SSPRR Run Room

Playing with Toy Trains

Toy Train Layout Wiring - Intermediate

 

Basic Intermediate Advanced Wire Management Bus Wiring 120V Train Room
Glossary Wire Sizes Switches Load Calculations Soldering Troubleshooting

 

      Miller Engineering Animated Signs

These two animated signs were Christmas gifts by Miller Engineering.  They were both designed for flat rooftops.  The Cracker Jack sign was converted to a billboard on a rock.


Scenic foam sections were used to embed wiring and construct the city and suburb scenes off the layout.

Signs in Town

MTH and Cracker Jack Signs on Completed City Scape

Foam Block
Block was cut from 1 1/2" foam.  Arrows show
reference holes to bottom for recessing sign
control board and wiring.
Block w Recessed J Box
Cracker Jack sign control box was in my stock from Mouser Electronics.

Control Box Prep

The box was surplus and electrical tape is covering old hole.  The two holes toward bottom in photo start the slot for the sign plug.  A Unibit as in upper left drills plastic and metals without grabbing.

Cracker Jack Finished
Cracker Jack sign finished. 
Miller's Cracker Jack Photo 
See Miller sign animation.
MTH Sign 1 MTH Sign 2
MTH Sign 3 MTH Sign 4
The MTH sign is placed on M.T.H. Train Store #30-90049 3-Story City Building w/Blinking Sign in window.
The first slot cut for the sign didn't work (I couldn't grip the plug inside the building) and I had to cut the slot for the wire harness plug.  The slot was cut using a Unibit and Moto-Tool saw blade.

The plug is a snug fit in the slot.
MTH Sign 6

Sign Circuit Installed

The metal clips in the upper left furnish 14V AC to the building lights and window sign.  The roof sign circuit board for DC is secured to the bottom of the second floor. 

Module Wiring Buss 

The postwar Lionel KW transformer furnishes power to the City and Suburb Scene with the signs. 
The switched plug strip allows me to turn off KW and DC power when scene illumination is not needed. 
The terminal strips above the KW serve the KW output and are the output bus

Sign Power Circuit Sign Power Covered

This Miller Converter Module furnishes DC power to the animated signs above.  Miller also sells wall warts for the animated signs.  The Animated Billboards require 4.5 DC and draw 95 ma. each.

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