The videos by ericstrains have got to be the best videos on the internet for those that do not have the practical knowledge or understanding in setting up the signals, switches, and accessories when first establishing the home railroad layout. I have watched an untold amount of videos and these are definitely the best around. Not only does he explain the layout with the signals, he explains in very understandable terms the method behind the madness. Many thanks, and I will be back for more.

Hey Eric - at the Amherst Railway Society's Railroad Hobby Show in Springfield, Massachusetts this past weekend, and I spoke with the rep from Custom Signals. I told him I was interested in the D-type that they were promising (since I am a subway modeller), and somehow we got on the subject of this video. I told him I learned of CustomSignals via this video, and how well it was done.He said he wanted to contact you to discuss making another video showing the "advanced" features. Good job.

Eric, you are absolutely brilliant. I am below novice level when it comes to layouts. You explain everything so that it makes it very easy to understand. Thank you fir taking the time and effort with these videos. Ironically I am going to a local train shop tomorrow’s with my best friend and fellow train enthusiast to purchase a new layout with accessories and a an additional train or two.

This is fantastic! The benefits of 3-rail track are numerous but block detection has to be near the top of the list!

Thanks for the track wiring videos. Definitely going to use your tips. Very easy to follow. I’ve been collecting for a while and now ready to build a layout. Thank you for the how to on all these things.

This video series was greatly helpful. Thank you Eric for being such a good presenter and making this easy to understand. Also, I'm now even more inclined to go with these atlas products as I now see that their products are well thought out and look awesome! Thanks again

This video example makes the installation of the signal system very easy. It is much clearer than the instruction booklet that came with the signals. Great job Eric.

Obviously a lot of work went into this and it was very well thought out. You are very good at explaining yourself. Thank you for the wonderful tutorial.

These two tutorials on tracks and signalling were EXCELLENT! Well done.

I've always wanted to build a model railroad and I just started collecting HO scale pieces. This is the first video series I've managed to find that was both in-depth and easy to follow.

Cool video! Very informative, thanks for sharing

I love the way explain everything in and give good advice for train layouts

Hey I just wanted to say thanks really like your videos because I am new at this and I'm learning a lot from you thank you

Great video Eric.This will probably help me when I do switch to Atlas track sometime in the future. I think the switching signals are very cool, and prototypical. Very professional job on the tutorial. Thanks for sharing!

Fascinating, thank you so much. Easy to follow. You always patiently explain everything.

Excellent presentation of how railroad wiring works. Thanks Eric.

I firmly believe Atlas O owes you some serious money for this tutorial....you should be on their payroll. Professionalism/quality is downright amazing. Eric, isn't there also a way to have the trains automatically stop using a block system, or is that mostly used for conventionally controlled layouts (I know you use command control)?

Eric, what a great video, absolutely outstanding.

dave uk hi eric thank you for all your mine of information on all aspects of workings on your layout, your s/s bridge was a joy to watch as regards build & weathering.thank you so much for all the hard work you put in to videos.

Great great great video!!! Really well done!

The best videos I see is this tutorials, part1 and 2 All your videos are good, but these are very well explained! Thanks for the lesson! When I have courage, perhaps I will construct a new one (layout).Now I used tubular tracks to my lionel postwar (1950) but I realy appreciate new technology

OMG 1 hour video, great job Eric, congrats for this tutorial this will help me so much in the future.

Thanks Eric for this video! I always come back to this video for reference. You know you've made it when Atlas references your video for hooking up their signals in their brochure. Great work!

Great information, thank you. I have a 3 year old grandson, and I have pulled out my old lionel O train that I had as a kid. Would like to add some lights, etc. and these two demo's are great.

Absolutely superb. Thank you again for the time you put into this, it's amazing what you have done for the hobby.

Very awesome video. This helps me a lot with what I want to do with my future layout.

Good job! In all practical purposes is affordable way to place signals.

Another great video. Thanks for sharing

That is so cool Eric. I never knew that the block signals worked like that. You taught me something today. Thanks for that.

Great tutorial. Very easy to follow and understand. I am moving my layout to outdoors and planning to introduce track signals. Thanks for the installation tutorial.

I love that type SA signal, and although I model HO, and Marklin to boot, I thoroughly enjoyed this video!

