The Very Last White River and Northern Railroad

[LKOrailroad]

I think if you saw just how tiny this is in person, you'd realize the limitations. Think: scale 10" x 24"...

I understand. I live in an HO world. I have to keep that in mind.

[DKS]

...Maybe spray paint while holding a toothpick point in place...

Thanks for all of the suggestions. Bear in mind, an 0402 LED is as wide as the pole, and the tip of a toothpick is about the size of an 0201 LED. I've even considered making the pole UV-reactive, and shining UV light on it... No worries; even if it was illuminated, it would likely be so dim that it might not even be noticeable as being illuminated under normal viewing conditions.

[LKOrailroad]

No worries; even if it was illuminated, it would likely be so dim that it might not even be noticeable as being illuminated under normal viewing conditions.

You have to admit it sure would look cool when the lights are down. Miller Engineering eat your heart out.

[peteski]

I think if you saw just how tiny this is in person, you'd realize the limitations. Think: scale 10" x 24"...

Maybe taking a photo of it sitting on a coin, would give a better feel for its size. Like the fire engine lantern I once made.  Sitting within the "D" on a Dime.

[DKS]

Maybe taking a photo of it sitting on a coin, would give a better feel for its size. Like the fire engine lantern I once made.  Sitting within the "D" on a Dime.

Well, it's not that small, but it's still bloody small...



So, @peteski why haven't you illuminated that lantern?

[Jbub]

Well, it's not that small, but it's still bloody small...



So, @peteski why haven't you illuminated that lantern?

He wanted to but has to many other projects on the bench right now 

[wazzou]

DKS...have you considered a helix?   

[peteski]

Well, it's not that small, but it's still bloody small...



So, @peteski why haven't you illuminated that lantern?

Yes, my lantern is small, but it is not animated. 
And no, I have not considered illuminating it. It hangs on the rear the the fire engine, so I couldn't use a fiber optic, and even a 0201 LED (which wasn't available when I made that lantern) would be too large.  Besides, it is a kerosene lantern, and kerosene doesn't scale down very well. 

My hands also shake a bit nowadays, so I'm not sure if I could ever make anything that small again.

[ChristianJDavis1]

Just hide the wire with a figure facing the pole, with a bulb in hand getting ready to replace a blown-out one, hence the lack of illumination; maybe drop a toolbox at his feet.

[ChristianJDavis1]

Just be cautios with how much you try to hide it. Usually the more stuff you try to use to distract from something, the more you attract to the scene overall and your sins may be revealed.

[DKS]

I probably won't try to hide it at all. The wire is only visible when the light is ju-u-ust right.

[Kentuckian]

Just be cautios with how much you try to hide it. Usually the more stuff you try to use to distract from something, the more you attract to the scene overall and your sins may be revealed.

Mr. Davis, you are wise beyond your years. This advice is applicable to many areas of life.

[DKS]

Today I finished installing working crossing gates that I'd built 22 years ago for the WR&N IV (the one that appeared in GMR). They may be a tad modern for the layout's era, but ask me if I care. Note that the flashers are built on mini-phono jacks: this makes them removable from the layout to avoid damage it during construction, maintenance or cleaning. The gates operate by gravity: the arm naturally drops down; a pin that passes under the assembly engages a lever that lifts it, raising the gate.





I installed them on 15 April 2020, and it was quite the challenge, mostly because I'm very limited as to what I can do mechanism-wise because I can't do anything "under" the layout: everything must be crammed within a one-inch space between the base and the surface. I wound up installing the mechanism inside the brewery: it comprises a homemade linear drive that moves a slider back and forth. The slider has bars that engage levers which in turn engage the lift pins on the gates. The build took two days: the mechanicals were done on the first day, and the electrical on the second.



1. geared motor
2. clutch (prevents damage to motor and mechanism in case of a jam)
3. threaded drive rod
4. limit switches (stops movement at each end of travel)
5. slider
6. play-reduction spring (smoothes motion by limiting play)
7. lift actuators (rotate rods that lift the gates with levers under the layout)

The crossing gate assemblies plug into jacks on the layout.



   

[LKOrailroad]

Upvoted because I think what you built is really cool. The movement design is slick and your signals move very lifelike. That said, it is my understanding the outermost lamp on crossing arms is supposed to be steady not flashing. Is that correct?

[CRL]

Spectacular!!!!

I’ve never cared for the off the shelf crossing gates typically seen on layout because they operate in such a toylike manner. This is the best execution I’ve seen in n-scale.

I think my layout will now have unlighted cross bucks with no crossing gates. The unobtanium standard has been set.