gonna reply to this so that when I search posts by me/posts I was involved in, this will turn up!

I remember getting these comic books when I got my first and second HO electric train sets in third grade and fourth grade. In third grade I got a train set with a E or F series Santa Fe Warbonnet diesel locomotive, a blue Middletown and New Jersey boxcar, a golden Union Pacific hopper car, and a red Santa Re caboose. I think that was the Thunder Chiefhttps://www.ebay.com/p/Bachmann-Trains-HO-Scale-Digital-Commander-2-Engine-DCC-on-Board-Train-Set-00501/1200523369

The one I got in 4th grade also had a Santa Fe Warbonnet diesel locomotive but a GP38-2 or whatever locomotive, and a like caboose, but this one came with an orange tank car, a yellow Milwakee Road box car, a gray Southern flat bed car, a bluish green or turquoise Rock Island hopper car, and an aqua Santa Fe live stock car. That I think was the Running Thunder train set. https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-bachmann-rolling-thunder-6067-1423526611

What I like about the comic is the father of the family. I used to imagine him, and Henry Mitchell (Dennis the Menace) singing in The Carpenters!

Hey these ar really great pictures!

I like the Amtrak train and I like the crossings! Nice way of mixing crossing signals, including Tyco flashing signals with Life-like non-operating signals and a Tyco crossing gate with a Life Like crossing signal and a Bachmann crossing gate!

I might have an Amtrak P40 similar to yours, or almost. Mine is an Athern and I have five Walthers Superliners

Howdy Wiley209

I'm so happy someone finally responded to one of my posts! I know it's an old post and I've been gone for so long but I came back today (because I was Googling HO crossing signals) and clicked on an image that led me back to this page, and I saw your reply.

Mind you, I don't really like to use forums all that much, I'm socially awkward and not very interactive, but I am making this one exception.

Anyway, getting down to business, I know about those Tyco gateless crossing signals. I mean I never had them and I don't think I ever will, and that's okay I have more than enough HO crossing signals anyway but plan to order a couple more sets of those Busch 5934 flasher signals. I have four sets, well, five but one of them is dead! More on the Busch signals later, getting back to the Tyco signals...

I learned more about them in 2002 or 2003. I assume these be the ones you talk about
http://www.tycoforums.com/tyco/forum/uploaded/BriansTyco/Tyco937.jpg

These also
http://tycotrain.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/960_operating_crossing_flasher.jpg

These are cool and interesting signals! One of them is more humble than the other though and I think the "more humble" signal looks more like it could be used for pedestrian and bicycle crossings considering how short the grade crossing is!

I like the way the signals look, that they flash (otherwise what's the point?) and they have black crossbucks with white letters, I find that cool too although I do like the white crossbucks with black letters as still done today on real crossings. It's kind of interesting that the signals have double-crossbucks in addition to bi-directional warning lights.

Now it would have been better if Tyco also made their crossing gate with lighted signals, even if the lights only faced one direction.

I wonder what it would have been like if they put two signals per crossing (dual signal crossings) and two gates like Bachmann and Lifelike do, and I do own some Bachmann and Life-Like Dual crossing gates but I hardly use them and have been long thinking of selling them, probably won't by the looks of things.

I do have a few photos I took of Life-Like crossing gate signals with Bachmann crossing gates on them! I took out the Life-Like black and yellow gates and put the Bachmann black and white gates on them and they look a little more like the Tyco crossing gates, only this time they're in Dual-Crossing gate form, although I also did it in single-crossing gate. Then I took off one of the Bachmann gates and returned one of the Life-Like gates for comparison, two Life-Like signals on Life-Like crossing platforms, one with a Life-like gate and the other with a Bachmann gate. I'll show them on a later day.

What the Tyco Crossing signals and Life-Like crossing signals have in common other than their lack of functional lights are their black crossbucks, or inverted color crossbucks!


About the Busch crossing signals, those first of all are the first HO scale operating crossing signals I ever owned. And what I like about these is that they already come with L.E.D.s and a flasher unit so no need to order separately and wait longer to buy one then the other (signals then flasher unit.) The lights flash quite fast (like 2 flashes per light per second) but that's okay, and at least they don't come with an annoying bell (they don't come with any bells at all as a matter of fact!)  It does scare me that the signals are so small and fragile and can be crunched very easily if stepped on, so I put them back in their packages when I'm not using them, but at least they're more convenient and they were some of the least expensive signals. I got my first five pairs from Whole Sale Trains and they used to sell for less than 20 dollars! Not anymore unfortunately! What's also unfortunate, I just found out Whole Sale Trains went out of business https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?3,4104428  It happens! But these are one of the best HO scale crossing signals for me to own! And they can be used with NJ International or even Bachmann non-operating crossing gates. By "NJ International crossing gates" I mean the ones that don't come with crossbucks (1170-1173) which I also own.