Fantastic tutorial Eric! I did not know anything about signals before watching this tutorial. You explained it very well, and now I feel comfortable installing signals on my layout too. Thank you so much for your time in making this video. I'm sure with filming and editing, you have a lot of time in this tutorial. Thanks!!! Also, I hope your Open House went well today. I wish I could have been there to see your layout in person.

Thanks for the video ! Learned alot today watched both parts and wow.. Thanks again Eric !!

Absolutely FANASTIC Eric!!!!!! Thanks bro!!!!

looks good Eric

Eric, ok great ,thanks for your help. If you think about it why don't you do a you tube video on it. Your video on signals was great and quite helpful. I checked the atlas site and they don't even list the 6924 circuit board or 6931 dwarf signal. anymore. At least using the atlas search feature doesn't find it. Also did I mention that Atlas recalled the #57 switch controller because of a manufacturers defect.

Outstanding Video Eric, answered alot of questions I had. Thanks you so much for taking the time to make this video... You the Man!!!!

Eric. Great tutorial video. Thanks much.

Awesome video!!!!

Thanks Eric

The block signals on the main line in the area I live in are around two miles apart except for one where there's a signal three miles from each other

Very excelecent, the best that I have yet seen. JB

Yay! It is out!

Eric thank you very much for your excellent work you do with videos I am knew to o scale Learning a lot thanks again and keep them coming

Fantastic tutorial! Thank you!

I want to thank you so much I love the video it helps so much I do watch a lot of your video's thanks so much I wish if you could make dvd maybe in the future I am a trucker and would love them Thanks again Mark

Cool vid.

Great video Eric as usual. I was very, very impressed with your knowledge. For some reason though this one and part one didn't show up under my subscription tab for you. Had to search for em. Not sure how that happened. Either way, as usual, loved the video.

Thanks so much for doing this video I needed it, the outside rail info is so helpful ! thanks again

Thanks for Trick and Hint, Again ! Happy New Year 2015 ! : P

Thanks Eric .. Another great video.. Keep up the good work.. PS.. How did your open day go?? Crowd numbers and derailments or damage to layout!! Frank from Oz..

Sorry, ment to type FANTASTIC!!!!!!

thank you

Awesome .... SUBED !

In Salem Oregon there used to be signals like those but not anymore but there is one almost under the the over pass bill fry drive

Great Video Eric.I would have loved to get these items for my layout.How ever, they have all been discontinued by Atlas.They dont have any plans to remake these items any time soon.Guess I will stick with Z-Stuff as they have all the items in stock and have not discontinued any of their items.Z stuff makes a great dwarf signal set, going to use it when I lay the last of my main lines.Keep the videos coming.

Eric your vids are terrific. I'm a newbie in trains for my Christmas village. I recently bought a Lionel Polar Express 0 gauge . I added just 6 pieces of track and a crossing arm piece for my starter set last year. I had to upgrade my transformer already due to the train stopping and the red light on the track was flashing. Could it still need more power or do I need to some how have the power go into the track in more than one place. Thanks in advance. See Linsterville for Christmas train fun.

The G signal is a standard signal used for NJ Transit

I know I'm not Eric, but I think you can use these with Lionel Fastrack.

Awesome job, worth the wait! Do you know if they work with Lionel Fastrack?

Great tutorial Eric ! Is there a way you could eliminate the need for the switch signals, and just used the block signals to indicate the switch position and block occupancy ?

Eric, can those signal control boards be used on old Lionel Postwar signals and are they packaged separately?

awesome job...the only thing I don't understand is that you have 5 cats. I know you said that in your last video. Cool ppl don't have cats...Come on Man!! haha

powering the track, and the other powering signals, buildings, lights,etc...

So I have to imagine there is a way to put the switches in with the block system so when the switch is set for the diverging route they would show the prototypical signal aspects (red doesn't mean diverging it means stop but I understand you cant really get to complex here) great tutorial though!

Nice video! :) one question?: does mth z-750 work on mth subways?

I'm trying to use the Atlas signals in N scale, but the main problem for me is, there's no provision in the new Atlas system for straight DC operation. Everything is made for DCC in two rail scale operations, and there is no exceptions. I'm almost thinking of bypassing Atlas' system, and building my own logic boards, since all I really need is switch position and block occupancy.

Eric, I installed 4 and they work correctly in stand alone mode. I connected them using 6 pin phone jack wiring as you demonstrated and they aren't working correctly in integrated mode. The first 3 signals stay red. Don't see this as a insulated rail continuity issue because they are working correctly in stand alone mode. Are the connecting cables from Atlas different than the regular phone jack wires?

