Brakeman Technologies BT2X30 LED Signal Driver

 
 
The Brakeman Technologies BT2X30 Signal Driver is an intelligent, easy-to-use driver board suitable for one N, HO or O scale signal using common-anode LEDs. It supports up to 3* signal heads and works with either searchlight or separate lamp signals.
 
Features
  • Simple serial interface (can drive directly from PC serial port, Arduino, PICAXE, etc.)
  • Cascade up to 8 boards on one serial connection with single-byte commands that incorporate board address and desired signal indication
  • Operates on single +5V DC supply voltage
  • Supports 1 head, 2 head or certain 3 head* signals
  • Selectable rulesets: UCOR, NORAC, GCOR, or CROR (almost all North American colour light signal systems from 1940 to the present day)
  • 8 standard indications commanded regardless of chosen ruleset
  • Works with all common-anode LED signals
  • Special searchlight signal animations for enhanced realism
  • Board configurable via jumper or pushbutton - no computer required to set node ID, signal model, signal rules, and animations
  • Option to drive simple red/green panel repeater in most modes
 
Signal Indications
 
The following standard 8 indications are supported (with NORAC and GCOR rule numbers shown), covering the majority of situations modelled for high speed main tracks and low speed branchlines or yards:
  • Clear (Rule 281 / 9.1.3)
  • Advance Approach (Rule 282a / 9.1.5)
  • Approach Slow (Rule 284 / 9.1.4)
  • Approach (Rule 285 / 9.1.7)
  • Slow Clear (Rule 287 / 9.1.8)
  • Slow Approach (Rule 288 / 9.1.9)
  • Restricting (Rule 290 / 9.1.13)
  • Stop (Rule 291,292 / 9.1.14)
The same 8 indications are supported by all signal driver boards in the Brakeman Technologies family, including the BT2X31 Position / Colour Position Light driver and the BT2X11 Semaphore Signal driver.
 
As well, signal can be blanked via serial indication command to support approach lighting configurations.
 
 
Signal Models
 
The driver board has 7 outputs to be connected to the indivdual LEDs.
 
*Signal models support most common 1 and 2 head signals; a partial third head (red only) is supported for use where a 3 head signal is desired to allow proper approach lighting; none of the supported indications would display other than red on the middle head.
  • Simplified single head (red/green only)
  • Single head
  • Double head
  • Triple head (with middle red)
  • Single head low signal
 
(board version BT2X30AA shown)
 
 

board installed under layout with signal, power and data connected
Searchlight Animations
 
The BT2X30AB can optionally emulate the distinctive visual displays of mechanical searchlight mechanisms!
 
A mechanical searchlight mechanism has a magnetically-driven, gravitationally-balanced armature with three coloured roundels - red, yellow and green. The default resting position is vertical, with the red roundel in front of the lamp. An electromagnet winding will pull the armature either to the green side or the yellow side, or release to redisplay red.
 
When a searchlight signal drops to red, it often overshoots, and the blank armature between red and the next roundel briefly blocks the lamp, causing a "blink-off" of the display before red reappears. Similarly, in moving from yellow to green, or green to yellow, the armature passes through the middle position, and a brief flash of red is seen.
 
The video at right demonstrates these animations:
 
Signal changes from Clear through Advance Approach, Approach Slow, Approach, Slow Clear, Slow Approach, Restricting, and finally Stop.
Signal shown built by Andy Dunn using BLMA signal heads
Current board revision: BT2X30AB March 2020
Current software revision: BT2X30R01 March 2020
 
For more information or to order, contact us at signals@brakeman.ca