Does anyone make a row of switch levers, for the interior of a signal tower? I’m gong to be putting one at close to eye level and wanted to detail the interior–something lie this, only much smaller
I’d only want 6 or so levers. Does anyone make something like that?
Mike,
I haven’t seen anything like that, but I’d sure think about making them from styrene.
First, they’re going to be behind “glass”, so you won’t need a lot of detail.
Thus, you can take some short-cuts. For instance, you could get some Plastruct I-beam for the lower part of the lever and just glue some styrene rod pieces on top. Then, another piece of styrene glued at an angle and, voila, you have the levers built.
For the base, you could just bend some .020 styrene sheet over a slight curve. While you could cut slots, you could just use a “Sharpie” to draw some dark lines on the painted plastic.
I was thinking about the ones Bob referenced. That could get a little pricey, but maybe you would only have to have the ones closest to the window be so detailed.
Ric Golding said:From what I see, these are HO & N scale. But the photos are a great reference for Mike to scratch build. I sure am jealous of the HO guys. They have just about anything imaginable available to purchase. Ralph
I was thinking about the ones Bob referenced. That could get a little pricey, but maybe you would only have to have the ones closest to the window be so detailed.
Those are very cool! Someone else suggested using the Johnson bars that Ozark miniatures sells. They’d be about half the price of the humpyard levers. The humpyard levers are great but at three inches high they are taller than most figures.
I think I’ll try Bruce’s method
Oh wait, I just noticed they can be mounted at surface level. Hmmm
The ones from Hump Yard are real, honest to god, working ones. They’re a few inches high, good enough for large scale. They’re made to operate HO or N layouts.
I thought they were the right size or close. They are sold by inches, not by scale.
Keep in mind, you won’t really be able to see much through those windows. The more I think about it, you could probably get away with using some painted toothpicks.
Well I tried doing as Bruce suggested, and it came out better than I was able to show in photos. We put up a switch towar in front of our car barn. It’s got lights over the doors and interior lights
(http://www.lscdata.com/users/lownote/_forumfiles/tower.jpg)
The switch levers are easy to see at night, when its lit up, but really hard to photograph
(http://www.lscdata.com/users/lownote/_forumfiles/interior64.jpg)
We did a lot of detailing of the interior–there’s a desk with a radio, and a phone, and a lamp, and a magazine, and two really great Prieser figures The levers are on the right
(http://www.lscdata.com/users/lownote/_forumfiles/levers2.jpg)
I wish I could get a good shot of the effect when it’s lit Meanwhile my wife is making a skating rink–should be up in a day or two
Mike, the interior looks good, nice job…
Great job Mike.
With a little effort an inexpensive kit can look like a “million dollars”.
Ralph
mike omalley said:
[i]
Depending on what kind of camera you have this might not be so hard. You’ll need a tripod or some way to hold the camera very steady, then use a long exposure. If you camera is fully automatic this might not be so easy, but try it anyway. Just turn off the flash and it just might work! This summer while we were camping I did some experimenting with natural light pictures around the camp fire. A couple of them came out great. It was almost dark out when I took this one. Some taken later well after dark also came out good.
(http://lsc.cvsry.com/MSR-JMR-RV-640.JPG)
Nice job on the tower 
Nice picture, Jon.
Mike, the detail comes out in the picture through the windows. I like the door latch on the car barn.
Mike,
Looks good. Does the roof come off?
Thanks very much guys. It was fun. I’m a complete novice at making buildings. The Colorado model structures buildings are inexpensive and easy to build.
John, I’ll try a tripod. Your picture didn’t come through though.
My wife finished her ice rink today and set it out. We strung a bunch of mini-leds that I’ve got powered through the track. It’d be nice to get the effect on “film.”
Christmas eve we’re going to make a big coffee urn full of mulled wine and invite the neighbors to drop by
What time? I’ll stop over. :lol:
That interior looks great! Really improves the look of the structure.
mike omalley said:Check again. My server has been timing out. I think it's OK now.
John, I'll try a tripod. Your picture didn't come through though.
Not to hijack a thread (which i guess i am) but how did the 1:1 switch levers work, by cable? Or did the levers actuate a motor?
Your building looks great!
