In this day and age Why hasn`t Hornby made WORKING level crossings?

[CitizenOllie]

They have in the USA..using a light detection device placed on the track when it is covered up by the trains carriages the gates  close.

[The Duke 71000]

A number of German & Japanese manufacturers have produced working level crossings for many years. In both HO & N scales. Of course the models will vary visually as they are usually of German or Japanese road types. But as the Japanese drive on the left like Britain, their models are probably more suitable, certainly for a British layout !!!  

 

 

Actuation systems include infra red detection. Auto-mechanically operated. Diode operation (but that required a magnet fitted to the underside of the train). Electrically operated by a switch (to be mounted on the control panel). And even a type of track circuit operation. 

 

 

Some of the above systems would NOT work if your layout is DCC. But I would suspect there may also be a DCC chip controlled version by today......

 

 

The Duke 71000 

 

[JeremiahBunyan]

Simple...cost vs. level of detail & functionality.

 

Working level crossings aren't just as simple as you think. It won't be cheap, it can be DC or DCC, different type of barriers and gates, could be designed for kids/budget based buyers or it can be made specifically for the collector/modeller. In most if not all cases, a working level crossing will require quite a few holes drilled into the baseboard to accomodate the servo, electronics etc. This means it will only appeal to those who have the space, the raised baseboards and the tools to do so.

 

And based on your original question, why hasn't any manufacturer made a working level crossing?

[Going Spare]

I seem to remember Lima produced a very crude example of a barrier crossing activated by the weight of the train. 

[Rana Temporia]

Lima made one and I think there have been others activated by the weight of the train but they have all been unrealistic and barrier types as far as I'm aware. Jouef made an electronic barrier type in the 60s which was also available here under the Playcraft brand. The solenoids were hidden under pretend rocky outcrops at the side and the action was most unrealistic with instant up and down. I have a couple of examples which stil work perfectly. 

 

The main problem with most of the continental type is that the road/rail interface is huge and is more like a cutting than a level crossing. 

 

I'm not sure if Minic did a working version as part of their road/rail crossing? 

 

With barriers it's a linear up/down which is easy to achieve with a cheap solenoid. For gates some means of rotating the gate post would have to be achieved which is still possible with a solenoid but it would be an open/closed in an instant solution. To get the gates to move slowly and realistically as if driven automatically or via a wheel in the signal box some sort of motor and gear/rubber band and pulley drive would be needed Which would need to fit in the restricted space under the approach ramp. You would also need the same remotely  on each side of the track otherwise the whole item would need to be sunk into the baseboard to allow transmission beneath the rails which would prevent people buying it who set up on the table/floor. It's doable but  probably more complicated than it first appears. Most solutions in the model magazines have involved apparatus beneath the baseboard. 

[Modelnut19]

Of course, back in the 1960s, there was the Triang Minic system, in which cars stopped at level crossings when a train was coming. I saw this demonstrated at a show not so many years ago. Hopefully shows will return eventually.

[Tony57]

Hi

 

Minic motorway never made a working level crossing, the ones that appear in shows have been modified by the owners who use reed switches on train tracks and on the roadway to stop and start the cars. I have both the single railway track and 2 roadway and the rarer twin railway and roadway versions.

 

However Triang did make both a barrier and working gate eletrically operated level crossings R171  and R170 in 1959 for the universal track system.

With todays modern electronics can not see why new versions can not be made, what the price would be I hate to think 

[96RAF]

Train-Tech do an automatic level crossing . . 

http://www.train-tech.com/index.php/lighting/73-level-crossing-lights-sound

 

[Ruffnut Thorston]

The Tri-ang BR, gates, and TC (Transcontinental), barrier, level crossings were activated by a form of memory wire, which contracted as it heated up, pulling the gates or barriers into position.

 

The normal position was closed to road traffic.

 

The big problem is that you cannot leave the circuit energised for long, as the wire will overheat, possibly melt the plastic roadway, and possibly break or damage the wire.

 

They were operated by a red lever frame switch, which was a spring loaded on/off switch, with the lever returning under spring pressure to off.

 

New technology would be better, or at least allow the gates to be left in any position, without damage.

 

There would hopefully be some kind of interlock to prevent a train crashing through the gates! 😉

 

The Tri-ang Minic Motorways automatic level crossing was not released.

 

The relays, etc, were to be hidden under a 'Modern Signal Box' to one side.

 

It was shewn in at least one catalogue though.

[Rana Temporia]

http://www.playcraftrailways.com/images/level%20crossing.jpg

 

Just for info  😉

[Rana Temporia]

http://www.playcraftrailways.com/images/level%20crossing.jpg

 

Just for info  😉

[flyingfox4475]

Rovex  used to make one which I had on my model railway back in the 60's. The only problem its was super 4 track and does not connect to the current track.

[Puffed Out]

There is 3 for sale on a well known auction site, apparently a Hornby product.

[Ruffnut Thorston]

Hi Flying Fox...

