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Ho vehicles with lights

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  • From: Anaheim, CA Bayfield, CO
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Posted by Southwest Chief on Sunday, September 30, 2007 12:29 PM

 UP2CSX wrote:
I've never seen that Busch model before and it looks like old stock. I notice the seller does not show the front or rear of the vehicle. I'll bet there's a reason. Smile [:)]

No reason to show the front.  It isn't a bad kitbash or custom work, Busch made these. 

It's a great model (I have a brown one).  Has both headlights and taillights.  All I had to do was drill a hole in the layout to run the wires to my structure light feed (using a resistor to reduce volts to 1.5) and I'm good to go.

Not even old stock, you can still get these.  Try looking in your Walthers catalog next time:

Busch Lighted Pick-up 

And back to the main topic, I wish this custom light guy would do more vintage vehicles (50s - 40s). 

Matt from Anaheim, CA and Bayfield, CO
Click Here for my model train photo website

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Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, September 30, 2007 12:51 PM
Says the pick up is on sale TODAY at Walthers for sixteen dollars
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Posted by UP2CSX on Sunday, September 30, 2007 1:48 PM

 lost railroader wrote:
Says the pick up is on sale TODAY at Walthers for sixteen dollars

Indeed it does. I haven't seen Busch package a vehicle like that in a while, which is why I said it looked like old stock, not that the model itself isn't in production. Regardless, if Matt has one and likes it, time to snap 'em up for 16 bucks. That's a great deal for a lighted Busch vehicle.

Regards, Jim
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Posted by UP2CSX on Sunday, September 30, 2007 2:54 PM

 lost railroader wrote:
Says the pick up is on sale TODAY at Walthers for sixteen dollars

Thanks for the head's up, Matt and LR. I just ordered two pickups. Matt, do they come with resistors and, if not, what value resistor did you use?

Regards, Jim
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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, October 1, 2007 9:40 AM
UP2  would you update us when yours arrive? lost out on the police car but going to try another
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Posted by UP2CSX on Monday, October 1, 2007 1:08 PM
LR, sure will. Since I've got two of Kim's vehicles and will have two of the Busch pickups, I should be able to do a pretty good side-by-side comparision.
Regards, Jim
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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, October 1, 2007 2:53 PM
That would be great, she has all kinds of stuff listed now, another police car and a fire engine. which both already have bids so we will see. these are made with led's.
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Posted by cjcrescent on Monday, October 1, 2007 4:09 PM
 river_eagle wrote:
 UP2CSX wrote:
 river_eagle wrote:

ready to install kits for police fire and other emergency/maintence vehicles

plus other cool lighting stuff

http://www.ironpeng.com/ipe/

Holy cow! $25 for two flashing blue LED's, a circuit board, and 12" of wire? That's it, you still have buy the police car, take it apart, ream out the light bar, install the lights, stuff the circuit board in somewhere, and then put things back together without breaking anything? I think I'll pass on this one.   

they are ment to be the focus of the scene, they don't just blink on and off like most, they have a computer chip to simulate the pattern and cycle of the real thing, even the bubble gum type ramp up to a strobe  then fade, it actually looks like it's turning

UP2CSX; 

Bob is quite right! If you haven't seen Mikes work, you need to before "complaining" about his prices. His displays were always crowded at GATS, and other train shows. He works primarily in N-scale, where he does some absolutely amazing work with his circuits. He started doing HO because he was asked to. He also sells the vechicles with the circuits and leds already installed and ready to place on the layout. His lightbars work better than any I've ever seen. You may think his prices are high, but he uses programmable chips to develop his light patterns with.

I'm in no way associated with Mike other than seeing his work at train shows. Mikes ability to work with his circuits and installations in vechicles has impressed alot of modelers the past several years.

Edit: 

I left something out.  Mike told us he always has many more vechicles for sale at the train shows than what he listed on his site. If you get a chance to see him at a show he will generally have at least one or two models for sale that are used in his display, which is 10 to 15 models.

