Love this! I enjoy adjusting and tinkering. Great idea to develop a product with "Fine tuning" and adjustable settings to accommodate the several different operating modes . This is nice as it does vary by Geographic Location as well as by Time Era. One size fits all usually doesn't fit anybody. LOL . Nicely Done Sir.
Yes. That is what is happening in the video. You can set the arm to Immediate, 5 second or 10 second delay. That delay is for the moment of the arm AFTER the lights and bell start. Each gate can be set individually.
Three (and a half!) questions: 1: Can your sensors handle a three track main? Approximately 6 inches from outside edges of the inner and outer ties. is there a maximum distance? 2: How do you handle a slow AND short train (engine + caboose?) that can fit BETWEEN the two sensors? 3: How do you handle a stopped train BETWEEN the two sensors? Please add some info to your site or a longer track section (3+ feet?) in a video that might address these questions. Additionally, you state the sensors are NOT infrared, can you identify the method you use or, at least, the fact they are not IR. Thanks for a great looking product!👍 👏 😁
Thanks for your comments and questions. What Scale? 1. The sensor range is 150mm. (~5.5") from the sensor to the first rail of the third track. 2. You can daisy chain more sensors to achieve complete coverage and you can mix and match sensor types (like under the rails with the electrical box) 3. Same as #2 We state in the videos and in in numerous places on the product pages that we do not use reflective IR sensors. Those are the kind that measure how much light bounces off an object. They are terrible with any kind of ambient light changes and sometimes different colored cars. Our sensors measure distance and do not have problems with total darkness or frequently adjusting lights. We use a similar version for our outside G Scale. The actual sensor specs are proprietary.
@@ModelTrainTechnology Thanks for the quick response! 👍Sounds like you may be using a lower-powered version of methods some mobile devises. I did find a page that discusses distance requirements. Sounds like two extra sensors on the opposite side of the three tracks might be worth purchasing. Or, we could just always use longer trains! 😁
I model 1941. In those days, the gates were usually manually actuated to lower and then raise and were not attached to a signal mast. I hope that some time in the future you will make those kinds of gates. (See the classic Lionel automatic crossing gates for an idea of their appearance.)
Thanks! And but the way, folks have asked if you can turn off the bell once the gates are down. Yes, you can! The Sound/Bell Modules have an option to REPEAT or PLAY ONCE the sound track. Set it to PLAY ONCE and the bell sound would shut off after it plays until the next cycle. The duration (and sound) of the bell can be changed by loading a shorter sound clip - to anything you like in fact.
What is the height of the HO crossing tower (without the gate arm)? I couldn’t find dimensions on your product page. I ask because I bought HO crossing gates from another vendor and they are clearly not to scale and look awful. These look great if they are the proper height. Thanks
aprox 55mm; slightly larger than scale. Our goal was to balance the proportions with the aluminum tube and what we can reliably produce in high quality.
Very nice products guys but do you cater to old timey era crossing signals. Specifically the wig wag ones with some led lighting? Let me know as several people are interested. Thnx RT
Very interesting. I have plans for two active grade crossings on my HO scale layout, but was wondering if the crossing arms would fit at a crossing on a curved section of track.
Really great looking demo. Can they be better syncronised so that all booms move at the same time? I am not sure anout US railway, but here in Australia the booms are always 100% synchronised and move at the same time on the crossing.
Yes, they can be synchronized - just make them all the same delay (immediate, 5 second or 10 second). Also, fine tuning adjustments of the the motor wheel and wire actuator would make them move at the same speed.
Jim: I have 1.5" of foam on a 0.25" plywood in one area for a crossing. Is the actuator arm, which links to the motor, for the gate long enough for this thickness?
Hello Sir, I love your videos Do you think that in the near future Model Train Technology will come out with a full line of O-Gauge Accessories like the Railroad Crossing Gates, Signal Blocks and other items for O-Gauge? Hope to see more of your products in the future. Thank you for your time Sincerely Allan
It is not a reflective IR nor is it a photocell. It uses a special light to measure distance and thus is not impacted by ambient light like traditional IR and Photocells based systems. In other words. You can shine a light at it or turn the lights in your room completely off and it will still work perfectly.
There are plenty of 4 gate crossings. see the video link in a related comment. All pricing is in the store since there are many options. ua-cam.com/video/rgNBzC3OgZY/v-deo.html
Just a note... crossings don' t have 4 gates... they need an out if a car is on the tracks when the signals sound... the lights go on first then the gates go down.. the lights in advance of the gates keeps cars from entering before the gates come down.. theoretically.. however you know some insane drivers try to fly thru.. if there were 4 gates the car would be stuck inbetween the gates?? However I love the technology and innovation!!
The four gates setup IS very much a thing. We have them in Florida for the high speed rail but I've seen them elsewhere. If you watch closely at the demo and listen to my explanation, the "entry gates close first, then after a wait period the exit gates close. Thus, a car that is in the crossing may have a gate close behind them as the cross but they will have enough time to exit. THUS, we built and option for delays into the controller so folks can implement this approach - or not. Thanks for the feedback!
