Wilson Street T-Trak module

[John]

I would put stop signs at the alley and the road at the top .. the straight through would be a a good place to put some crossing lights  -- either way would work

also put white lines on either side of the track in the road

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[keeper]

Thanks for the input about the road markings.
This is what I have done so far. Getting crossing signals is a bit of a problem right now. Nothing is available.



Another detail...

[John]

Very nice.    This is very good work

[dem34]

The usual conundrum. There are a few etsy sellers with accurate 3D printed ones, but those may have durability issues on a Module. A couple Chinese outfits have some generic ones, though they have funky proportions. unfortunately the NJI ones are rarity, and I buy them on sight. Its not rocket science to scratch them out of brass tube and sheet stock. Its just incredibly tedious. I experimented with using Leather punches to make the targets then to punch a center hole. Then rolled 3 mil strips around the brass tube for the pole to make the hood. Not super complicated but a single crossing requires making 8-16 of the targets depending on the chosen prototype.

[John]

The usual conundrum. There are a few etsy sellers with accurate 3D printed ones, but those may have durability issues on a Module. A couple Chinese outfits have some generic ones, though they have funky proportions. unfortunately the NJI ones are rarity, and I buy them on sight. Its not rocket science to scratch them out of brass tube and sheet stock. Its just incredibly tedious. I experimented with using Leather punches to make the targets then to punch a center hole. Then rolled 3 mil strips around the brass tube for the pole to make the hood. Not super complicated but a single crossing requires making 8-16 of the targets depending on the chosen prototype.

I would go with 3D printed ..  the weak spot would be the printed cross arm, but could be substituted with a flex styrene.

To be accurate, red flashing lights should be mounted on the gate as well - these could be wired with thin magnet wire.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5192354




Summary

Need to up the safety standards at your rail crossings?  These signs will get the job done.

To create the signs, you will also need:

Additional Materials:

1.2mm Brass Tube

0603 or 0402 LEDs with 38 gauge or smaller wire leads.

CA Glue

White Glue (for attaching paper crossbucks)

Tools:

Sanding Sticks and Files (For cleanup of Parts)

Various Size Drill Bits in Pin Vise (For cleanup of holes)

Cutting Disc in a Rotary Tool (For cutting Brass Rod)

Tweezers

Hobby Knife

The 0603 LEDs which I used in my model in the photos barely fit in the light backs, they snapped in with the tweezers sandwiching them in.  You can make these any height and with or without the gate and with lights on both sides of a single post.

[Lemosteam]

@Mark W made some fantastic ones on his FreeMo module.  I thought there was a discussion about them with some "how to" as well, but this was a while ago and I can't find the thread:

[keeper]

Very nice.    This is very good work

Thank you.

I will definately think about the 3D printed signals. Thanks for the link.


 

@Mark W made some fantastic ones on his FreeMo module.  I thought there was a discussion about them with some "how to" as well, but this was a while ago and I can't find the thread:

Those look nice as well.

[John]

@Mark W made some fantastic ones on his FreeMo module.  I thought there was a discussion about them with some "how to" as well, but this was a while ago and I can't find the thread:

He discussed them in the thread about the grain elevator .. and some arduino hacks to go along with the signals .. sensors .. etc

[Lemosteam]

I think the gate discussion starts about here.

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=33958.msg405726#msg405726

[keeper]

When you follow East Wilson St. to the end and turn left on S Dickinson St., you will come to two crossings.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/43%C2%B005'13.5%22N+89%C2%B021'45.0%22W/@43.08708,-89.3650654,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m4!3m3!8m2!3d43.08708!4d-89.3624905?entry=ttu

The first has a crossing signal without an arm, the second one with an arm.
Are there rules what is used when?

[Lemosteam]

Might have to do with how often the trackage is used, i.e. the probability of a car/train accident.  The one without the gates is more of an interchange route, where the one with the gates leads to a good sized yard, indicating more train traffic?  Just a supposition on my part.

[keeper]

As a follow up on this topic about the street lights - https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=56819.msg786622#msg786622 - I have two sets of street lights and there will be at least 3 ready built structures incl. lights.
I'm not sure if I want to buy the WS lighthubs. So the question is, does someone of you use the WS lights without the hubs and if so, what is the voltage then? WS is only talking about mAmps.

[samusi01]

Those fence sections - well done. Look great.

As for road markings - not knowing your era (apologies, I am too lazy to go through the thread) I would recommend either google earth for modern or look around for the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices or MUTCD. For my era (1969) the appropriate MUTCD is the 1961 edition. Note that the manual reflects what should be, not what is. There are also sources of aerial photos floating around if you need to step back in time but they don't always work well for road markings...

[keeper]

Those fence sections - well done. Look great.

As for road markings - not knowing your era (apologies, I am too lazy to go through the thread) I would recommend either google earth for modern or look around for the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices or MUTCD. For my era (1969) the appropriate MUTCD is the 1961 edition. Note that the manual reflects what should be, not what is. There are also sources of aerial photos floating around if you need to step back in time but they don't always work well for road markings...

Thank you. The fence is made by Busch. I really like it.

As for the era, I can't say. Surely not modern. I still don't know when the tracks were pulled up in Wilson Street. The markings you can see on Google maps today might be quite different from the past.
I found a crossing in Hudson, NY which might be similar, so those markings are my template.