Hi,

How many here go he whole way with signals? It's such a lot of money...

Please use the voting buttons.

Regards,
Henrik

Edited by user 27 August 2020 10:31:24(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

They add a lot of life and realism to the layout.
I also found it interesting learning about how they work as it provides a good understanding of how trains are run.

I reduced the price buy buying the Viessmann kits and assembling them myself. See:
https://cabin-layout.mixmox.com/2014/08/Viessmann-5210.html

The Viessmann signals are also better priced than the ones from Märklin.

Once signals are setup properly, one can also use them as a source of information when you are running the layout. I can tell by the signals aspects where some trains are going on the layout, or that a train is coming etc.

Here is how I go about installing them:
https://cabin-layout.mixmox.com/2016/01/Installing-signals.html

I chose "Some signals".

I run analogue, so much of the braking-modules and decoders that you guys use, does not apply anyway.
(I do use braking, but it is a homemade series of analog power-feed)

All my visible stops has a signal. Some "vor-signalen" are also installed around the layout. Especially on the main line.
The main line has some stop-sections hidden in tunnels (no signals), so I use their vor-signal (posted on a visible part on the main-line) to inform me of the blocks state.

I have skimped a bit on "gleis-spehr" signals, but there are still quite a lot, so it looks almost real.

Hi Dale. I believe this is how the high speed lines operate with no signals. Peter.

Its difficult with my layout as I run several different railway companies on my layout, I've started off with German signals and stayed with them, but they do differ from Austrian or Swiss signals and the same goes with the overhead system., having signals on my layout suits it as the length of tracks are long but at the same time they will be pre programmed with my automated train schedules

John

Thanks for all the input.

I think I feel guilty, as always, on spending money on what is essentially a toy. The price of signals however, was dwarfed by the driveway quote we got yesterday... Puts things in perspective.

So, signals it is, I can definitely see the appeal. And I love the self-assembly Viessmann signals, didn't know they did that.

But, my layout is Danish, and one of my issues is that there doesn't appear to be any quality Danish signals. The built ones look like my niece made them and the self-assembly ones are usually a bit of badly cut plastic with two lose LEDs.

The German signalling seems to lack something compared to Danish signalling, but maybe I just don't understand German signalling.

I might just go for Viessmann signals and Marklin modules.

Thanks

P.S. GOODNESS! Started looking at this again and it all came back to me. It's all very well I can get a set of main/distant signals for £20, but the Viessmann controller is £70 for one (set) of signals! It will be about £1500 for my relatively small layout. Madness!

Cool, they do look a lot better, although missing distant signals and branched signals.

Another problem would be controlling them. Danish signals have more complicated aspect combinations, don't know how you would do that.

I really need a good think about all this.

Möllehem have a Danish signal decoder too. You will need something that speaks LocoNet though. (Note that I have no relation with this company):

http://www.mollehem.se/i...ignaldecoder-dk10-detail

Thanks, I did look at those before but honestly, the desciption says highest quality, but when you look at the enlarged photo it doesn't look like a Marklin or Viessmann signal, it just looks home-made.

Also, the controller says it can map Marklin aspects to the similar Danish signal aspects, which is a good start, but I'm pretty sure Danish signals can convey more messages that a German one. They normally have multiple combinations of steady, blinking and coloured lights.

But it's a good start though, still thinking about it.

Henrik