Carey

Keep it between the Rails

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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, October 1, 2007 4:11 PM
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Posted by UP2CSX on Monday, October 1, 2007 5:37 PM

Carey,

I'd love to see some his work at a train show. Do we have them in Alabama? I've been here for a year and half and the only one I heard about was up in Huntsville, which is a fur piece from me. Smile [:)]

As I responded previously, I'm sure his work is very impressive. It's just not at a price level that most modelers are going to pay.

Regards, Jim
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Posted by cjcrescent on Monday, October 1, 2007 6:41 PM

Jim;

His new schedule is not on his website yet, so I can't say. I do know that there won't be a show here in B'ham this year, maybe next. He did come to every one we hosted here. 

ps, contact me offline if you don't mind.

 

Carey

Keep it between the Rails

Alabama Central Homepage

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Posted by jktrains on Monday, October 1, 2007 7:21 PM

 UP2CSX wrote:
JK, you've done a great job with lights all over you layout, including the signs. As I remember, you were going to give us the lowdown on how you did that lit gas station sign....hint...hint. Smile [:)] 

Give me two weeks to past my busy time at work and then I'll do a thread on it.  If I forget, be sure to remind me.

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Posted by Southwest Chief on Monday, October 1, 2007 11:02 PM

 UP2CSX wrote:
Matt, do they come with resistors and, if not, what value resistor did you use?

Hi Jim,

Sorry for the late reply, I've been busy working on a passenger car bash.

The Busch pickup does not come with resistors (as far as I can remember).  I'll look under the layout to see what resistor I used, guessing around a 1K since my building power is 12 volts.  But I'll check for sure, including what the voltage coming off my line is.

 

Matt from Anaheim, CA and Bayfield, CO
Click Here for my model train photo website

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Posted by UP2CSX on Monday, October 1, 2007 11:08 PM

Carey, I'll PM you. There don't seem to be a whole bunch of us down here in the Heart of Dixie. Smile [:)]

Matt, thanks for checking. My experience with Busch is they are either a little light on directions or it's all in German.

JK, I'll be waiting with baited breath for your pictorial on that sign. You're on my to-do list now. Big Smile [:D]

Regards, Jim
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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, October 1, 2007 11:30 PM

Try using an old DC powerpak. Hook your lights up to the track power connections, and slowly advance the throttle, until you get the right brightness. Then measure it with a voltmeter. This is also handy for lots of other lights. I find some bulbs rated at 12 volts, are too dim on 12 volts. You can also get small transformers in various voltages at RadioShack, for ten dollars or less.

Also, on the tailight question, most 50s and 60s cars did have round tail lights.

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Posted by cjcrescent on Tuesday, October 2, 2007 12:06 AM
 UP2CSX wrote:

Carey, I'll PM you. There don't seem to be a whole bunch of us down here in the Heart of Dixie. Smile [:)]

There's more than you think, which is why I would like you to PM me. 

Carey

Keep it between the Rails

Alabama Central Homepage

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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 2, 2007 10:00 PM

Dissecting...................Got my 55 Chevy in the mail today, here is a picture of the inside, theres two leads coming off each lamp to a wire, then the two wires lead out underneath.

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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, October 3, 2007 8:48 AM

Here is something different

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Posted by jonnyci on Wednesday, October 3, 2007 12:03 PM
No pics of 55 Chevy.
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Posted by PHARMD98233 on Wednesday, October 3, 2007 12:06 PM

Lost railroader,

I am interested in seeing the results of your disection, but the photos did not come through for me.  Are you using photobucket or another similar service?

Thanks

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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, October 3, 2007 8:35 PM
I'm using photo bucket? I can see them, there are two pictures of the 55 chevy apart and upside down open to see ??? No one else is seeing them?
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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, October 3, 2007 8:38 PM

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Posted by Southwest Chief on Thursday, October 4, 2007 3:01 AM

Jim about the resistor value.

