Pretty cool how that works Bob.
Chris
Another small update. I had some custom PCBs made last year and I finally assembled one completely.
A long and winding road.
What’s the ultimate goal?
I’m supposed to have a goal? Now you tell me.
Seriously though I eventually want occupancy and route signals, running ABS and/or CTC. At the rate I’m going it’ll never happen, but it’s a fun experiment.
Bob McCown said:
I’m supposed to have a goal? Now you tell me.
Seriously though I eventually want occupancy and route signals, running ABS and/or CTC. At the rate I’m going it’ll never happen, but it’s a fun experiment.
The ride is the thing, isn’t it? (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif)
Wait I thought they banned PCBs cause they were killing the fish and other things as well.
Built one interlocking signal (mostly). Still need a finial, and the wiring plugs. Only 10 more of this style to go.
Isn’t it hard to do interlocking with only one signal? (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif)
Looks good, but I want more than one - and OUTSIDE! (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-money-mouth.gif)
Wow, just went back and read the previous posts. Sure, it’s been a long road, but reading it all in one fell swoop makes the journey seem a LOT shorter. You NEED to get these out on your layout, then write an article for Garden Railways. Too cool!
Zip ties holding the super conductor to the parallel unubtainum that are receiving the coaxial coherent’s with banana plugs are certainly not OSHA approved ?
So did I miss understand from a few pages back that the JB weld on the targets doesn’t hold over a summer or two? Looks like a cool project, one more to add to my list, as soon as someone can interpet all the foriegn language and computer stuff. Maybe for simple minds like mine , just wire them up to work and show a color will be enough. Thanks Bob
Was the use of JB Weld outside? JB Weld is an epoxy and may be subject to UV breakdown. Simple latex paint will give protection.
That’s odd. I made a switch frog out of JB Quick, the quick setting version of JB Weld. But then my switch is in shade and partial sun.
Pete Lassen said:
So did I miss understand from a few pages back that the JB weld on the targets doesn’t hold over a summer or two? Looks like a cool project, one more to add to my list, as soon as someone can interpet all the foriegn language and computer stuff. Maybe for simple minds like mine , just wire them up to work and show a color will be enough. Thanks Bob
No, I’ve had a test signal mast outside for about a year and so far no problems…
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Epoxy like JB Weld will hold much better if the surfaces being glued are roughened first with sand paper. Sheet metal or plastics are usually very smooth leaving little “tooth” for the epoxy to grab. Thermal expansion can easily flake the epoxy free from smooth surfaces.
UV should have little effect on JB Weld beyond its surface finish because it has opaque fillers which would stop the UV rays from penetrating. Clear epoxies like i use on my wooden boats will break down due to UV without a UV resistant coating.
Another small update. Signal ready for installation, protecting the entry to Burke yard from Williamsport. The base will get painted, and buried under the ballast.
Problem I have is that you can’t really see the green and the red is really hard to see during the day in the sunlight.
Todd, so maybe you need to use semaphores.
While very cool, I don’t believe that semaphores would be reliable, long term, in the garden setting nor do most lay-people really pay attention to that sort of thing.
90 percent of my signals wont be facing direct sun; I havent seen an issue yet, at least with the ones out on the layout already. And if it becomes an issue, there are high-intensity LEDs available.