recent modelling from KIM

[1-32]

Morning.
Basically just one track with one turnout I could have squeezed more in but really what is the point this shelf will have lots of good model time. Lawton I really like signals the white section behind helps with sighting say the signal is placed against a complicated background. I won't be using this one I want a wooden post that is attached to the face of the bridge controlling the entrance to the yard behind the signal will be a supporting structure of some sort. The footbridge is just a footbridge say 5 feet or 1500 mm wide for foot traffic only.
cheers

[Dennis McCarthy]

Love your dioramas, Kim. Looks like another gem in the making.

Dennis

[1-32]

Hi Dennis.
Thank you for commenting on my post
cheers,

[Ray Dunakin]

That signal looks great!

[1-32]

Good afternoon Ray.
Here is one of my favourites it works mechanically.
cheers.
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[TRAINS1941]

Is that the real thing or what?

Beautiful work.

Jerry

[Lawton Maner]

Truly complicated is all of the monkey work which is needed to get British signals to work properly.  I'll stick with the tri-color signals in the US which resemble stop lights.

[Barney]

Looking good and the detail is great stuff - I like small working dioramas with detail like this
Barney

[Ray Dunakin]

Wow, that's amazing! So complex!

[1-32]

Morning.
The lower. quadrant signals this one is based on a specific location the arms from the top-top arm good to go, S arm go to the next signal only, and the small banner on the right good to cross over to the other line running in the opposite direction.
In all, their forms lovely pieces of art , cast metal, blacksmiths and woodworkers situated across the country illuminated at night with slow-burning oil lamps. The USA, Germany had some fine examples especially with the Boston and Main but the most excentric were the British complex and the beauty of them was if the cable was cut with the weight in the arm they would automatically return to stop.
With all this in the day, I made signal cabins to control all my signals mechanically crazy looking back on it all . Leavers to the lead out then cranks for the turnouts and flat wheels for the cables and chains leading to the signals. All over the world, this basic principle was used but with differently designed leavers.
And finally , Classico Italiano signals great talk about complex definitely showing the Italians flair for design.
cheers.
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[finescalerr]

You sent me an article in the 1990s about a diorama you built and it included some wonderful signals. Do the control cabins or signals in these photos date back that far or are they newer? -- Russ

[1-32]

Hi Russ .
Yes, the signal cabin is from that era if I remember there was a drawing to go with it all.
Sort of got away from all that really the amount of fine-scale work all hand done is a killer but with the new diorama, I will revisit it all from a narrow-gauge perspective. When I did all that signalling stuff I was lucky to be taught workshop techniques from a talented model engineer pre-computer age but the relationship finished when I got tired of dealing with point mm accuracy.
I had stars in my eyes thought I could make a few bucks from producing parts so you could make your own signal in 1/32 scale. Mistake this was the time when injected plastic of high-quality was coming onto the market my hand made parts were just not making the grade so I ended up selling all the castings at a loss but I have kept the brass patterns.
Since then I have enjoyed modelling a lot more no more stars  no more computer just mucking around.
cheers

[finescalerr]

You have a good memory, Kim. You did include drawings with that article and I think a digital version of that magazine is available. I was very impressed with your signals and the cabin back then (along with the rest of the layout) and still am.

I tried professional model building for a little while, too, until I realized it was a huge amount of fussy work for almost no money. Models are something many of us may enjoy as a hobby but probably would start to hate as a business.

Russ

[Ray Dunakin]

Very cool, Kim!

Surest way to ruin a hobby is to turn it into a business.

[Bernhard]

This is really nice modeling, Kim. I love your freestyle approach.

Bernhard