Well I looked under the board and couldn't really figure out what I'm hooked up to.  The town lights are pretty haphazard and it's a bit messy.  Most go into a terminal strip under the layout and then what goes where is a bigger mystery.  So long over due for a complete rewiring.  My track wiring is the complete opposite, color coded and easy to follow.  I guess the town lights adapted as the town grew.  Not sure what goes where now Confused [%-)]

Anyway my stupid volt meter's battery died out so I have no clue what volts my pickup lights are hooked up to.  But as far as I can tell the nearest resistor is a 670.  Sorry I couldn't be more help.

Matt from Anaheim, CA and Bayfield, CO
Click Here for my model train photo website

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Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, October 4, 2007 1:19 PM

if the lights are led's 690 Ohm and 560 Ohm shoud work, lamps I'm not sure,

these auctions end tonight:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=180164121269&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT&ih=008

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Posted by Anonymous on Friday, October 5, 2007 7:33 PM

Greetings all,

 I'm the "Mike" of IronPenguin Electronics whose light boards are being discussed here. I appreciate the kind words from some and have no problem with those who wonder if my boards/cars are worth what I ask for them.

 I think the main difference in my boards from others is the very realistic effects I've created. The strobes aren't just a simple on/off blinking but took hours of experimentation with the programmable chip to get the right effect. Each strobe is actually three different length flashes and combined, it looks very realistic. I haven't seen any other board that even comes close. The boards use tiny Surface Mount LEDS which require very precise soldering of wires, but they can fit in almost any scale vehicle. The LEDS (especially the blues) are somewhat pricey, so that does drive the cost up a little.

I do a variety of custom install for shows, though I'm a bit behind right now. I recently "unretired" and became Athletic Director and PE instructor at a small Catholic school and that has taken a lot my time lately. My girls' Middle school Volleyball team (which I coach) just won the District Championship and that consumed hours of time.

Each of the custom installs I do take hours to do and is precise,  sometimes difficult work.  I think I charge a reasonable rate considering the quality, but have no real quibble with those who don't wish to pay what I ask.

I will update my website for shows coming up. I'll be in Deland Florida tomorrow and at the Greenberg show in Atlanta in November.

Mike Tennent

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Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, October 6, 2007 11:52 AM
Mike, nice to hear from you, and I'm sure many of us would LOVE to see your work. thanks
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Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, October 6, 2007 11:56 AM

check these out

 

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Posted by UP2CSX on Sunday, October 7, 2007 12:30 AM

Mike, I'm sure your work is really nice looking and I'm hoping you get to a train show somewhere within a reasonable distance of me. I'm sure I could be persuaded to part with a few bucks for nice stobe lights.

LR, where did you get those pictures. The light bar on the 55 Chevy looks pretty hokey since that type of light bar wasn't developed until about 1980 but that utility cherry picker looks pretty interesting.  

Regards, Jim
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Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, October 7, 2007 9:04 AM
I'm sorry, thought I answered. they came from the same person I have been watching on e bay. I thought the same thing, I thought there should be a bubble in the middle though. I bought the 55 chevy from her, 5 bucks. pretty cool but trying to figure how to add tail lights to mine. The maintenaince truck is hers, its listed now on e bay search item #180166466779 and its there. she had an ambulance that was pretty cool, but it went for 25 bucks. now theres another listed, and by the way the truck is up to 18 bucks. she has some good stuff.
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Posted by cjcrescent on Sunday, October 7, 2007 9:50 AM
 CofGaMike wrote:

Greetings all,

 I'm the "Mike" of IronPenguin Electronics whose light boards are being discussed here. I appreciate the kind words from some and have no problem with those who wonder if my boards/cars are worth what I ask for them.

Mike Tennent

Mike!

Great to hear from you! I knew that I hadn't seen you since Whit Fancher and I worked that last show in Bessemer two or three years ago. (I'm the guy with the cane.) Are you still doing triathelons?

Anyway I can attest that your work with lights are the best effects I'd ever seen and I feel that there are none better for the investment. One of these days I'm gonna have to get me some. 

 

Carey

Keep it between the Rails

Alabama Central Homepage

Nara member #128

NMRA &SER Life member

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