I recommend the use of Busch US Style crossing signals, especially if you want signals that come with flasher units, but be careful with them if you ever do use them! They are very fragile and need extra care!

Getting back to you Wiley209, if you ever rewire your signals and upgrade them to light up, I'd like to see them, if you don't mind, and your other signals. I'd like to see photos and would like you to post them here on this forum (but you can post them anywhere else you want.)

Before I go, I also have a Deviant Art account if you're interested https://www.deviantart.com/willm3luvtrains I have lots of train pictures, including this drawing I did of non-operating crossing signals upgraded to light with L.E.D.s and something I'd like to see done for real!

https://www.deviantart.com/willm3luvtrains/art/Lighted-Non-Operating-Crossing-Gates-and-Signals-587579878 Yep, not to brag but that's my drawing. If you use Deviant Art too and if you want you can watch me there too.

Thanks again for responding to my post and for reading and for your time! 

I'm back with an image I, well, didn't make but modified to show you and give you a better idea of what I mean by my idea of the Bachmann movable crossing gates having red and white stripes instead of black and white stripes. (Others may have had this idea too)



This picture can also be found on http://willm3luvtrains.deviantart.com/art/Bachmann-HO-Gates-turned-Red-and-White-587787626

This is something I would like Bachmann to take into consideration. By the way, although I'm just about satisfied with the picture, I'm not going to say I did a good job on this, this could be better.

I'd like to hear what you guys have to say about this, if you're interested and if you want. Thanks for looking.

Source: http://shop.bachmanntrains.com/images/N_Scale/42504.jpg

I just wanted to leave a reply on your page (mainly and honestly because I'd like mine to be replied to) and I don't like to see pages left unreplied to so I'll be your first replier.

And also nice photo of the cabooses. And the yellow passenger cars in the background are my favorite kind of pre-20th century passenger cars. Well, I like them best in yellow and because I have some like that, except their Cobblestone Corner Railways cars with red tops and they're by T and S Collectible Trains (and I think Windham Heights has to do with these too.) It's a battery powered train, it's HO scale but the tracks are plastic. You can find them and other T and S Trains and tracks and Windham Heights Cobblestone Corner equipment on eBay and Amazon (there was a time you could buy T and S Train paraphernalia from Dollar Tree but to my dismay they don't seem to carry them anymore, you have to order them online now.) But I like those 19th Century passenger cars, as pictured, best in yellow.

Red is my most favorite caboose color.

I first talked about my desire to see red and white versions of the absolutely movable crossing gates, as talked about in this post http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,30692.msg226445.html#msg226445 I will talk more about those and also talk about other Bachmann crossing related matters.

First, anyone remember the old Bachmann 42421 2-Lite crossing signals? They were like the NJ International 1090 crossing signals, except they were plastic and the font on the crossbucks and STOP ON RED SIGNAL signs were different, and both of those signs are less pointy. The lights were incandescent, however they come out as an orange kind of color instead of a pure red (you'd have to use these Model Power (now Model Rectifier Corporation) bulbs http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/mdp/mdp382.htm That's Hobby Linc, go to MRC http://www.modelrectifier.com/index.asp

I have three pairs of these signals (and plan to buy one more pair) but two of them came with orange lights.

Back in 2007, I wanted more of these so much I emailed Bachmann to see if they'd go back to making those signals. I was replied to by someone and was told the president of Bachmann had no plans to bring them back, so my only hope was to get them off of eBay. I'm talking about these http://www.euromodeltrains.com/trains/products/Walthers1/160/42421.gif

These were the best crossing signals I've ever seen, owned, and used, it's just too bad they are out of production but it would be nice if they were brought back and exactly as they were before, same plastic, same material, same crossbuck, same STOP ON RED SIGNAL sign, and though this is the 21st century, incandescent lights, although I know they're not as energy efficient as L.E.D.s. I wonder why these signals went out of production in the first place. Was it because "better" crossing signals came out (like NJ International's signals, Tomar Inudstries Signals, etc.) But I'd buy one more pair of these if only they were in production again. They can be found on eBay but you have to be really fortunate to come across these and you have to be really, really fortunate to win the bid on these (or purchase them as "Buy it Now."

