Weekend Update 5/21/23

[Bendtracker1]

Made some progress on my two crummies this weekend.

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=23915.msg770725#new

[oakcreekco]

I didn't get banned for last weekend's HO GP35 project, so I'll post a follow up on it.

Received a batch of 1k and 2k resistors on Saturday for the Sunny White LED's.

I stripped down the factory light board and shaved off bottom portions of the board so it would sit flat and "piggy back" the Digitrax board.

My reasoning was to utilize the factory LED light shields and use the stock factory light pipes.

I've completed the install on one loco using the 1k resistors, and set up the Decoder for Rule 17 dimming the head lights on either side when in reverse.

They look good, and as many have stated, very bright. I'm going to try out the 2k resistor on the other GP35 to compare brightness.

It is nice getting away from any blue tint in lighting. The Sunny Whites are very nice.

A few pics of the factory light board piggy backing.

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[oakcreekco]

[ Guests cannot view attachments ] [ Guests cannot view attachments ] Cab light forward and reverse

[Jesse6669]

I'm away from home this week but I hadn't posted an update on the progress on the T-scale H24-66 over the last few weeks, and since I'm in SP commuter country (SF Bay area) this seems appropriate.

The Train Master design was modified with SP details and I finalized the design of the Pullman bi-level gallery car.  I made up some decals but only got around to testing them on the gallery car.  Flush-fitting windows and extended couplers remain to be applied. The bi-level is riding on a commercial TGauge adjustable chassis and trucks, and I'm going to compare this setup vs. with the more scale-sized/appearance CCE coupler and GSC-41 trucks to see how they compare in performance and durability.

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The TM was printed with DMD-21 resin.  I'm trying this resin to eliminate handrail distortion with some success, but I have more tests to do when I return.  The DMD-21 is rather brittle.  I want to try out an 80/20 mix of Phrozen Aqua 8K and Phrozen Onyx which should be stronger and was recommended by another modeler.  I also tried spot-curing the handrails with a UV LED (from the JB Weld UV glue).  Now, this seems promising but I need to work out the process better as I need to hold them plumb while curing using tweezers.. I need a third hand.   

Anyway, with all this SP equipment it looks like I'll eventually have to do an SP module of some sort.  The San Francisco 4th Street Tower looks like it would be fun to model, and maybe the station at 3rd/Townsend, but that would be a bigger scope of work. 

-Jesse

[Dave V]

I modified a Blackstone HOn3 class 70 (C-19) 2-8-0 to look like Silverton Northern #4. The real SNRR #4 survived looking much like this until 1943 when she was dragged from the still-extant Silverton Northern engine house in--you guessed it--Silverton, CO, with her sisters #3 and ex-SG&N #34, to be sent to Alaska's White Pass & Yukon Railway for the war effort. SNRR #4 did come home to the lower 48 after the war was over, but only to meet the scrappers' torch.

SNRR #4 wasn't used very much after the early 1930s...the brief late-30s mining boom that brought the Silverton Northern back to life was handled with #3 and #34. However, of the three aforementioned engines, my existing Blackstone (former D&RG 401) looked the most like #4. It's not hard to imagine an ever-so-slightly-alternate reality in which the RGS--founded by the same Otto Mears as founded the SNRR--was strapped enough for power in the World War II crunch that they leased otherwise-unoccupied SNRR #4.

I added an etched number plate from Toma Locomotive Works in Japan, a Precision Scale arc lamp headlight, a micro-mini LED for said headlight (please don't ask me anything about this LED...I found it in my parts box!), and then hand-lettered the engine from Microscale alphabet sets to match the prototype.

[Lemosteam]

Really digging the water application. Save from my hand going numb, I could enjoy this all day.



Added some additional thickness in the channel. Wish it were faster to thicken the depth, but I guess I have the rest of my life!

[garethashenden]

I didn't get banned for last weekend's HO GP35 project, so I'll post a follow up on it.

Its the All-Scales Weekend Update. Everyone is welcome.

[garethashenden]

Almost done with this little 0-4-0 tank. Its a very well designed kit.

[chuck geiger]

This, that and the other...Still moving scenes around and creating good size inventory of "stuff" going into
Trading Post in June. Once I finalized that this layout is working and I like it, time to thin the herd.

[wm3798]

Still mucking out for the move.  Today I salvaged turnouts and other odds and ends from my old office layout (circa 2015-2019)



I enjoyed building it, but running a small, ops oriented DCC layout was less satisfying than I anticipated.  But it was an important step toward my current retro ethos.



It was fun while it lasted!
Lee

[TrainCat2]

Still working on the first building of the iron works, but I am nearly done with the construction.





Been rattlin the knoodle on the issue of sidewalks. Here are N-Scale sidewalks from CMR and the slabs are 37in sq (yeah, the glare make it impossible to see the etching). To use the N, the buildings would have to fit inside the sidewalk which presents a problem if there is a recess like the freight doors.



On the other hand, here are HO from CMR which would have a 6ft sq slab and they are wide enough where the buildings would sit on the sidewalk. After some frequent starring at the differences, the layout will get the HO.

[lock4244]

Whether it is or not based on them, this makes me think of BR&P towers. Looks really good.

[Guilford Guy]

After a few years of twiddling my thumbs I finally got around to having decals made up...

[peteski]

. . .
I've completed the install on one loco using the 1k resistors, and set up the Decoder for Rule 17 dimming the head lights on either side when in reverse.

They look good, and as many have stated, very bright. I'm going to try out the 2k resistor on the other GP35 to compare brightness.

Good to see a custom LED install.

But (unlike what one would expect), of the LEDs are very bright, replacing 1k with 2k resistor will  not make it half as bright. It will likely not result in appreciable change in brightness. With white LEDs beign very efficient, you might need to go up to larger value resistors.  5.7k or 6.8k, or even higher.  Since I assume you bought bunch of those  resistors, a good thing to try would be to temporarily install more resistors in series, until you get to the desired brightness. Connected in series, the total resistance is a sum of all the resistors.  So, if you connect three 2k resistors, it creates a 6k resistor.  Once you know that, you can buy the resistors with values which will be usable for the desired brightness (or if there is enough room in your large H0 models, just permanently install the series=connected resistors. 

[oakcreekco]

Good to see a custom LED install.

But (unlike what one would expect), of the LEDs are very bright, replacing 1k with 2k resistor will  not make it half as bright. It will likely not result in appreciable change in brightness. With white LEDs beign very efficient, you might need to go up to larger value resistors.  5.7k or 6.8k, or even higher.  Since I assume you bought bunch of those  resistors, a good thing to try would be to temporarily install more resistors in series, until you get to the desired brightness. Connected in series, the total resistance is a sum of all the resistors.  So, if you connect three 2k resistors, it creates a 6k resistor.  Once you know that, you can buy the resistors with values which will be usable for the desired brightness (or if there is enough room in your large H0 models, just permanently install the series=connected resistors. 

Thanks.

I found a vendor in CA that has good variety of these 1% 1/4 watt metal films in numerous ratings.

I purchased 80 1k and 80 2k for $8.00 with free shipping. I was impressed with fast shipping, and resistors were packaged in the electronics anti static type ziplock bag.

Plenty of room to series up easily. Might just try 3 2k's to see what it looks like.

They are bright, but growing on me while doing some operation today. Best appearing LED through a long light pipe that I've had.

Appreciate the comments and help.