Over past few months I’ve been doing research and looking at a variety of N-scale signal companies to find ones that look prototypical, good quality, and reasonably priced. In the end, I settled for and purchased 4 brands for a hands on look. Those are:

Atlas
South Bend Signals
Single Track Hobbies
Custom Signal Systems

Atlas G-Type Signals

First up on our list is the relatively new signal line from Model Railroad Manufacturer Atlas.

When these signals first came out I wasn’t too fond of the style, mainly cause I liked the searchlight style more, but they eventually grew on me. So I thought I’d give them a try.

These signals are well built, are in good supply, have nice clean details, and has a nice plug-n-play style system for running them. I’m not using their system though. One thing I liked about these signals is related to how I’m wiring my signal system. Atlas uses RJ-11 jacks/connectors for connecting everything, which also just happens to be my planned method for wiring signals and turnouts. So this would make wiring a breeze. A simple RJ-11 coupler and my signal would be connected to the wire running back to the hardware.

I’m not sure what kind lighting is used in these signals, I’m assuming a custom made R/G/Y SMD considering the size of the target heads.

Wiring from the signal is pretty thin, and I’m always afraid I’m gonna break a wire from moving it too much. All the wires are connected directly to connectors, so no soldering or anything is involved. It’s all plug-n-play.

Atlas offers Single target, double target, and bi-direction target. Check your LHS, modeltrainstuff.com, and ebay for prices as it will vary between retailers.

I highly recommend these signals if you don’t mind the G-Type target style.

These signals… well… not so good. While the price is right ($18.95 for a double target), the signals are grossely overscale as you can see in the pictures. Even just looking at them and knowing they should be n-scale, you’ll know right off the bat they are huge. Design is very simple with some basic details.

SMD are used for the lightning and resistors are included. Signal looks good with no “point of origin” viewable.

STH offers Single Target, Double Target, Three Light Single Target, 3 over 2 light double target, along with single and double dwarf signals.

If you’re looking for a signal and not really concerned about the scale size or fine details, and just want something that operates on the cheap, these are for you. Otherwise, I’d suggest avoiding them.

Signal Track on the right, compared to a Pro-Tech signal.

From what I’ve read about these guys, they seemed to be like the Cadillac of signals. Hand-built highly detailed signals, and they are. These signals looks really good and very prototypical in scale.

SMD’s are used for lightning. Included with each signal is a circuit board with built-in resistors. Soldering the signal wires to this board is required and then wiring from your signal system is then soldering to the other side of the board.

I found the wiring used to be pretty thin, like the Atlas signals. they aren’t marked either so I’m not exactly sure which wire is for which target/color, other than the brown common wire.

The downside to these signals… the cost. A double target searchlight will cost you $36.50, and single target $34.50, making these the most expensive ones out there. Stop Light, Triple Targets and Dwarf signals are also available.

Last up we have Custom Signal Systems. Currently they only sell HO Scale signals on their site, but I’ve been working with Richard (the owner) as a guinea pig for developing an N-Scale signal after I inquired about it a few months ago. I was lucky enough to finally test that first made signal a few weekends ago.

The signal is top notch quality, with excellent details and prototypical scaled items. Of the 4 signals I bought, in my opinion I think this one has the cleanest workmanship. For example, the back of the targets are nice and clean with no real obvious wires running into the mast.

The signal came with a good gauge wire that didn’t make me feel like I was working with strands of hair. The wire length was also about 2′ in length, something that I loved as it makes doing wire connections so much easier. Give you a little breathing room. The double target I tested was a R/G over a R/Y, and the green and yellow wires were indicated with a piece of matching colored electrical tape. The signal target signal came with 1 red and 1 green colored wire.  The common positive wire in both was blue and hard to miss. It might be a little thing, but I appreciate this. A resistor can come pre-soldered as well.

Signal lighting is provided by SMDs, and they looked good from my initial test.

