Hi to all
I have been making the dummy lights on the Walther's Crane functional. first I had to drill out the dummy spot lights and install some 0603 LED's with 36ga mag wire. I used Crystal Clear from Microsacle to fill them in for the lenses.
Then I used part of an old Bachmann circut board and modified it with some surface mount 1k ohm resistors. For the decoder I am using a TCS MC4 it is a 4 function decoder. I am going to make the tail lamps functional also and adding a beacon.
This is the circut board with decoder wired to it.
This is it with the lights wired in.
And below the end result of the front lights
And now the rear light
And now I will work on the tail lights, I am still waiting for the beacon to arrive at LHS. When it is done the owner of LHS is going to weather it.
I will keep posting progress for those interested.
Truck.
Nice job.
BTW your work bench looks very similar to mine. Parts and pieces in easy reach.
Pete
I pray every day I break even, Cause I can really use the money!
I started with nothing and still have most of it left!
Nice. BTW for those not up to soldering SMT resistors on a re-used piece of circuit board, Ulrich Models now has a board that provided for up to 8 functions with droppign resistors and then connection tabs to solder the wires to for each of the functions. Basically exactly what Truck did but pre-made and ready to go.
Can't wait to see the finished product, the lights will really bring it to life. Call me a toy train guy or somethign, but I liek when lights actually light up - and on our old layouts we ALWAYS lit every structure, somethign I plan to continue doing.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Thanks for the info on the circut boards Randy, I did not know such a thing was available, they will save a lot of time on the next one. The LHS owner wants me to do one for his instore layout.
We did something similar using smd LEDs and modified/formed the LEDs themselves, then painted. Had to use 1500 ohm resistors to avoid being over bright. Just wired them to the MC4.
Richard
Truck Thanks for the info on the circut boards Randy, I did not know such a thing was available, they will save a lot of time on the next one. The LHS owner wants me to do one for his instore layout. Truck.
I didn't either until I just read the most recent issue of that free downloadable magazine. Bruce Petrarca's DCC column mentioned them. By the time something comes up that I migth need them, I'll probably forget again - my era and prototype never needs any lighting in the locos other than a headlight, none of those modern ditch lights and flashing beacons in my stuff.
Truck!
Great job on the lights!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!