Well I've been body mounting. I thought I was doing good with one giant storage box done. While digging through looking for supplies I discovered a ton more cars to add to the list! Otherwise I've been working on my passenger fleet and some head end equipment like this reply steel sheathed express reefer. unfortunately I discovered I had numbered it for a wood reefer on accident! Oh well, I think I'll just live with it. This was made out of an atlas 50' reefer. I added some styrene along the top and built a new car for so I could lower it and add the passenger trucks. These were originally wood but got rebuilt with steel. I'm happy with it. Time to build quite a few more! Oh and an early challenger. Finally got to do my original idea from a long time ago with the em1 boiler. http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/ [IMG]http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/10/12/0fae62ed8ed4afbe73696015f67296fe.jpg
Currently working on: NJ Transit GP40FH-2 NJ Transit GP40PH-2 7 x Island Model Works Comet II cars for NJ Transit 5 x Island Model Works Multilevel cars for NJ Transit Converting a Kato RDC-1 to a NJ Transit Comet II Cab car (with directional lighting still installed on the cab end) I'll begin posting pictures on my website in a week or so. Got all of the Comets assembled, the engines kit bashed, the Kato kit bashed, and am working on finding the right configuration to attach the couplers to the multilevel cars.
I'm currently experimenting with using the arduino platform to create realistic signals using 2-lead bi-colour LED's. So far, I've cracked everything except flashing amber.
It's flashing yellow. Never call it flashing our blinking amber, especially in front a signal employee! Adam Draskovich Signal Construction Foreman BNSF Railway
Except that the false colour you get when you are rapidly switching between green and red is not yellow. At least that's how it is with the LED's I have on my test rig.
Yes it is. Its not a false color. Its the action of the searchlight mechanism losing the polarity that held the mechanism to allow light through the green roundal. When polarity is lost and the mechanism uses gravity to return to red (fail safe) the mechanism swings back and forth and inadvertently shows a very quick glint of light through the yellow roundal. Your signals are trying to mimic this very accurate action. Not trying to be a dic....... just giving you some prototype information I know a lot about. We have no amber signals in railroading.
Huh. I did not know that. However, when I said that it was amber on my test rig, I meant that I hadn't perfected the ratio of green to red to get a correct yellow. As a result, it actually is amber on my test rig at this point since fixing it only involves changing two numbers in the code while perfecting the two breakable infinite loops for flashing yellow is a bigger headache that needs to be solved.
You'd be surprised at how orange these newer color lights and older searchlight signals look in certain light. Color distortion can be a bad thing. That's why we're getting rid of lunars. The look to much like green in different lighting conditions
Especially if the yellow looks so orange that people start calling it amber. And while I haven't cracked blinking yellow yet, I've found that alternating between red being on for 1/1000 of a second and green being on for 1/100 of a second is giving a decent yellow on my test rig.
Well at least you for to learn about something 99% if the world knows absolutely nothing about. One found that most have a very skewed understanding of signal systems and how they actually work
Well, I figure that it's only a matter of time before someone develops a camera which would allow a true cab view without altering a locomotive shell in addition to having working lights and thus it's time to start taking a new perspective when it comes to elements on a layout.
Good idea! I'm actually going to run my own signal system. I've already completed the relay logic schematics. All I have left is to figure out what items I want to use for block detection and relay drivers
Has anyone made one of these GTW chop-nose geeps? (Not to mention the DT&I arches...:teeth I'd be interested in making one some time in the future.
I am re-decaling a Phase IVb SL II into Phase IV. I had already completely kitbashed one of these for each phase years ago, but figured I needed factory built ones as well!
Thanks Mike! I need to get to your store one of these days! I am from Albuquerque and my wife is from Hatch... It's just always so busy when we are home!
Here is a shot with the outer window gaskets painted red to look like the SL IIs did when they were delivered.
Sure , Give us a call when you are down this way and I will take you out to the fair grounds layout. Mike
