Century Foundry Signal kits are available

[TrainCat2]

Arbomambo, the differences you see in pics can be explained. ATSF used two predominate arrangements:

When trackside, the target were to the left of the mast (when viewed from the front) and both targets where the same distance from the mast. When viewed from the side, both targets were in the same plane and were a few inches forward of the mast. ATSF predominately used the familiar Y-ladder and platforms on the trackside signals.

When installed between the tracks, the ATSF signal resembled the SP signal in that the targets were mounted in-line with the mast (when viewed from the front) and the upper target had a shorter bracket arm than the lower target. These signals almost always used the single angled ladder that curved up to the mast.



Hope that helps in clearing up the differences.

[arbomambo]

Bob,
thanks for the info....that helps!...since these will be trackside, I'll keep them offset, and keep the electrical cabinets oriented this way.!
~Bruce

[peteski]

Peteski,

Soldering SS isn't that difficult if you use the proper flux.  Once again H&N Electronics comes to the rescue with Superior No. 71 and 78 soldering paste and gel flux formulated for "hard to solder metals", including SS...available here: http://www.ccis.com/home/hn/page27.html

I use it for soldering SS running boards to brass mounting tabs on my brass caboose superdetailing projects.

The 96/4 Tin/Silver solder is a good choice too, and a resistance soldering station is invaluable 'cause it allows simultaneous clamping and soldering with the "tweezer" handpiece on really fine, small parts.

Good info - thanks Bob!

[amato1969]

Totally hot!  I will be picking up several of these.  Design of the heads looks much less fiddly than the fold-up style I have been working with...

  Frank

[arbomambo]

after a quick paint job...I placed the signal in the roughed-out position on my little layout-in-progress...forgive the 'lean'...just wanted to take some pics with an engine in the shot to show the scale perspective...
I still need to flare the end of the fiber-optic cable and thread it through...I'll scure it with Krystal Kleer, then paint the protruding cable silver....decal the placard, liquid mask the 'lens', then an acrylic flat coat...voila! (note-I changed the orientation of the electrical cabinet after perusing more pics.
Obviously, I'm very excited about these products, and am looking forward to building and installing more...including the beautiful Wig Wag, and power poles!
More pics as progress continues.
Thanks for looking,
~Bruce

[JoeW]

Joe,
it's me (the ferocious bulldog again).    I'm not sure if I should be honored or upset to be singled out in your blog. 

It is about the stainless etched ladders.  When building this type of a kit, I prefer to solder parts together for the strongest and cleanest build.  I realize that stainless steel is stiffer than brass, but it doesn't solder easily.  And using a CA glue (or epoxy) will likely result in weaker joints.  And the glues (for strength) have to be applied thicker than solder.

To me the sturdiness of the entire assembly would have trumped the stiffness of the parts themselves.  It is still a very fine kit, but I would have preferred brass ladders. 

I'm also curious as to the diameter of the fiber optic.

Peteski  I am just glad that you see that I am paying attention.  Constructive critique is  welcomed.
I am using ac glue, I think the suggestion by Robert 3985 may be worth considering in your case but for the life of me I don't understand the need.  But if you must, be very careful doing resistance soldering around cast parts.
JoeW

[arbomambo]

some better pics, which show the signal in a better light...(NOT leaning)...I placed a square of cork to the side of the track where the signal will be located...this brings the signal 'up' to the proper height in relation to the rail.
Thanks for looking,
~Bruce

[ednadolski]

Exquisite! 

Ed

[Cajonpassfan]

Yeah, leave it to Bruce to take a perfectly good kit and turn it into something ...well, terrific!
Bruce, when you get it down pat, can you build a couple of dozen of these for me?
Looking good, and I love the ability to customize each signal per prototype!
Best, Otto K.

[railnerd]

Thanks for posting the pics!  Kits #513, #514, and #516 ordered this evening... Now I just need some more time.

-Dave

[arbomambo]

a quick 'tease' of the product being developed to really make these signals SHINE by focusing the light from the LED into the fiber-optic cable lighting these little gems!...this little kit is going to really make a difference!
These new items from Century Foundry really have me excited!
~Bruce

[C855B]

a quick 'tease' of the product being developed to really make these signals SHINE by focusing the light from the LED into the fiber-optic cable lighting these little gems!...this little kit is going to really make a difference!
These new items from Century Foundry really have me excited!

Very novel! I was musing over what I would have to cobble together to get a good optical connection between the LED assembly and the fiber optic. I've worked with some optical epoxies in the past and was thinking that route, but this well-thought-out mounting system surely makes the entire job easier.

[arbomambo]

I started assembling the new pre-production fiber-optic LED light focuser for these beautiful signal kits...

I, first, heat-flared one end of the fiber-optic cable, then threaded it through the signal head, out the back, then down into the drilled hole in the mast, then all the way through, to hang below the signal.
I secured the flare end into the signal face with a bid drop of Johnson & Johnson 'Future' floor wax,; an acrylic clear coat with an unrivaled clear-coat glossy finish...this not only 'glues' the end of the fiber-optic cable into the signal head, but also has the effect of creating a larger clear 'lens', AND helping the flared end of the fiber-optic cable to intensify the LED-created light even more.
Once the clear 'lens' was dry, and the fiber-optic was secure, I painted the exposed cable the same Floquil bright silver as the rest of the signal was painted.






Per the instructions, I threaded the loose end of the of the fiber-optic cable  through the cast, cylindrical  'focuser'. then through the provided small diameter brass tubing....the I heat-flared this end. This is the end that will receive the light directly from the tri-color LED. I made a clean slice with an exacto knife through the heat-flared end in order to provide a flat surface to this end; it will help to gather more light.

 




I, then, pulled the fiber-optic cable through the brass tube until the flared end was flush with the tube; I secured it here the same way as the signal head, with a drop of Future acrylic floor liquid.






When that was dry, I pulled the tube back into the cast white metal cylindrical focuser, and secure it all the same way.






This cylinder will slide into the bracket that hold the LED and attatches to the underside of the layout. A pretty ingenious way to light a signal! (if an LED fails, it can easily be replace while leaving the signal and it's fiber-optic strand in place on and under the layout!
More to follow....
~Bruce

[arbomambo]

Hello all...
I wad off of work today, and finally, had some time to post a few pics of the signals from Century Foundry/Showcase Miniatures, lit with a tri-color LED and fiber-optics, using the prototype 'focuse' and bracket sent to me by Walter and Debbie...
I couldn't be more happy with the results...I used a 9 volt battery with a box and two leads, soldered the leads to 6 position rotary switch. I used a 1000ohm resistor on the anode wire...and split it to three separate leads and soldered them to individual terminals on one side of the rotary switch; like wise, I soldered the three 'color' wires to seperate terminals on the opposite side of the rotary switch...
Now I can manually set the signal aspect once I mount the switch and knob on the fascia of the small Kingman Canyon layout (this will be the only signal on this layout; I can't wait to build a few modules so I can create a scene using multiples of these great kits!
The tiny LED kindly supplied with the trial focuser /bracket kit is quite bright..far too bright to use as the actual signal head...the effect with the fiber optic is exactly what I want...a scale signal effect.
Forgive the slightly out of focus pics...also, after uploading these pics, I realized I wasn't shooting the signal 'straight on', but slightly offset...you can see the effect even when not looking directly at the signal.
Thanks for looking,
~Bruce

[ryan_wilkerson]

Looking good! I'm looking forward to getting a bulk pack of signals and the light focuser when available.