My wife and I went down to Greenwood, IN to pick this up last night. I sold my full scale crossing signal as its way to large(nearly 14 foot tall with the bell) and needs a deep concrete foundation to keep it upright. I had a wanted post on the discover live steam website, same sight we found our locomotive on, for one of these old MTC(Miniature Train Company) crossing signals. A gentleman messaged me that he had two of them that were newer reproductions that he was selling. It is made from cast alum instead of iron, so I can carry it around with 1 hand. Flashes and rings just like the old ones but with solid state controls instead of a motor and contact strips. Uses GE red sealed beam PAR36 lamps for the light heads. I am going to make a portable base that loops like concrete so I can bring it out of the weather or take it to a show. We are now looking for some used rail locally so we can start laying the track around our small back yard. Mike the Aspie.

What locomotive did you buy?

I’m considering 7.5" gauge… like I need another hobby.

I got an older Railroad Supply Co GE 25 tonner, Kohler 4hp gas powered with Eaton hydrostatic tranmission to chain drive to both axles thru a gear box. Nicely painted in the CB&Q Everywhere West paint scheme. LED headlight and LED Prime beacon on the roof. Pic is from the club in OK that I bought it from.

Tom, I am getting burnt out on G scale. Anything else I desire, which is mostly live steam, is in the same price range as ride on scale stuff. Track, when priced per foot at brand new prices is nearly the same between G and 7.5 gauge. I am now hunting for some good second hand rail in the local area as with G or 7.5, new track is to salty for me while I am still paying for this engine for the next 3 years. We had to get a small loan from the credit union to purchase it. Mike the Aspie

link to video of the signal flashing, both without and with the bell turned on.

https://youtu.be/3xG0-sfbleY

The loop of track will go right behind the signal. I am planning a walking path from the deck to the fire pit area, boardwalk up to a point then a paver stone area around the fire pit itself. The signal is powered by 110 ac right now, but that just feeds an power 150wt power supply that puts out 12 vdc thru a bridge rectifier to drive the relays bell and lights. So 12vt dc could also be tapped in as well. Looking for ideas to trigger the signal when the train passes thru the future crossing path.

Sharp looking loco Mike,

Our lot in our new FL home is small and no “outdoor train sets” are allowed so I’ll have a screen room built to house an oval of Ga 1 track. I’ve been thinking about a plum cove electric chassis for which I will build a body. Fred Gandolfi took me for rides around the Big Boots track with both his electric and live steam beam engine. It’s quite a scenic place, running through the woods, claiming to be Florida’s largest 7.5" gauge railroad and just over 20 mi from our home.

That would I would do Tom, get a chassis and build a body for it, then go play on the club tracks. Thankfully we have our own house with a fenced back yard that will be my playground so to speak. I really really want a MTC G12 streamliner like I rode in as a kid. The gentleman that I got the signal from has one but I was afraid to ask the price as all the ones I looked at are north of 12-15 thousand dollers in nice running shape. Came with a loop of 12" gauge track that would fit perfect in our back yard. Just way beyond budget for me for several more years.

A bit more progress, to hot to work for very long outdoors. I pulled up and relaid the landscape edge pavers, reset two path lights and wired them back into the circuit and pulled some weeds up along the deck that you cannot see in this pic. Planning a board walk up to and across the future track, then up to a square rock or brick paver area around the fire pit. I will fill in the new areas with river rock once I kill off the weeds and grass(mostly weeds). Our front yard looks great, but the back has been neglected for several years. There used to be a tree where the fire pit is, lightning got it a few years before we inherited the house. So there are roots galore making setting brick walks down in the ground a real bitch. So I am thinking boardwalk to a river rock area around the fire pit. I have a holly bush that will get relocated near the crossing signal once it cools down some, way to hot to be digging. Mike the Aspie