I just finished working on a model of an interlocking tower. After looking at it, it seems to be kind of sparse around the base so I decided it might need some "stuff" around it... you know, signal boxes, relay boxes, tool lockers, etc.
So, where can I find some small plastic boxes to serve such a purpose? I figure I'll need them about 1.25" x .625" x .375" or thereabouts. Even if I could find some plastic bar about that size, I could cut, paint & trim them out. I "could" get wood, cut it to size, paint it with a thick paint to hide the grain then go from there. But plastic would be so much easier for me to work with.
The only small boxes like that I remember seeing were part of a larger model kit; I'm not interested in buying several kits just to get a few relay boxes, etc.
Anyone have any ideas?
Thanks.
dlm
Dan--
Both WS and Preiser have lots of neat 'stuff' you can use around your buildings and yards. You might check them out in the 'figures' section of the Walthers catalogue.
Tom
Tom View my layout photos! http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm310/TWhite-014/Rio%20Grande%20Yuba%20River%20Sub One can NEVER have too many Articulateds!
If your tower had an old 'armstrong' interlocking machine, the bare area between it and the rails would be full of the 'plumbing' used to transmit movement from the levers in the tower to the switches (and, in really old installations, signals) of the interlocking. Modern electrified installations often had above-ground conduits to the switch motors and signals.
There's some 'clutter' that has a valid reason for existence.
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with mechanical interlocking)
http://66.241.223.134/Page/products.html
Jaks is is another company that sells a bunch of detail "stuff"
http://www.greenwayproducts.com/a_clutter.shtml
So is Greenway Products.
Interloclocking tower:
How about 4 working 'Searchlight* signals and the switchman's automobile?
* DPDT / Toggle operated, bi-polar (R)(G) LED's.
I may have hit upon a solution for my boxes... I was at the local Lowe's tonight and found some wood that was 1/2" x 3/4" x 8' long. It cost a whole $3 and some change. I also picked up a can of silver spray paint.
At home on my large table saw, I cut about 16 pieces about 6" long with a 75° angle on each end. I took them to the basement where I have a little Xacto or Dremel table saw (can't remember which) and cut an inch off the ends of the pieces. So I have about 30 little pieces 1" x 3/4" x 1/2" with a 15° sloped top on them. My next step will be to sand them up a bit then cut plastic tops for them that are about 1/16" wider all the way around. After I glue those in place, I'll hit them with several coats of silver spray paint to hopefully hide most of the wood grain. When they are dry, I'll probably make some decals with a little detail for them... a lock, some hinges & louvers, etc.
If all goes well, I'll be fixed for life with small signal boxes... unless I'm attacked by termites! : )
Thanks for your help.