The Very Last White River and Northern Railroad

[basementcalling]

Second Hand Lee's?

I would think you rate at least a Vintage Lee's

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I didn't cause it. I just happened to be in charge of the grill when it happened. I blame many years of not cleaning the damn thing.

[Point353]

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).

Can the lights at the ends of the gates be made to stay on constantly - rather than to flash - when the gates are in operation?

[Dave V]

Holy crapsnacks DKS, that's high art there.

[wcfn100]

What happens if you wire an LED to both sides of a flashing circuit?

Jason

[Chris333]

I think he's over the flashing by now.

[DKS]

Can the lights at the ends of the gates be made to stay on constantly - rather than to flash - when the gates are in operation?

In theory they can, but at the time I built the gates, it was beyond my capability. It would still be a challenge now, requiring some hairy wiring that would compromise it visually.

What happens if you wire an LED to both sides of a flashing circuit?

With the circuit I designed, it'll blink. These lights all work on two wires, instead of the usual three. So it's not an option without working up a kludge.

I think he's over the flashing by now.

Yeah, getting there.

[RAILCAT]

Outstanding work. Your work is inspirational. I have to have ago at the crossing.

[wm3798]

The trick will be to run anachronistic equipment that's painted in the wrong scheme anyway, then only the most pedantic retiree from United Switch and Signal would notice that a light is blinking when it shouldn't be.

Lee

[Dave V]

...only the most pedantic retiree from United Switch and Signal would notice that a light is blinking when it shouldn't be.

Lee

Heh, this is what I was thinking too.  Of the many things that would keep me awake at night, if I had scratchbuilt a fully operational properly scaled N scale crossing gate on my layout with all the correct blinky lights blinking except for one which looks really cool blinking but apparently shouldn't...would not be one of them.

I think it looks better blinking anyway.  Sometimes the prototype is the problem.   

[LKOrailroad]

The trick will be to run anachronistic equipment that's painted in the wrong scheme anyway, then only the most pedantic retiree from United Switch and Signal would notice that a light is blinking when it shouldn't be.

Lee

Hard to miss the juxtaposition irony. Contrast against the insane level of detail and scrutiny, and discussions regarding such, some modelers put into their locomotives and rolling stock. I'm not one of them but the forums are chock full of people who do.

I don't think anyone in their right mind would tear apart finished working signals, especially ones so nice, to correct the discrepancy. However, it is noteworthy for the person planning or in the process of making signals.

[DKS]

@Dave V once shared a maxim that applies here: Perfect is the enemy of good.

[Dave V]

@Dave V once shared a maxim that applies here: Perfect is the enemy of good.

That's a well-worn military maxim.  Or, as Patton is alleged to have said, "A good plan, violently executed now, is better than a perfect plan next week."

[wm3798]

Just make sure the goddam second floor windows line up.

Lee

[DKS]

A progress shot of Phil's. I just finished the jazz trio...



The three figures are from wildly different sources. The sax player is from a Preiser marching band; the bass player is a Preiser party waiter; and on drums is a Kato Japanese commuter checking his cell phone. All were modified to varying degrees, repainted, and posed with their instruments. The bass is simply a silhouette whittled from a piece of black styrene. The drum set (researched from 1950s jazz drum sets) is made from various brass tubing, cut and soldered, with Scotch tape as the bass drum skin; cymbals are NGineering lamp shades glued to small, clipped-off pins. Thankfully I didn't need to make a sax, and the sax player's original band hat neatly became a Derbie with a little trimming. Again, this will all be viewed through windows with fairly dim lighting, so it ought to look "better" than a fully-lit macro shot...

Still to come are bottles, glasses, food plates, napkins, etc.