Showcase Miniatures: Three-Color Vertical Signals

[C855B]

Last week's announcement from Showcase Miniatures: https://mailchi.mp/16ca2136063b/9g0cwof5i5

They had hinted this was coming in a previous newsletter. By the illustration they are apparently preparing a modern (Safetrans) three-color vertical signal in HO and then N. Shown is the type of signal that is being used nearly everywhere as the NTSB mandates upgrades. Also shown is a tri-color - also known as a "Type G".

For us signal aficionados, they plan to catalog signal components as separate parts for "build your own" when following a specific 1:1 practice. Walt and Debbie have already been doing mix-and-match for a while, you just had to ask, but it's soon to be official.

I, for one, am curious about how they plan to solve the LED problem in N. Near-scale searchlight signals are now relatively easy to build given developments in single-chip three-color LEDs. Verticals and tri-color, not so much, given what it takes to wire three separate 0603- or 0402-sized LEDs into a scale signal head.

[GhengisKong]

Type G is good news for Rock Island and SP modelers and whoever else used them.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Type G is good news for Rock Island and SP modelers and whoever else used them.

They were all over Conrail too.

[C855B]

They were all over Conrail too.

New York Central practice.

From Showcase's artwork these are modern tri-colors. In the (PTC) rush to upgrade systems, so far I'm noticing them primarily used on commuter lines. Several RRs that used them on their "old" systems have upgraded to verticals.

Type G is good news for Rock Island and SP modelers and whoever else used them.

RI, yes. But where did SP use them?

[GaryHinshaw]

I, for one, am curious about how they plan to solve the LED problem in N. Near-scale searchlight signals are now relatively easy to build given developments in single-chip three-color LEDs. Verticals and tri-color, not so much, given what it takes to wire three separate 0603- or 0402-sized LEDs into a scale signal head.

I saw this announcement too, and had the same reaction.   I can imagine ganging the common lead for the 3 colours together, then the mast wiring is the same.  Not sure if they're planning anything like that though.  It would be neat to be able to swap my searchlights for these on occasion.  In principle, all the control electronics would be the same.

[amato1969]

If you really want to "nerd out" about tri-light signals:

https://position-light.blogspot.com/2017/05/to-g-or-not-to-g.html?_sm_au_=iVVTsRM3wN750sDFL321jK0f1JH33

  Frank

[peteski]

They might just use PC board to mount the LEDs, with a single common wire. Or just run single common wire to all the LED anodes.

[C855B]

What they could do and what they actually do are... well, I guess we'll find out soon enough. I've been down that road too many times to conjecture their solution. I do hope it's reasonably priced; their current searchlight assembly from Richmond Controls @ $10/ea is not. Beyond hope is whether it will be in a configuration able to incorporate into non-Safetran-"big box" case styles.

And then there's the history of this style of signal in N scale. BLMA had a great vertical... in HO. Craig couldn't make it happen in N, too difficult to manufacture.

I have a couple of board-based designs that would work, but don't have the skills nor industry contacts to make it happen. Best solution I have seen to date was Bob Knight's (TrainCat II), but that was years ago and everyone here knows the rest of that story. 

[prr7161]

Type G heads from Showcase are great news!  I was already looking at using some of their mast and case components for P&LE Gs, it will be great to have the whole assembly.

[pdx1955]

New York Central practice.

From Showcase's artwork these are modern tri-colors. In the (PTC) rush to upgrade systems, so far I'm noticing them primarily used on commuter lines. Several RRs that used them on their "old" systems have upgraded to verticals.

RI, yes. But where did SP use them?

There were a few installations of these on the Siskiyou  line south of Eugene in scattered locations where they were used to replace the lower quadrant semaphores. I suspect that SP's use there probably  mirrored their use elsewhere on the system.

[C855B]

There were a few installations of these on the Siskiyou  line south of Eugene in scattered locations where they were used to replace the lower quadrant semaphores. I suspect that SP's use there probably  mirrored their use elsewhere on the system.

That had to be a unique situation because of the semaphores (which were still operating when I was up there in 1980). The other late stretch of semaphores on the SP was the east end of the Phoenix cutoff, and I believe they were removed outright. I could easily be corrected on this because that was a long time ago.

SP was all H-2 searchlights all the time when I was working for 'em in California in the '70s, plus I don't recall encountering tri-colors in my non-company-related railfan travels south and east until reaching Tucumcari and the Rock. Not that I'm saying there weren't any, I'm just saying I didn't see any. T&NO, however... 

[pdx1955]

That had to be a unique situation because of the semaphores (which were still operating when I was up there in 1980). The other late stretch of semaphores on the SP was the east end of the Phoenix cutoff, and I believe they were removed outright. I could easily be corrected on this because that was a long time ago.

SP was all H-2 searchlights all the time when I was working for 'em in California in the '70s, plus I don't recall encountering tri-colors in my non-company-related railfan travels south and east until reaching Tucumcari and the Rock. Not that I'm saying there weren't any, I'm just saying I didn't see any. T&NO, however... 

I would say for my examples they were here and there. There's  a couple visible from I-5 north of the OR 138 exit to Drain and there's one in Drain. I think I've seen others around Medford. I think these date from the mid 80's to the early 90's. There also is a standard vertical three indication signal just south of Sutherlin visible from I-5 (now that one is unique  as I haven't seen any other examples). As the semaphores  started failing they were replacing them with whatever they had.

[Philip H]

I know KCS has switched all their mainline signals around Baton Rouge to hooded type-Ds (aka Darth Vaders) but I have no idea who made them.  Keeping up with diesel spotting variations is tough enough - doing signal variations on the go is just not something I'm invested in.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I know KCS has switched all their mainline signals around Baton Rouge to hooded type-Ds (aka Darth Vaders) but I have no idea who made them.  Keeping up with diesel spotting variations is tough enough - doing signal variations on the go is just not something I'm invested in.

Wuss. 

[daniel_leavitt2000]

We have people here making custom boards for ESU decoders to fit in Kato units, would making a PCB for the LEDs be too difficult?