 Joined: 11/08/2015(UTC) Posts: 9 Location: New Hampshire, Exeter
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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
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 Joined: 16/04/2006(UTC) Posts: 117 Location: Netherlands
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Originally Posted by: jblackwell  Hello All,
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 Hi John, After reading your post and as I do not know your layout: Have you tried to put the train past the insulated block, as there is where you apparently tap the power which is going, via the signal, to the insulated section. Does it run normally past the insulated block? BTW the signal just cuts the power, no stop command is sent. |
Regards,
Jos |
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Joined: 11/08/2015(UTC) Posts: 9 Location: New Hampshire, Exeter
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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
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Joined: 11/08/2015(UTC) Posts: 9 Location: New Hampshire, Exeter
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All,
So - problem solved! Jos' question about the train running on the other side of the signal block made me ask the question: is there a need for there to be power on both sides of the block? The answer is yes. Apparently the signal circuitry uses the two red lines to power into the signal block from a powered area of the track (not within the signal block). The on board relay turns this on or off depending on the signal's aspect. Well, that would have been good to know prior to installation ;-) I am back into installing signals now, having figured that out. Thanks Jos for the push in the right direction.
~john
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Joined: 16/04/2006(UTC) Posts: 117 Location: Netherlands
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Hi John, Good to hear you were able to solve this problem.  |
Regards,
Jos |
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 Joined: 03/10/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,295 Location: Cape Town, South Africa
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Hi John, Oh ho .. Signal systems .. my favourites ! When you feel up to the challenge, I shall introduce you to "Braking Delays" for your signals for realistic deceleration into the station platforms. By the way, I play the Lead Guitar in a Rock n Roll band, and it seems music and trains are good company. Have also been 40 years with Marklin. Regards, John
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Joined: 11/08/2015(UTC) Posts: 9 Location: New Hampshire, Exeter
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Originally Posted by: Johnvr Hi John, Oh ho .. Signal systems .. my favourites ! When you feel up to the challenge, I shall introduce you to "Braking Delays" for your signals for realistic deceleration into the station platforms. By the way, I play the Lead Guitar in a Rock n Roll band, and it seems music and trains are good company. Have also been 40 years with Marklin. Regards, John 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
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 1 user liked this useful post by jblackwell
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Joined: 11/08/2015(UTC) Posts: 9 Location: New Hampshire, Exeter
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All,
The plot thickens, as they say. I wish this was a suspense novel! Here is the current status:
- With just the Home signal installed at the station exit (ID #34), the signal works with all aspects as told. That is good!
- I installed a 76496 Home signal with Distance signal ahead of the one noted above. This new signal has ID #33: this is important to have the ID be sequentially before the next signal in the track so that the distance signal automatically reads the correct future aspect (I suspect that the next home signal 34 and the new distance signal would have same address, 34, yes?). Now.... this does not work. In fact, the new signal (33) home portion changes when #34 is changed. Odd! The distance signal portion of this does not even turn on at all.
Any ideas?
Thanks!
~john
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Joined: 16/04/2006(UTC) Posts: 117 Location: Netherlands
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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). |
Regards,
Jos |
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Joined: 11/08/2015(UTC) Posts: 9 Location: New Hampshire, Exeter
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Originally Posted by: graafjp 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 Jos, Thank you for your reply. I am still having difficulties though. I set the address for the 76496 to #32 as suggested. The home signal portion now works as expected. The distant signal portion does not light at all, even though there is a #34 operating on the circuit. I have tried changing the circuit board on the 76496 and also changing the signal mast, just in case there might be a broken connection, but that did not solve the issue. Am I correct in the assumption that the 76496 distant signal should respond automatically to the #34 signal down the track? ~john
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Joined: 16/04/2006(UTC) Posts: 117 Location: Netherlands
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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.
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Regards,
Jos |
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Joined: 11/08/2015(UTC) Posts: 9 Location: New Hampshire, Exeter
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Originally Posted by: graafjp 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, and thank you again. You have been a big support for me. Setting the addresses to 32, (33), 34 worked. I had to go through some programming gyrations with the 60212 module and actually reset the power to the signal on the programming track before it would respond properly, but NOW it works! Lovely. Thank you!! ~john
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Joined: 16/04/2006(UTC) Posts: 117 Location: Netherlands
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Hello John, Good to hear the problem has been solved. Enjoy and up to the next challenge |
Regards,
Jos |
1 user liked this useful post by graafjp
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