In-ko-pah RR: Upgrade projects

[Ray Dunakin]

The past few months, I've had no time for modeling due to a lot of "real life" obligations. I'm finally starting to get a little bit of time, and have used it for a couple of upgrade projects...

First off, i converted my kitbashed, narrow gauge RS-3 to use battery power. With all the electronics inside the hood, there was no room to put the battery in the loco. Besides, I prefer to charge lithium batteries outside of any irreplaceable models, in case something goes wrong. So I turned one of my old gondolas into a battery car.

To hide the battery pack, I made a false load of scrap iron, starting with a basic box made from Sintra PVC foam board. Then I covered the top of it with broken and twisted bits of styrene shapes and strips -- a good way to use up some cutoffs. I sprayed it with red primer, then a coat of black primer.

Then I used Sophisticated Finishes brand "Instant Iron" and "Instant Rust", and finished it off with a few touches of acrylic to look like old paint on a few of the parts:






My next upgrade project was replacing the lights in my structures with LEDs. Originally I used grain-of-rice bulbs, which are cheap, easy to use, and fit into even very small scale fixtures. Unfortunately they keep dying on me, rather mysteriously and inconsistently. Some have lasted for years, others need almost constant replacing.

I'm getting LEDs in several sizes from this source:

http://www.modeltrainsoftware.com/bl-212.html   


If you want to see how I installed some of them, go here:

http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/IRR_Lighting.html


So far I've only converted the lights in two structures, the rock shop and the bakery. I coated the LEDs in the rock shop with a bit of glossy white paint. This dimmed them slightly and gave them a somewhat warmer, soft glow. The lights in the bakery are a bit harsh, in part because there are so many. I may paint the LEDs in the bakery, or remove a couple of them, or both.

Here are some night photos so you can see how they look: 




The rock shop is on the left, the bakery on the right:

[Hydrostat]

Ray,

when I stopped by this morning in a hurry I thought you'd show some prototype night pictures!

I make the same experience with bulbs; the only way that seems to help is reducing voltage below the nominal data. I still don't like the LED light; even the warm white ones are somewhat loud. Did you already try to dim them, which seems to work with some special equipment?

Some thoughts about your battery car: To me the load looks too consistent in texture and color. And I'm not sure if the car was overloaded when filled with solid scrap like that? But that's just an assumption; don't know about the load carrying capacity of those old wooden gondolas.

Volker

[Juke Joint]

I like it. Is the bakery open yet?

Philip

[Design-HSB]

Hi Ray,
great pictures.
I just wondered whether the Bäckerrei has perhaps already open and you could still buy from the delicious looking cake.
A wonderfully realistic light.

[finescalerr]

I'm with Volker: The train slightly lacks the realism of the structures. As for the structures and lighting: WOW!! -- Russ

[Ray Dunakin]

Thanks!

I had hoped to make the fake load fit lower into the gondola. Unfortunately the battery pack, disconnect plugs, and inline fuse holder took up too much space.

[Hydrostat]

Ray,

what about a load of pitwood instead? This would go nicely with your mining topic. I've seen prototype pics with wagons loaded to their double height ...

Volker