 

The Rovex ones are the ones that I mentioned on page 1 of this thread. 😉

 

In fact, the operating level crossings were originally designed for Standard track.

 

This uses the same rail section as Series 3 (from 1958) and Super 4 (From 1962).

 

Converter tracks are available.

 

Originally introduced in 1965 to join Tri-ang Railways Super 4 track to Hornby Dublo two rail track; and later reissued to join Tri-ang Hornby System 6 track (code 100, from C 1971) to Super 4 track.

 

These would join these level crossings to current Hornby track.

 

There are two designs of base.

 

One has fittings to join to a roadway system that was developed by Tri-ang, but never released. This leaves a drop from the roadway slope to ground level.

 

The other has the roadway sloping down to ground level.

[LCDR]

Just to confirm and if I remember rightly both Playcraft and Lima both made a level crossing which operated by the weight of the train lowering the barriers. as it crossed, Rana's picture shows one of these. The track sits on a spring loaded platform connected by cranks to the barriers. Certainly a lot cheaper than something that needed leds and photo cells. I seem to remember it worked quite well.

 

Near us on the line from York to Harrogate there are still lots of gated crossings where a man dressed head to toe in bright orange pops out of his cabin before every train arrives to close the gates. A lovely bit of history in action.

[Rana Temporia]

The Playcraft one illustrated was definitely electric, there are three terminals behind the 'rock' which are exactly the same as their electric points and I suspect the solenoid inside is the same as their point motor. They are most unrealistic and the 'rock' acts as an amplifier to the solenoid with the result that the barriers raise and lower in an instant with a loud 'clUnk'. At least they have the chains and lower barriers too to add a bit of realism. 

 

they also did a manual version which was similar to the Lima one but you has a red and white painted 'tombstone' on one side of the track that you slid to operate. I had one in a set with a clockwork D6100 and the barriers curved up over a couple of years and then disintegrated into short sections. Most of the ones I have seen have been like this. I do have one in good condition but don't know how long it'll last. 

[Ruffnut Thorston]

BR Series electric level crossing.

 

 

/media/tinymce_upload/a1d5db51ae6dfa361067735f442e1eda.jpg

http://rovex.co.uk/OONew/Crossing.htm

 

T.C. Series electric level crossing.

 

/media/tinymce_upload/95131f04e26fa66bc5f331f2acf021ef.jpg

http://rovex.co.uk/OONew/Crossing1.htm

 

[Rana Temporia]

Sarah, one of the big advantages of the Standard series track was the room underneath to fit the means of control In. Most modern track with a few exceptions has no room underneath so like the Playcraft/Jouef version has to have separate connections on each side of the track And two operating systems Whether that is motors/solenoids or resistance wire.  There are some track ranges with built in ballast and they also generally have the point motors built in underneath and it would be easier to incorporate some level crossing mechanism into those ranges. 

 

One disadvantage with the Tri-ang type is that it can only be fitted into a layout using that track geometry and you are limited to the connectivity with that range unless you use link rails or some other means of connecting. 

[Buz]

Hi all

Hornby does make operating crossings its just that it is operated by a 1 to 1 hand  instead of an in scale 1 to 76 hand

All of the gate style crossings I know of where opend and closed manualy with the mechanical ships wheel style of operation being in the minority so Hornby's gated level crossing is totaly prototypical in operation being non automatic 😆

Operating flash light and boom gates while widely avalable are very expencive a certain European manufacturer even makes one suitable just about for the UK.

regards John

[Bexhill Donkey]

You are looking for Tri-ang R170 on eBay. It does work as this video demonstrates.

[atom3624]

Nice link, and that action's a bit 'brutal'.

Don't know about others, but the next YT video showing was of the Hornby Dublo one, which was slower and much smoother.

 

Al.

[ColinB]

I really like the Hornby Dublo system. I used to have one of those Triang ones, it is still in the loft. Trouble is it was operated by resistance wire, and the gates were always getting stuck. The wire eventually broke. If you used the same principle as Triang for the mechanism, but replaced the resistance wire with one of those DCC slow acting point motors, I think it might work.

[Ruffnut Thorston]

Bear in mind that the "Hornby Dublo" crossing is a modern rebuild of a hand operated crossing.

 

The 'brutal' action of the Tri-ang Railways crossing closing to the road is powered by the return springs.

 

The gates opening to the road, a bit slower,  is the wire tightening up under power.

 

There is an adjustment screw to make sure that the gates close to the road properly, to avoid them being hit by a train...

 

Servo motors are probably the best method nowadays, with the technology now available for controls.

 

 

 

[ColinB]

Yes, I know that the Hornby Dunblo is a rebuild, that is what the video shows how they did it it. Yes the Triang one used the resistance wire that heated up and expanded and then the springs pulled the gates. It is a shame the track spacing is completely wrong for me, as it might have been worth having a go. Triang did some really good things, their earlier turntable was much superior to the Hornby one, looks like the real thing but was so noisy, but a rebuild with new motors and it would be great.