12v Signals on 9v Track

[Andy Glascott]

I don't know if anyone else has done this, I did do a (quick) search on this forum and couldn't find any posts, but I've hooked up 2 12v signals to my 9v tracks to get fully operational remotely controlled, albeit old fashioned wire style, signals controlling the 9v track in the station.

Here's the pic, with an explanation below.

DSC00221 by andyglascott, on Flickr

I used the 9v wire/contact piece on the same side of the track with a small piece of paper wedged in the join between two 9v track pieces to break the circuit. The two contact pieces are visible, one in the white wall and one under the platform just in front of my Irish Rail loco.

There is a second piece of paper similarly wedged further down the track to create the block of isolated track. To switch between 9v and 12v connections I used 1 of these electric wires, took one of the 2 x 2 connectors off and replaced it with 12v plugs. That connects to a 12v signal switch, connected to a regular 12v transformer.

There's video on

of it all working, complete with the familiar clicks of the 12v switch in the background.

[Rail Co]

I have thought about doing this for sometime but since the 12v signals are so expensive I abandoned the idea. I plan on making signals when I have space for a good sized layout that use non-lego electronics.

Great set up!

Keep us updated on the layout

-RailCo

[Andy Glascott]

I had the signals in stock as spares, just needed to get the 9v bits to do this.