Best video yet!!

Love the tutorials and the way you explain everything can you email me some train set prices so I can get started thanks Eric for advice

Cool! Thank! Stéph.

would it be necessary to create a casing for the control board to prevent it from being damaged?

Hola buenas tarde excelente video abrazo grande

So you’ve shown how to add atlas signals, but could you possibly show how to wire other brands of signal into the control board. I’m trying to wire in a Lionel cantilever signal bridge and I can’t find any documentation on how to patch the signal together

Always good info if possible could you do a video in wiring a s.p.d.t. switch for whisker tracks on a round house and passenger train storage tracks using 3 rail tracks with the MTH.DCS system

Hi eric, maybe i missed something, but doesnt the dwarf signal change from green to red,when then the car goes into the next block.

What if you hook up the dwarf switch signals but no matter which way you you throw the switch the light stays on green? I even tried switching the black and red wire.

ow muito bom o video e boas explicações também. Obrigado e volte a postar próximos videos. Tchau.

Hi Eric, although I read the instructions and made the two solder connects for both sides of the switch and joined them at the DIN location on the circuit board, I am still getting a solid red light on the G type signal. Since this is in my "BLOCK B" insulated section, would that have anything to do with it and the negative that I sent over from accessory to the negative on transformer brick for track?

AWESOME

When is the complete tour of the layout coming out? I'm dying to see it!

Great video. Question, On your test board, you set up 3 block signals for a train traveling in one direction. Do you set up a set of signals on your layout for trains that might be traveling in the opposite direction? You touched on this briefly in mentioning bi-directional signals

Doesn't look like they are triggered at the same time, there's a delay between the 3. but still...great tutorial!

Hey brother. I love the atlas switches but I’m going to use gargraves track. Can they be used together without any problems. Plz let me know Thanks in advance

How would you do so it is signaled in both directions and so it doesnt jump to clear when there is a train in the next block i/e stays on an approach? like the real ones work

what would happen if you had a section of track that had a crossover? How would you wire the signals to show the train 1 that train 2 is going over the crossover and that train 1 needs to stop?

Nice video :) And I'm wondering... I'm not sure if you have any experience with Gargrave's track, but is it possible to wire switch signals into Gargrave's switch track?

Eric, I love all the videos, they're so entertaining and informative. But I have a quick question im currently building a new layout and I like the switch controllers that you're using in this video. Although i'm having trouble finding them, do you have any information that might make my search any easier

you'd do it exactly the same, just with a series of signals on the other side of the track and the communication with the signal cables would run the other direction.

How much width does a pair of tracks, with a O-72 switch/curve siding like this, take up? (from furthest outside rail of main track to furthest outside rail of siding)

Actually, for 3-rail track, all that is needed is a 12 volt DC power supply and relays. There is no need for all those circuit boards, so it's cheaper, plus there is constant detection even without track power.

is there a limit to how many boards you can daisy chain together?

Actually when there's a train in block 3 the signal in block 2 should be blinking Yellow (advanced approach) and the signal in block 1 should be solid yellow but another great video.

How on Earth can you afford all these accessories?

So with your transformers, you “Phased them” together? If you’re using any Post War transformers along with modern transformers, you need to be careful when you phase them together. The older transformers were not “Polarized” with one plug prong being larger than the other to identify which one is polarized. You will have to test out the phasing with a lightbulb with wires to see if you need to reverse the Post War plug or not to make sure you don’t cause a short circuit.

O scale model train youtubers some times teaching us how to keep the model railway/railroad

is it the same if i use n-scale atlas signals? and would it work with KATO track?

Hey Eric, I have Lionel Fastrack, Too much to tear up to replace with Atlas, Would the signals be installed the same way? I'm using MTH DCS system as well.

Does the advanced options have anything to do with say a relay or resistor to automatically reduce on coming engines having voltage reduced to avoid collisions just enough so the unit does not trip back to neutral, maybe down to 1 or 2 volts or whatever it takes to stop it but not trip it to neutral. Thank you. Love watching your advanced videos. I have both an O and standard gauge layout with mostly prewar and postwar but have bought some newer engines with TMCC AND DCS and enjoy the challenge of electronics

Hi Eric, Can I Use The Atlas Signals With Lionel FasTrack?