NJ international PRR signal targets

[unittrain]

In stock at MBK NJ position light signal targets, does anyone know about these? Are they accurate size ect?

[jmlaboda]

I've asked about them in the past and folks said that they are oversized.  Bummer...

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Oversized, from what I remember (although better than before), and expensive AF.

These MFers, for example:
http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/product-p/nji-2047.htm

$55 per signal mast.

I think I calculated that even my modest layout would need something like 20 of em.

I need a cheaper hobby, like racing Porsches...

[MichaelWinicki]

They're big.

I have some non-operational PRR signals on my layout that are much more to scale...



I've looked at signals every which way...

-If they're actual size they're very difficult to see
-If they're big like NJ's- Well they're big
-Even if you have NJ's they still need to be oriented so someone can see the face of the signal clearly in order to actually have them be useful... I placed 10 signals on my line just to see how they look and a "crew" could only see one of them based on their current orientation which I consider to be realistic– In the above image no crewman is going to be able to see the face of that signal... It's pointed towards the back wall
-If you combine working signals with a fascia display (I think it was Eric that was working on something like this), then you're left with the engineer having to take his/her eye off their train, step back into the aisle-way to read the signal orientation on the fascia– I don't see that as being a good alternative

Mark Dance has some mechanical signals on his pike... Everyone can see those! 

[eric220]

Oversized, from what I remember (although better than before), and expensive AF.

These MFers, for example:
http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/product-p/nji-2047.htm

$55 per signal mast.

I think I calculated that even my modest layout would need something like 20 of em.

I need a cheaper hobby, like racing Porsches...

Even worse, if you're building a signal bridge, there's a $5 surcharge over the masts, just for two signal arms! A two-track, bi-directional bridge could cost $240 before you buy the bridge itself! (Assuming, of course, that they're all two-arm signals.) Also, they've got those wonderful current limiting resistors on them. How are you supposed to shove one of those through scale conduit?

[peteski]

Also, they've got those wonderful current limiting resistors on them. How are you supposed to shove one of those through scale conduit?

I imagine you would desolder those and only stuff the magnet wires through the conduit.    I also suspect that (depending on how the signals are wired in the head) the number of resistors can be reduced to 1 per head.  The resistor can be placed on a junction block under the layout (where you woudl also have the magnet wires connecting to regular layout wiring.

But the NJ signals do look quite bulky (and are very expensive too).

[eric220]

I would also imagine that you desolder the resistors and then resolder them after stuffing the magnet wire through the conduit. But that just begs the question, why attach them in the first place? It just adds one more step over simply including them in the package.

[peteski]

I would also imagine that you desolder the resistors and then resolder them after stuffing the magnet wire through the conduit. But that just begs the question, why attach them in the first place? It just adds one more step over simply including them in the package.

Probably because it makes them "ready to use" or "no assembly required". Or maybe they think that people would not be thrilled to buy a $50 signal and have to solder the resistors.  But I agree that is is illogical.

[unittrain]

I think I'll pass on these way too expensive for the quality level. I ordered a bunch of leds and will make my own as per the ones that were designed in a thread on here. I got Traincat masts so kust need to make the working targets.

[jmlaboda]

At one time there was work going on to bring them out with etched metal backs but can't remember who was working on it... seems like there was even going to be a set of LEDs that were pre-wired so that they could simply be applied to the back of the signal.  I just don't remember now who it was suppose to be.

Really wish someone would bring these out like what previously was suppose to be in the works... scale signals or even close to scale would really be welcome overall!!!

[eric220]

That would be Bob Knight @TrainCat2 . It was to be injection molded faces and hoods with a novel circuit board design that had the LEDs in upside down, so they were inside the card. One of his last communications before he went silent was a picture of the prototype circuit boards.

[reinhardtjh]

Just announced in the MBK newsletter is a 20% sale on NJ International stuff which includes some of the N scale PRR position lights.

http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/NJ-International-Newsletter-s/3579.htm?Click=208008

[eric220]

So I sprung for a pair of dual arm signals.  I compared them to some of the old discontinued Alkem signals that I built several years ago.  (My apologies, the Alkems sit on the oldest section of the layout, which has actually been disconnected from the majority of the layout for several years.  They’re in need of some repair.)  For what I’m used to from NJI, I was actually pleasantly surprised.







They’re obviously thicker than the etched brass Alkems, and the heads are a bit bigger, but actually they’re not horrible.  Assembly and painting is a little rough, but that’s par for the course for NJI, and I’ll admit, I’m not sure I could do much better (as evidenced in these photos).  Major plusses, they’re available (setting them apart from any other N Scale PLs), and no assembly required!  Still, not exactly fine scale models.

[peteski]

You might be looking at these through SPF-colored glasses. 
The NJI signal looks very crude compared to the other one.  Not just the diameter of the mast but the clunky and thick ladder. Looks like a crude child's toy compared to Alkem.  The heads themselves aren't too bad though.

[eric220]

Oh, I'm not trying to excuse NJI's chunky model. Like I said, it ain't fine scale by any means, but it's still nowhere near as bad as I was expecting. Given that it's kind of the only thing in N Scale PL's that's commercially available, it might just be passable. It's definitely not bad enough for me to abort my plans to install them at the test site in Walnut Hill. We'll see how they look all lit up and not right next to a fine scale kit.

As much as anything, I want to see how the heads perform. I'm planning on signal bridges for most of my layout, so the chunky masts won't be a problem.