Weekend Update 1/2/22

[craigolio1]

A few shots from my Biddle engine facility.





An overview of the shops can be seen on my thread: https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=23915.msg730016#msg730016

This looks fantastic!!

[Bendtracker1]

This looks fantastic!!

Thank you!

[nkalanaga]

"Please excuse the pink plain."

I've seen ground about that color in western South Dakota and parts of Utah.

[TW877]

Nice to see this.  How is the color quality on the 3mm LEDs?  (I hate the SMD trend on ddecoders.)

Color appears OK to me. Would classify it as somewhere between bright and sunny white, no blue perceptible to my eye, so I'm fine with it for modern diesels. For older locomotives it might be a little to much on the white side.

[TW877]

Very nice Chris.  Whenever possible I also strive for no "umbilical cord" between chassis and the shell light installs.  How feasible would it be doing alternating ditch lights with this type of install?

It can be done. In fact, I have done it with a SD70ACe that I converted to a Next18 ESU decoder a year ago (just before ESU announced the direct decoder...). Obviously you need two LED for the ditchlights and you need to split the light tubes lengthwise to separate the ditchlights.

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LED on the front of the board for independent ditchlights

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Light tube separated from the headlights by black tape, then shortened and split lengthwise, with a black tape strip in between to avoid light bleed between the two ditchlights. This strip extends into the slot between the LEDs on the board.

[peteski]

It can be done. In fact, I have done it with a SD70ACe that I converted to a Next18 ESU decoder a year ago (just before ESU announced the direct decoder...). Obviously you need two LED for the ditchlights and you need to split the light tubes lengthwise to separate the ditchlights.

LED on the front of the board for independent ditchlights

Light tube separated from the headlights by black tape, then shortened and split lengthwise, with a black tape strip in between to avoid light bleed between the two ditchlights. This strip extends into the slot between the LEDs on the board.

Thanks TW877.

[chuck geiger]

First snow storm and cold temps set the stage to JFRT this weekend.  Spotting some paper at the printing company:



Swapping a few tank cars of chemicals:



  Frank

What kind of turnout control do I spy?

[amato1969]

Good eye @chuck geiger !  Kind of blurry, but it is an NZT ground throw (decorative only). 

I use a toothpick to throw the points, and rely on friction to hold them.  DCC Specialties juicers take care of the frog polarity.

I'll get a close-up pic of the NZT product over in my layout thread.

  Frank

[rickb773]

Farmers Market Day at the Station





More photos: https://rickb773-prsl.blogspot.com/

[Ed Kapuscinski]

More progress on the New NCR.

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=51537.msg730136#msg730136