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by **traffictechgreg** on Tue Nov 27, 2012 12:06 pm

Hi all - I though I'd share the website of a manufacturer and supplier in Oregon that makes their own NEMA controller

Website:
http://www.nwsignal.com/index.html

Funny brochure for the controller they make - hope it doesn't offend any of our Eagle fans!
http://www.nwsignal.com/nws_pdf/NWS%20M1_Brochure_low-res.pdf

by **EPAC-EPIC-MARC** on Tue Nov 27, 2012 12:49 pm

I got a kick out of the dog playing with the M50 :rotfl:

I've heard of the M1 controller before but never actually seen one in person. Seems like they're designed to be very robust but have all the standard features of a typical NEMA controller. I don't think its necessary to have a controller over-engineered so that it can support the weight of a truck....especially when the cabinet its housed in can't! :crazy:

Doesn't have a color touch screen...... :Wink2:

by **coyttl** on Tue Nov 27, 2012 12:50 pm

Hah!!

by **coyttl** on Tue Nov 27, 2012 12:55 pm

EPAC-EPIC-MARC wrote:I don't think its necessary to have a controller over-engineered so that it can support the weight of a truck....
Doesn't have a color touch screen......

Technically, it's not - it's only holding up 1/4th the weight of a truck. Of course, not many of the 'general public' would realize that. Marketing at it's best!!

..And what is that, a VFD display? :scratch:

by **TacomaJoe** on Tue Nov 27, 2012 2:22 pm

Northwest Signal has been one of our suppliers for over 30 years, from the CH days, SP-40s, LC8 and LMD controllers. We have one M1 we bought to try out but since its one of kind and doesn't fit in our existing systems, it just sits on the shelf. The firmware writer is there in Portland maknig update/changes easy.

I've also been through the pole facility. Interesting to see how poles are built. They make aluminum cabinets also.

by **EPAC-EPIC-MARC** on Tue Nov 27, 2012 4:03 pm

The first generation (the EPAC) M50s are become...dare I say it.... ancient relics now. They've been out since at least 2002 and when you factor the speed of change with technology in the signal industry, it goes without saying these are starting to go by the wayside in some places. Even my own fancy TS-2 cabinet is getting outdated...that specification's been out for roughly 15 years now and things in the industry are moving to faster and more flexible ITS and ATC cabinets. I can't keep up!! :rotfl:

I still like EPAC because it is flexible and user friendly, but there are far newer options out there nowadays and this one from Northwest Signal is one of them. :thumbsup:

by **ARIESHEART** on Wed Nov 28, 2012 8:49 pm

The SEPAC M50 body is very fragile!I do not even trust carrying the unit by it's handle.

by **EPAC-EPIC-MARC** on Wed Nov 28, 2012 8:55 pm

ARIESHEART wrote:The SEPAC M50 body is very fragile!I do not even trust carrying the unit by it's handle.

I actually think they're well built. Part of the design is for them to be light weight so that you can put more weight on a shelf. Its half the weight of the EPAC300. I always carry mine by the handle when I have it out of the cabinet...which hasn't been recently. However I think they've could a done better job with the removable display mount on the front of the machine. It sits kinda weird and takes a bit of force to pull on and off.

by **3Mfanatic** on Wed Nov 28, 2012 10:43 pm

The warehouse manager at NW Signal was a seriously cool guy so I was really sad to hear that he retired last year. He had no qualms in giving me a tour each time I dropped in and took great enthusiasm in showing me what was new, what he'd found and the special projects they were working on. He even helped me out with a replacement terminal block for my TCT when I broke that. :Phil:

I haven't been down since he left so I don't know if his replacement is quite as high up on the awesome-meter.

by **traffictechgreg** on Fri Nov 30, 2012 5:18 pm

3Mfanatic wrote:The warehouse manager at NW Signal was a seriously cool guy so I was really sad to hear that he retired last year. He had no qualms in giving me a tour each time I dropped in and took great enthusiasm in showing me what was new, what he'd found and the special projects they were working on. He even helped me out with a replacement terminal block for my TCT when I broke that. I haven't been down since he left so I don't know if his replacement is quite as high up on the awesome-meter.

Unforntunately, I don't think this controller is PennDOT approved yet.. I also met a nice technical guy over there through something I wrote in the IMSA Journal; his name was Ryan McKibben. He offered to give me a tour next time I was out there :cool:

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