CHAPTER XII

RAILWAY SIGNAL AND SIGNAL-BOX

=A Railway Signal.= Fig. 370 shows a simple method of making this toy. A is a piece of stripwood about 11" × 1/2" × 1/4", fastened to a wooden stand. Holes are bored in A at F about 1/2 inch from the top and at G about 2-1/2 inches from the ground. The arm, C, is a piece of cardboard 3 inches by 1/2 inch with a red band painted across it. The lever, D, is a smaller piece of cardboard. C and D are fastened to A by pieces of wire or by rivets so that they move freely up and down. B is a narrow strip of stiff cardboard fastened by small paper-clips to C and D. When the lever, D, is pulled down, the arm, C, is pushed up. A small nail is put in at E to keep the arm from rising too high.

Fig. 371 shows a railway signal which can be worked by a lever placed at any distance away.

In this model the arm, F, is a piece of wood about 4" × 1/2" × 1/4". Into one end is fixed a screw-eye, A. About 1/2 inch from this end bore a hole. Nail the arm through this hole to the post about 3/4 inches from the top, so that it moves freely on the nail. B is a piece of wood, 2" × 1/2" × 1/4". Make three holes in it. Nail it through the middle hole to the post, 3 inches from the ground, so that it turns freely on the nail. Take a piece of fairly strong wire, fasten one end to A and the other to B. A weight (a lead button) is needed to keep the arm of the signal up. Attach this weight, C, by a piece of thread to B, as in the figure. Tie a piece of thread to D, pass it through a small screw-eye, E, fixed on the stand. When this string is pulled the arm is lowered.

This toy may be worked entirely with thread. Tie a piece of thread from A to C, taking care to keep the lever B in the position shown in the figure; then tie another piece from a small nail at F to D. A small nail should be put in at G to prevent the arm from rising too high.

The stand and the shaded part of the signal post should be painted black, the rest of the post is white, the arm is white with a red band.

=A Signal-box= (Plate VIII). For the foundation of the signal-box, take a piece of wood 9 inches by 4 inches, A B C D (Fig. 372). Cut two pieces of wood, 4-1/2 inches by 4 inches. Glue and nail these to A B C D (E and F in Fig. 372). Next cut four pieces of wood, G H J K, 1/4" × 1/4" × 6-1/2". Glue these to E and F. Measure and cut two pieces of wood, M and L, to fit in between K and J, and G and H. Glue these in position. Next measure and cut out a piece of cardboard, N (Fig. 374), that will fit in between the posts, G H J K, and rest on the sides, E and F, and the ends, L and M. This forms the floor of the signal-box.

Measure and cut two pieces of cardboard that will fit across the space between the posts G and K. Mark and cut out windows in these as shown in the plate, and glue them on each side to the posts. Next cut out two pieces of cardboard, 9 inches by 4 inches (Fig. 375). Measure along the sides the distances C J and K B; find the middle, O, of top, join O K and O J, and cut off the shaded portions. Make half cuts along the dotted lines and bend back the flanges to which the roof is fastened. In one piece make a door, the bottom of which must be on a level with the floor. A window may be cut out in the door, or simply drawn in with pencil and painted; on the other side, mark and cut out a window similar to the window in the sides. Glue these pieces in position. Make the roof of cardboard as described in the case of the Noah's Ark, and glue it to the flanges.

_The Porch._ For the platform of the porch cut a piece of wood 1-3/4 inches by 1-1/4 inches. Cut two sides, 2-3/4 inches by 1-1/4 inches. Glue and nail these to the platform. Cut two supports as shown in the plate, and glue these to the ends just underneath the door, so that when the porch rests on them, and the door is open, the floor of the porch is level with the floor of the signal-box. Next cut the two outer posts, glue them into position as shown in the plate, and glue the platform of the porch on the four posts. The roof of the porch is cut from cardboard, with flanges to be glued to the end of the signal-box. The slope of the roof should be parallel to that of the roof of the signal-box.

Make a ladder as described in Chapter IX. Bevel the ends of the ladder as in Fig. 376 so that it can be glued into position. Glue two small posts on each side and glue two strips of cardboard to these and to the sides of the porch for railings.

Windows may be painted in the wooden sides, the rest is coloured to represent bricks; the window sashes are dark green or brown, and the roof grey.

From this signal-box the signal shown in Fig. 371 can be worked in a very simple manner. Fig. 377 shows the arrangement. Through a hole, A, in the floor fits a wooden lever, B C. Pass the thread belonging to the signal through a small hole in the side of the box, then through a small screw-eye at O, and tie it to the end of the rod. When the lever, B, is pushed over the signal arm is lowered.

A small nail is put through the lever just above A, to act as a fulcrum. The side F (Fig. 377) may have large windows which open to enable the child to insert his hand and push the lever. If the signal-post is set up some distance away from the signal-box, it may be found necessary to add another weight.