These are one of the only HO scale crossing signals I like to use (the others Busch 5934, NJ International 1190 Boulevard/ Over-The-Road cantilever signal, and the Sakai crossing signals.) I operate my trains on the floor, not on a table or work bench or anything like that. I like to use the Bachmann signals with my Windham Heights Cobblestone Corner Railroad, using T and S Trains and T and S track, which is HO scaled but non-electric, the train is powered by a single AA battery. And to flash the signals, I use the NJ International flasher module, which they don't make anymore, and the Circuitron FL-2 flasher unit, which really works great, and I plan to order more for my two remaining Bachmann signals (one set already has one.)

If these did come back, they'd likely be lit with L.E.D.s instead of incandescent bulbs because L.E.D.s are more efficient and save on energy and don't burn out as quickly (well can if not handled with care, I know from experience and had several L.E.D. lit signals burn out on me, that's why I generally prefer bulb-lit signals over L.E.D. signals.) They'd also be lit with L.E.D.s for technical purposes and because we live in the L.E.D. age, or are getting deeper into it. But I'd rather use incandescent lights, they're more classic that way and they fade in and fade out, usually.

Switching to another topic, I'd like to talk more about these crossing gates


In addition to seeing red and white versions of these, what I'd also like to see is someone attempting to put lights, namely L.E.D.s on these crossing gates to make them more realistic, whether black and white striped or red and white striped (I like crossing gates having working red lights on them as practiced for real in the USA, Canada, Netherlands, and Australia to name a few places. It can be done, now I'd like to see if anyone has tried it and would like to see pictures of a Bachmann crossing gate retro-fitted with gate-arm lights. I don't expect Bachmann to make gates with working lights on them.

People have made Bachmann crossing signals, the small, non-operating ones as pictured above, to flash using actual L.E.D.s, like this for example:
which can be found on this page http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lighted-Flashing-LED-HO-Bachmann-Crossing-Signals-Circuit-Board-Free-Gates-/331332524943.

Now what would be even cooler is if someone made the gates light up with the signals, having two of the gate lights flash alternately with the signals and the third light at the tip of the gate solid. I'd like to see that even on Bachmann's black and white movable gates, and, if they come out or if someone makes or modifies them, red and white versions of those gates.

I've seen pictures of crossing gates with L.E.D. lights added to them, including NJ International's gates, which have fake lights but the fake lights were removed to by the model railroader to make way for the real lights. Click this link to see an NJ International crossing gate with L.E.D.s added to it https://i.ytimg.com/vi/yHkUpmoC-9s/maxresdefault.jpg I'd have embedded the image but it's too big to put on this thread so I put in a URL instead.

And I believe this can be done on any crossing gate regardless of the manufacturer.

It would also be great to see these crossing signals and gates lit up




However, the one with the house, there was a time when they came with flashing signal lights and a bell, which would be hidden in the house. However, the bell made more than just a bell sound, it also made a louder accompanying sound like a drill or motor running and the bell had a very high-pitch sound that wasn't realistic. Plus the lights did not flash alternately, in fact each crossbuck signal had one light bulb you stick into the back hole of the signals and when activated by the triggers you put under the track, the lights would light up and flash, but making the lights look as if they're flashing simultaneously instead of alternately and the lights would flash super fast, or more like "flicker."

A better way to make those crossing signals work, if a model railroader wanted to, he could take out the fake lenses on the signals and replace them with L.E.D.s, and I've seen someone do that, or at least read of a person doing so. This is a great way to make the Bachmann crossing signals flash alternately, of course the modeler would need a flasher unit and perhaps a detection unit. For more realism, a modeler could also remove the fake lights from the gate arms and put smaller L.E.D.s on the gates, whether all of them closer to the tip of the gate or  futher apart and more all-over the gate.

To flash the gates, you would probably want to use surface-mount L.E.D.s or whatever L.E.D.s you'd like to use.

I don't know how you would implement a bell sound though, that you'd have to figure out yourself.

I don't expect Bachmann to make lighted crossing signals or lighted crossing gates, the model railroader would have to retrofit the signals and gates with lights him or herself, which would have to be purchased separately.

And should also be done with this crossing:

Do these sound like great ideas?

If any of you do this, or will do this some time in the future, would you please provide photos of these. Or if you see a photo or video of these before I do, please show me, whether by embedding or by URL.

