Hello All,

After a number of years, I have decided to rebuild: a new layout! These are always exciting times, for sure. As I am now aging (and more rapidly than I like), I decided to make this a serious endeavor with as many new components as possible.... including catenary (wow - that is fun) and Marklin's new signals. I am having some frustration and confusion with the signals, specifically the new 76494 Home/Exit signal (4 aspect). I am hoping to get some troubleshooting suggestions from you all and then move forward. So.... here it goes.

I have wired the signal into the track in stages. First, just the brown and red wires to the c-track to see if the signal responds to its address and changes its aspects accordingly. That all works nicely. The signal is lovely, by the way. For more information, this is a digital installation, and I am using the older 60212 Central Station.

The signal then allows for signal block control. There is a red wire to attach to the track within the isolated (insulated) section of the signal block, and another red wire to go beyond that section of track. Presumably (and please correct me if I am wrong), this allows the signal to cut power to the signal block.... or to send a stop command, to the locomotive. It should stop when the aspect is red. Indeed, when the signal aspect is changed to stop, there is a click, as a relay being activated in the circuitry. Now the interesting part: No matter what the aspect, when the train hits that signal block of isolated track, the locomotive stops. Period. No matter what, it will not go in that track section. I am baffled.

Any ideas anyone?

Thank you!

~john

Hello Jos,

Good questions... so let me explain the layout. I have this wired as a test for now... on a branch off the main loop of the layout, so this is a dead-end spur terminating in a bumper. There is a switch from the main loop, active track, an insulated section of some 25cm, then track leading after that to the bumper. That section is also dead, past the insulated section, so the locomotive does not run there either. Both the insulated section (the signal block) and the track beyond that, have individual red wires from the signal circuit board to the track's conductor.

Thank you for clarifying about the power being cut. That makes sense when dealing with relays. ;-)

~john

Hi John,

Good to hear you were able to solve this problem.

Excellent! Thank you. Now is the time for making the plans and changes. At this point the layour has track and wiring.... no scenery as yet. Signals are going in as well as catenary. It's a total blast! Yes - rock and roll <music in general> go very well with trains, planes and ships. Funny thing that! I'll let you know when I need the brake delay help. I suspect it will be before this year is over. I want to get in the basic signals and their blocks installed first....allowing good distance for a realistic braking. I think I am going to need some rewiring of the basic AC power to the tracks at various points, especially in the yards and depot areas.



~john

Hi John,

The 76496 has 4 aspects and thus needs 2 addresses to function. So it should work if you set it to #32.
Then it wil use adresses 32 and 33, followed by the signal at the station exit (34).

Hello John,

Yes, as far as I have read the instruction booklet and some posts on forums the distant signal should respond to the #34 signal now.

On page 12 of the instruction booklet CV46 is shown which sets the distant signal to a home signal type.
So try setting this CV46 so that it's value matches the signal #34 type.

Hello John,

Good to hear the problem has been solved.
Enjoy and up to the next challenge