“Hi Al.
First take the signal and pop out the red lenses.
Now carefully drill by hand with a drill bit with black electrical tape to act as a grip on the drill bit.
Carefuly drill out the hole to make a tiny bit bigger than the led diode. Careful not to touch or damage the lens cover.
Touch the signal head with black paint to make brighter and darker looking. now slip in the 3mm red flashing led,one on each side and line up the negative and positive leads to each other.
Now bend the positive post to cross the other positive post. snip off just anough positive post touching each other so it make contact to each other.
Bend the post close to the diode itself. Now do the netgative. Okay you have the positive crossing the other positive as in photo as well as the negative. Now you have both led’s installed and eack post is bent to touch positive to positive and negative to negative.
Take phone wire and slip the positive wire under the positive lead’s and solder very fast as not to melt or heat to much.
Take the negative and do the same. Keep the wires in line so they will trail down the post of the signal. now if you noticed at the bottom of the signal post there is a tiny slit. I pushed the positive wire and negative into that slit.
Where you slip the signal into the slot of the crossing, make another tiny slit and push the signal post into place and presto your done.
Now when you apply low voltage power to the wires they will start.These are 1 second flash diodes and wont work at the same time.and if they do it wont be a sec before they will work seperatly.and if they do flash in sink cut power and add power again and that will throw them off.
You can hook them to work with your rail signal’s to go off when they do. Or can let them run all the time as a static working signal. So easy to make,and works super.Im also making yellow warning flashing street lights.even made a green yellow red stop light with flashing diode.I sent in this photo to show the slit I make and how it is wired.any question’s ask me okay.
Oh after done you can paint the wires silver to hide them as the post is silver too.okay my friend be back with more fun lol
Kim”
And a big thanks to Kim.
Please keep ’em coming.
Best
Al
Hi interesting idea, But you left important info out. What are the flashing LED part number and source. I always thought the Flashing LED flashed to their own pace. Putting 2 in a grade crossing signal would give you random flashes, rather then the alternating flashing of a proper grade crossing signal.
Years ago i had a desk grade crossing signal with flashing Christmas type bulbs in it, and that was random flashing. It was not realistic operation.
The other thing you had 2 wires outside the signal. Most signals are metal and a positive wire runs up the inside the mast. while the mast becomes the negative wire.
Great tip. You don’t mention the scale or the crossing signal you used to put the flashers into.
okay the crossing signal’s are a all plastic Ho scale vintage pair from 80’s or something.bachmann.The led’s are 3mm 1 second flash. The wires are on the outside along the pole because it isn’t hollow.wont be seeing them at a distance.This should work with any non working ones.hay there cheap.these are for people who don’t have a huge pocket book or deep pockets and are trying to save money.$5 total is what it cost for everything and built beat that. thanks for the comment’s ps let me see if and when someone else builds this
oh the video was a test of it flashing.it was not finished.Al give them the other pic to show how the wires are thanks
2 3mm red 1 second flash led’s 5 volt’s each.was using a almost dead 9volt to test.I found a mouse eaten vintage pack of 2 road crossings non working.made of plastic by Bachmann.they just sat there with no life to them so I gave them life.you could use them say in the distance on your layout or even hook them in line with a resistor to your railroad signals.when they go off so will these.sometimes my work get sloppy and I don’t add more info.ebay sells real cheap one’s that are white or any non working will do.
THOSE FLASHING LIGHTS LOOK VERY GOOD.
Thanks Thomas.its cheap and real easy to make.
I have “O” gauge trains and want to add crossing signals . From what I’ve seen, the “O” gauge signals seem unrealisticly large for the trains and the “HO” size seems more appropriate. My question is whether I can use the HO size on the O track or will the voltage destroy the HO signal.
thanks
Hi All.Didnt think anyone was interested in this build or mod.2 volts will run this signal very well.If you want to run it on 00 just add a resistor so the voltage wont destroy it.If you want a step by step I have it just send a message or ask Al and he will ask me.About the power connection’s.You have to understand these are non working and all plastic.You cant use the post for a connection because its all cheap plastic. follow my instructions above and shouldn’t have a problem.Oh you see the wires in the test but after it was done they were hidden.Just contact Al and ask and I will send in a step by step with pictures.
Great idea, looks very good. Where can we get the flashing LED’s???
hi marc from TN
the crosssing light looks great kim. thanks for the tip and ideas. will keep that in my vault for later use. keep up the good work
Al
Could you post the step by step with wiring, or email me.
Thanks
Ralph
Hi Kim,
Great DYI but I also would love to have the step by step with wiring.
Thanks,
Pete
In Australia get the LEDs from Jaycar (they also do mail order at www,jaycar.com.au). If running 9v make sure you have a 220K resistor in the circuit so they don’t burn out.
Lights are another facet of model railroading that many of us hesitate to even try. But lights add an amazing amount of realism and ambiance to a layout.
Frank in Orlando
For most LED applications in model railroads, use a 1000 Ohm (1K) resistor in series with the LED. If you use a 220k Ohm resistor, it will not light.
If you run the wires down the back of the post even if it’s plastic or glue them to the post and then paint them the silver or black they’re a lot less noticeable and you can get away with it.