How Activate A Lionel 154 Highway Flasher With An Automotive Turn Signal Relay.
Years ago at one of the local TTOS members gave out a diagram to wire a Lionel 154 highway flasher up using an insulated outside rail and a NAPA 537 auto relay. I had one working on my layout years ago, but when I started on the new layout, I couldn't get it to work.
I went to NAPA, but they don't carry the relay Bill used anymore. None of the other autoparts stores I checked carried the 537 relay either. So I bought some auto relays with three prongs thinking any one with 3 terminals would work. None of them worked.
A few weeks ago, I was cleaning out some clutter and found a relay in a box that was under Bill's layout. I checked it out on the desk with a highway flasher and it works.
I don't know why only the model 537 relay works. Probably something with ohms or impedance or maybe turtlebytes.
I searched online and found a seller with a bunch of Wagner Brand model 537 relays. I was able to get a bunch for under $10 each postpaid. I don't think it matter who made the relay as long as it is a MODEL 537.
On my layouts I use blue wire to bring ground off the insulated outside rails when the train is present, and use orange wire for the + side of crossing accessories.
The 154 highway flasher has three terminals number from left to right as 3, 2, and 1. Terminal 1 is the ground and gets connected to the blue wire from the insulated outside rail. The other two terminals go to the bulb centers and are wired to the relay. Wiring it the way I have with the blue wire from the insulated rail to the highway flasher ground means if the sign touches the track it will activate rather than cause a short.
The 537 relay has three terminals L, X and P. L is the + current in which on my layout is an orange wire. X and P go to the bulbs in the highway flasher through flasher terminals 2 and 3. The order of X and P to 2 and 3 does not matter.
Here's a simple wiring diagram:
I put the relay and a terminal strip on a piece of scrap plywood with a glue gun. Once I have it wired, I can just put it under the layout and hook it in.
Here's some photos of the assembly in progress:
I use black 3-strand wire from 022C switch controllers so the exposed wires at the signal look good.
I'll post a video of the signal working on the layout along with addional information about wiring the 1045 flagman into the circuit in the future.