CSS is planning on offering single($25), double($30), triple targets($50), and dwarfs ($15). You also do custom requests, such as having signal targets installed on signal bridges (and even get the bridge built for you). He also offers complete custom made signal logic systems, Block Detection, and other services.

Richard has been great to work with (even just over email) on this project and I plan on purchasing all my searchlight targets from him.

If you’re looking to do install Searchlight Signals on your layout, I highly recommend dropping Richard an email.

Been a while since any updates so here’s the latest:

Finally, my order for plastic cement arrived this past Saturday so I was able to finish up some buildings.  These two will be added to the GERN complex. They’ll be painted the same color as the Craft building (the tan color).

I also got the crossing foundation and track installed and the foundation for the road on the lower level:

And then lastly, signals. I’ve been working with Richard at Custom Signal Systems on developing an N-Scale signal.  He’s done a great job building to-scale searchlight signals for a relatively good cost.  All of my signals will be done by Richard, including two double cantilever bridges for the lower level. Here’s some pics of the prototypes he sent me.

Just wanted to share the layout schematic I’m using to keep track of all of the Turnout DCC address, Block address, and Signal addresses.

After a year of being in the new house, I finally got around to putting my N-Scale Showcase Express shelves back up. Yay.

I’m still alive, just not a lot of postable progress lately.  I’ve been working on a few structures to add to GERN Industries. I’m hoping to have the buildings constructed and painted by Sunday.  I’ll post some pictures when done.

That’s about it for now.

Edit:  6/30/08 - I ran out of Plastic cement last Thursday, so I never got to finish my structures. :-(  Hoping it’ll arrive today or tomorrow in the mail though.

These last few weeks I’ve been giving my Helix a good stare down. There’s just something about that erks me. It’s the 2nd attempt at the helix, and while it “works”, it could be better.

The track in the helix is all sectional track, which I found is horrible on rolling stock wheels. For some reason, all of my rolling stock and engines roll fine on Code 55 Flex track, but rattle along on the railheads on sectional track.

There’s also no roadbed, so trains rolling up are usually pretty load given these two issues.

It’s still a little “wavy” in it’s grade at places too. Of course I haven’t adjusted anything really yet, but honestly the thought of having to unscrew/screw a gazillion bolts has put me off to ever doing it. Some of the thread rods also ended up shifting themselves, blah blah blah blah…

So anyway, I’m thinking about again going with a designed helix from Ashlin Designs, but this time taking my damdest sloweset time building it as to not screw it up again. The helix’s are good quality, maintain a nice smooth grade (when properly built, of course), and they also look very clean look to them (while viewable during contruction).

Another reason I’m thinking of re-doing the helix is to make it double track. I think having the ability to send one train up or down while there’s a train already in the helix would be handy instead of waiting 5 minutes or so to get trains moving along. This could also be used to have several trains staged “off world” for a short time for their trip to the next level. Just seems it could add another dimension to operations.

So… We’ll see how this all goes in the next few weeks.

Got the fascia and the lower staging level all painted up.  It’s a nice black color, kind of a dull-ish black so it doesn’t stand out so much as your typical flat black does.  I’m pleased with how it all turned out. Also got other humpyard controller I had installed.

It’s a needs a little work still. Have to redo Track #1. You can see that it kinda kicks in a little at the very back. I apparently kicked it in a little too much and trains will overhang on track 2.

The walls will be painted on the outside and inside, track ballasted, and some caboose industry ground throws installed. Because of the way it’s constructed there’s no room for tortoise control.

Not a whole lot of changes since the last update. I finished the mainline on the lower level and began fiddling with the staging bridge. It works pretty well.

This weekend I’m gonna get some hobby pine board to glue to the side for protection againt stuff falling off. I also added a switch to turn power on/off to the staging tracks.

After UP 9997 stops on mainline, Athearn 4-8-8-4 pulling 8 Kato Smoothside passenger cars proceeds through on the siding.