Wiring help with multiple 153IRs to crossing gates

Since the Yellow wire is the trigger, a second 153IR could be added by connecting just the yellow wire from the second to the yellow of the first. The black and red wires supply power and ground to the gates.

Check the Lionel online documents for more details.

Thanks Leo. 

I looked at that diagram in the manual, and that thought had crossed my mind, but it seemed too easy.

I am having problems using 3 or more 153IR to control the Lionel crossing signal 6-12888.  Controlling with two, no problem.  Now two of the 153IR are the old type and two are of the new type.  I have two crossing signals and they are both connected to two 153s and they both work like they should.  When I connect the “NO” wire from one set of the two 153 to the other set of two153, so now there would be four “NO” wires, the original two turn the signal on, but the two that I just connected, don’t turn the signal on.  I hear the relay click in the other one when I something passes, but no signal.  I have checked my wiring multiple times, but I am at a loss.  I was not sure if the two 153 versions don’t play well together.  The two old ones are together and the two new ones are together.

Any help/thoughts would be appreciated.

By "old" and "new" 153IR do you mean the release date as printed on the upper right corner of the manual?  I made this for a previous OGR thread.  

As I understand it, the "new" 153IR works and is wired per the lower left diagram?  

Note the U and A input terminals for "Auxiliary Power Supply" were swapped between 153IR versions. 

Ok, mine are 3/15 and 1/01.  I did know that the inputs were changed on the 4 accessory terminals.  My instructions for the 1/01 revision don’t have the box.  For power on the 3/15 one, I am using the wires that were already attached for Fastrack, I just removed the terminals since I don’t use Fastrack.  When I get back I  will see his I have power attached to the 1/01 like your image.  If I have it reversed, could that make a difference?

Also on my 3/15 instructions the box states to have both accessory wires connected to the “NO” terminal.  I did not do that since I new that was wrong.

IIRC 3/15 and 4/02 were the only manuals I found on the Lionel website and used the identical item number 711-4111-250.  I don't recall if anyone identified markings on the 153IR itself that tells you the version.  My guess is your 1/01 version has the U and A terminals in the same positions as the 4/02 version simply because they are so close together in time.

As shown in the comparison chart above, for the 3/15 version the 153IR applies ACC GND via NO to the accessory when triggered.  For the 4/02 version the 153IR applies ACC POWER via NO to the accessory when triggered.  So, yes, that would make a difference!

My guess is that Lionel swapped the function of the "NO" terminal to make the 153IR behave more like an insulated-rail trigger.  That is, with the insulated-rail method the occupying wheel axles apply ACC GND to the accessory.  I'm thinking this made it easier to understand.  

BTW, during your testing with all 4 "NO" terminals connected together did you have occasion to trigger a new and old 153IR at the same time?  I'd think this would have shorted your ACCessory Power source!

So, if my ramblings align with what you're seeing, I think you need to swap the wires going into the U and A terminals of the old 153IRs.

When I had all 4 connected, yes the breaker on my Z4000 would trip.  When I get home I will swap power and common in the old 153.

Ok, that fixed it.  Now any of the 4 153IR will trigger either crossing signal.  When I was trouble shooting I was only concerned with the accessory wiring, not the power.  In the manual I have for the old one, it states

"Polarity is not a concern when connecting your auxiliary power supply."

Also, the two inputs for the power are not labeled A and U, like in your image, it just states power supply.

Tony

Tony H posted:

...

Also, the two inputs for the power are not labeled A and U, like in your image, it just states power supply.

Very interesting.  I wasn't aware that the 1/01 version was not even labeled!

My understanding from recent OGR threads is they are re-releasing the 153IR again apparently because some component used is no longer available or something like that.

It would be a good time to update the manual to address the mix-and-match issue of multi-153IRs if different versions are involved.  In my opinion of course.

Here is the cover with the 1/01 date and the instructions that show the power inputs.  I am guessing they figured out at some time before 4/02 that it could make a difference.