There's plenty of videos of 4-gate crossings operating around the US. Here's just one compilation. Some do unfortunately operate as you say with all 4 gates closing at the same time, but others have the approach gates close first, then after a delay, the departure gates close. By the way, I've never been to America. ;-) ua-cam.com/video/rgNBzC3OgZY/v-deo.html
Great that you demonstrate the product but also teach how to properly assemble and install it! 👍🏼
Thanks!
There is a detail N Scale installation video and under playlists the HOW-TO list includes the detailed HO Installation.
I can see your pride in your product. And it’s well deserved. That would be an awesome addition to most layouts.
Many thanks for your comments!
wow, someone made this very simple and easy! Thank you! Will be ordering some for sure!
Thanks! We are working very hard to keep up with demand!
Realist blinking lights and realistic movement of crossing gates
Thanks for the feedback!
I love the touch of whimsy. Train sounds added to the crossing bell -- nice touch! Sounds like something I would do. I'm also a Jim, the J in JP.
Thank you very much!
Love this! I enjoy adjusting and tinkering. Great idea to develop a product with "Fine tuning" and adjustable settings to accommodate the several different operating modes . This is nice as it does vary by Geographic Location as well as by Time Era. One size fits all usually doesn't fit anybody. LOL . Nicely Done Sir.
Glad you enjoyed it!
A hole saw bit works well for foam if used slowly. Let the weight of the drill do the work.
That is really slick. Waiting for a n scale version
N Scale is available simultaneously.
Absolutely fantastic! Good question below that I think wasn't answered: Can you start the lights and the bell before the cross arms begin descending?
Yes. That is what is happening in the video. You can set the arm to Immediate, 5 second or 10 second delay. That delay is for the moment of the arm AFTER the lights and bell start. Each gate can be set individually.
VERY interesting! Question: can one run this with just two signals? In my area many crossings don't have an "exit" gate.
Each Gate is standalone so you can have 1,2,3 or 4 working together - or just a single gate.
great product ! what are the gates made out of ? can you extend them to make them longer ?
Thanks!
The gate arm is made of styrene. Yes, we can provide a longer arm - let us know how log (within reason!)
@@ModelTrainTechnology roger that ill be ordering tuesday thanks
Is there any way to add flashing lights to the gate arm?
Even in HO it's really too small and limited structurally to add lights. We tried but it was not consistent enough for a commercial product.
That is cool and looks real easy to do.
Thank you!
Three (and a half!) questions:
1: Can your sensors handle a three track main? Approximately 6 inches from outside edges of the inner and outer ties.
is there a maximum distance?
2: How do you handle a slow AND short train (engine + caboose?) that can fit BETWEEN the two sensors?
3: How do you handle a stopped train BETWEEN the two sensors?
Please add some info to your site or a longer track section (3+ feet?) in a video that might address these questions. Additionally, you state the sensors are NOT infrared, can you identify the method you use or, at least, the fact they are not IR.
Thanks for a great looking product!👍 👏 😁
Thanks for your comments and questions. What Scale?
1. The sensor range is 150mm. (~5.5") from the sensor to the first rail of the third track.
2. You can daisy chain more sensors to achieve complete coverage and you can mix and match sensor types (like under the rails with the electrical box)
3. Same as #2
We state in the videos and in in numerous places on the product pages that we do not use reflective IR sensors. Those are the kind that measure how much light bounces off an object. They are terrible with any kind of ambient light changes and sometimes different colored cars. Our sensors measure distance and do not have problems with total darkness or frequently adjusting lights. We use a similar version for our outside G Scale. The actual sensor specs are proprietary.
@@ModelTrainTechnology Thanks for the quick response! 👍Sounds like you may be using a lower-powered version of methods some mobile devises. I did find a page that discusses distance requirements. Sounds like two extra sensors on the opposite side of the three tracks might be worth purchasing. Or, we could just always use longer trains! 😁
Looks nice. I’m going to check it out.
Hope you enjoy it!
Wunderfull and very well designed!
Is it possible to load your own bellsound in the bell module?
Yes, your can load any sound you want.
I model 1941. In those days, the gates were usually manually actuated to lower and then raise and were not attached to a signal mast. I hope that some time in the future you will make those kinds of gates. (See the classic Lionel automatic crossing gates for an idea of their appearance.)
We'll take a look...
Very nice video and product.
Thanks! And but the way, folks have asked if you can turn off the bell once the gates are down. Yes, you can! The Sound/Bell Modules have an option to REPEAT or PLAY ONCE the sound track. Set it to PLAY ONCE and the bell sound would shut off after it plays until the next cycle. The duration (and sound) of the bell can be changed by loading a shorter sound clip - to anything you like in fact.
These are AWESOME! Are they available only through you, or do any distributors carry them so that stores can sell them?
Thanks!! We only see direct.