Plus, do not forget, Bachmann's movable non-operating gates can also be used with signals from other manufacturers like Busch and Model Power, or Model Rectifier Corporation (MRC) or any signal you like to use.

(Note, please do not show me pictures posted on Photo Bucket, RR Pictures, Rail Pictures.net, Facebook, or any videos from Google, Youtube, or Vimeo, for psychological reasons, I would strongly prefer not to see or have even the littlest to do with those websites. Shutter stock and FlickR are two okay websites, but anything but the ones on my off limits list please,) thank you.

Thank you in advance and thank you for reading this and my other post. Just some ideas I thought I'd toss out that maybe you'd like to try for your Bachmann crossing gates and crossing signals.

Hi, name's William, or Will (not giving my last name), I'm new but you won't see me too often, I just came to ask questions and share ideas. Little more background info, I have Asperger's Syndrome, some of you are too, I'm highly into trains but more into crossings, especially gated crossings and crossings with flashing red lights, preferably American style flashing light signals. Been into railroad crossings ever since I was a baby.

Enough small-talk. In this topic, I want to talk about Bachmann crossing gates, and an idea I have for certain crossing gates that I've been thinking that Bachmann could start manufacturing.

See these crossing gates down below:


and



Pretty much the same kinds of crossing gates as each other, except one set comes with almost completely albino signals and the other with more accurately colored signals and actual grade crossing pieces.

These gates are black and white striped. I however, was thinking of seeing these same types of crossing gates, only in red and white striping. Basically red and white versions of these crossing gates.

And why not? Red and white gates are more modern in this country (and my most favorite stripe color). And if it happened with these crossing gates:





So why not the non-operating crossing gates in red and white too? I can only imagine what they look like but @ Bachmann, do you think you'll produce such products?

I mean I know some model railroaders have probably purchased the black and white gates and repainted them to match the more modern red and white gates, but I keep thinking of Bachmann creating and manufacturing these same types of crossing gates but red in lieu of black (the stripes, not the gate post or gate base, that can stay black, or maybe be silver, I mean it can be red too but that might be too much red, even for me.

It's just something I'd like to see and if I really want to, maybe I'll purchase a set, but I'd like just the gates, I'm not a huge fan of the signals, even the accurately colored signals. I prefer signals closer to the US style like the Busch 5934 crossing signals, which I have five pairs of (one doesn't work anymore and I'm planning to purchase one more set.) I'm talking about this: http://www.hobbylinc.com/busch-crossing-signal-2-signals-relay-box-ho-scale-model-railroad-trackside-accessory-5934 These look a little more realistic and I prefer these most. They're about the same size of the Bachmann signals.

But I'd like the gates without the signals, if possible and if I ever decide to purchase them over the counter or order online.

And it's not just for me, perhaps other model railroaders and whomever would like to see the non-operating gates in red and white. I think that would be quite interesting.

One thing I don't understand about these crossing gates is why there's space or gaps in between the black stripes. You can stick a needle through those. Oh well, I guess that's they way their made.

But these gates do not just have to go with the Bachmann signals, these crossing gates, as well as NJ International's gates, go great with:

-Model Power HO Crossing Signals (I saw this at a Train Show once.)
-The said Busch 5934 crossing signals
-NJ International's 1090 crossbuck signals (discontinued unfortunately)
-NJ International's 1190 Boulevard-Over The Road signals (also discontinued unfortunately)

Would you (anyone reading this) also use these crossing gates with Tomar H-862 crossing signals, NJ International 1095 crossing signals, Detail West crossing signals, or Oregon Rail Supply signals too? Well, I guess I probably would too if I had those such four signals, but again, I'm more for the Busch signals, although I do use Bachmann lighted signals, the 42421 black 2-lite signals (more on those on another topic) Sakai Seisakusho Crossing Signals, an Atlas crossing signal, and NJ International 1190 signals.

So if you never thought of using crossing gates with such signals, I encourage you to, whether black and white or red and white and whatever signal(s) you use.

This is just one subject I had in mind. I have more to talk about but as far as Bachmann supplies go but this is for crossing gates only, or for the most part. For the record, I made the word red in it's color just for a thrill.

I would have emailed this to Bachmann themselves like I did before and did get a reply but I was told to post it on the forum, or read that I should do that that's why I joined this forum and put my idea on this instead of emailing it. They won't reply to my email if I send it to them.

Please be sure to check out my other/second post http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,30693.msg226447.html#msg226447