What is the height of the HO crossing tower (without the gate arm)? I couldn’t find dimensions on your product page. I ask because I bought HO crossing gates from another vendor and they are clearly not to scale and look awful. These look great if they are the proper height. Thanks
aprox 55mm; slightly larger than scale. Our goal was to balance the proportions with the aluminum tube and what we can reliably produce in high quality.
Very nice products guys but do you cater to old timey era crossing signals. Specifically the wig wag ones with some led lighting? Let me know as several people are interested. Thnx RT
That's not on our project list as the moment but thank you for asking.
Very nice. I prefer the old slanted striping on the gates.
This is great I can't wait to get them. When will they arrive and where and what and how much. Great for ho layout yea.
Thanks! All the shipping an order information is in the store:
nice work , very impressive ...
Thank you very much!
Very interesting. I have plans for two active grade crossings on my HO scale layout, but was wondering if the crossing arms would fit at a crossing on a curved section of track.
Great!!
Really great looking demo.
Can they be better syncronised so that all booms move at the same time? I am not sure anout US railway, but here in Australia the booms are always 100% synchronised and move at the same time on the crossing.
Yes, they can be synchronized - just make them all the same delay (immediate, 5 second or 10 second). Also, fine tuning adjustments of the the motor wheel and wire actuator would make them move at the same speed.
Great presentation!!! I am planning to add gate lights (2 flashing and 1 solid). How would I wire those lights?
You can run our Signal Controller in parallel to power many other lights. Use the same Signal form the detector.
What type of sensor are you using? Are these infrared sensors so that the system can be used with the room lights out for "nighttime" running?
IR (infrared sensors) are notoriously BAD for varied light conditions. Our sensors are not reflective IR and work in any lighting condition.
Here in town we have 4 gates per crossing. It a no whistle crossing
Very nice prodcut
Thanks!
Do you have any plans for a motorized ho rotary dumper????
Not in the near term..
Jim: I have 1.5" of foam on a 0.25" plywood in one area for a crossing. Is the actuator arm, which links to the motor, for the gate long enough for this thickness?
We provide extra wires that are long enough for that. Order the 3/4" plug.
👍👍Very cool 🚂🚂
Thanks!
kind of a dumb question but when ordering, does this come with instructions lol, also is there cantilever crossings available?
Not at all. Extensive video instructions as well as written. Here is our LEARNING channel LINK with those videos: @ModelTrainTechnologyLEARN
Can the gates be made to go down at same time?
Yes, there are 3 options for each gate - Immediate, 5 second and 10 second delay.
Hello Sir,
I love your videos Do you think that in the near future Model Train Technology will come out with a full line of O-Gauge Accessories like the Railroad Crossing Gates, Signal Blocks and other items for O-Gauge?
Hope to see more of your products in the future.
Thank you for your time
Sincerely
Allan
We're inching in that direction. Flasher and Block signals are available now.
Is this IR or photocell?
It is not a reflective IR nor is it a photocell. It uses a special light to measure distance and thus is not impacted by ambient light like traditional IR and Photocells based systems. In other words. You can shine a light at it or turn the lights in your room completely off and it will still work perfectly.
@@ModelTrainTechnology Okay that's pretty neat. You are definitely cutting out a lot of extra wiring that way as well.
That's a very nice product, but is there a way to install these without the sound?
Yes, sound is optional.
I will be needing both, as I model both N scale and H.O.
Great!
You should change the software for when the gates are all down, the bell turns off.
You can set the bell sound to play the track once and stop until the next cycle. Its already feature.
Now what is the price? American Trains use 2 gates, not 4.
There are plenty of 4 gate crossings. see the video link in a related comment. All pricing is in the store since there are many options. ua-cam.com/video/rgNBzC3OgZY/v-deo.html
Price?
That information is available in our online store since there are many options.
Just a note... crossings don' t have 4 gates... they need an out if a car is on the tracks when the signals sound... the lights go on first then the gates go down.. the lights in advance of the gates keeps cars from entering before the gates come down.. theoretically.. however you know some insane drivers try to fly thru.. if there were 4 gates the car would be stuck inbetween the gates?? However I love the technology and innovation!!
The four gates setup IS very much a thing. We have them in Florida for the high speed rail but I've seen them elsewhere. If you watch closely at the demo and listen to my explanation, the "entry gates close first, then after a wait period the exit gates close. Thus, a car that is in the crossing may have a gate close behind them as the cross but they will have enough time to exit. THUS, we built and option for delays into the controller so folks can implement this approach - or not.
Thanks for the feedback!
There's plenty of videos of 4-gate crossings operating around the US. Here's just one compilation. Some do unfortunately operate as you say with all 4 gates closing at the same time, but others have the approach gates close first, then after a delay, the departure gates close. By the way, I've never been to America. ;-)
ua-cam.com/video/rgNBzC3OgZY/v-deo.html
Thanks for the video link!
Just a note…I cross three crossing everyday that has four gates on each of them.
They're called quad gates, and they're used on quiet zone crossings all over Illinois:
ua-cam.com/video/uATow9Mvfu0/v-deo.htmlfeature=shared