roof top beacons


lmackattack

lmackattack

old school
What are you guys using for a becon. I have a small bulb wired up and ready to install into a beacon but I cant seam to find the right size dome. all my 1/25 scale models have to large of a dome and all the ones at my LHS also seam oversized. this is on a old CNW GP18

any ideas:confused:
 
I actually carved up a yellow LED into the shape of a beacon, painted the base dull silver and it's been going for years. looks ok. (HO scale). I chucked it up in a dremel and turned it like I would on a lathe to keep it round.
 
good idea. the LED domes are almost perfect size even in stock form. Problem is I like the look of bulbs for beacons as they have that delay from on/off. but that is a great idea if I cant find something to cover the bulb.
 
Details Associates used to offer O scale beacon light castings with amber domes. The best one was the Prime Stratolite beacon. The real one has 4 lamps that flash on and off in a rotating pattern with only 1 lamp lighted at one time. A "stepped" flash pattern replicates this very well in model form. I belive they also offered the WC Haynes rotary beacon with the rounded top "bubblegum" style dome and a xenon strobe casting. Not sure if they still do, but I am sure there are some out there still. Only thing else is HO scale. You can also get spray paint for replicating stained glass, its transparent once dry. You can spray the bulb or spray some in a paint lid then use a brush to paint the bulb. I have both red and yellow paint and have done HO scale strobe heads this way. Mike
 
my LHS had the HO scale DA stratolite but that seamed to small to fit a bulb inside. I will have to search for the "bubble gum" style as thats what I think they had on the CNW units.
I know Testers made a transparent red and amber. I will look into that. IIRC the trick is to coat it evenly. the bulb is perfect size so that may work.
 
Trent I picked up this Genisis F45 with a beacon already installed. I thought it was stock Athearn but no one else seems to know anything about it.
No idea what make or anything (big help there) or how it operates but it simulates a rotating beacon very well. Some day when I get ambitious maybe I'll remove the body and have a peak...:rolleyes:
Looks to be about a three mil LED?
 
lmackattack said:
good idea. the LED domes are almost perfect size even in stock form. Problem is I like the look of bulbs for beacons as they have that delay from on/off. but that is a great idea if I cant find something to cover the bulb.
Click to expand...


The smallest incandescent lamps I have seen are T-1/2 envelop, less than 1/8th inch diameter. Like this:

http://lamptronix.thomasnet.com/ite...iniature-incandescent-lamps-t-1-2-bulb/ltx157?

If you want a slow bright and dark transition and have the room, an LED lamp with a resistor-capacitor circuit to integrate the waveform might work. I've never tried it, but I suspect it is possible to soften the on and off transition a little bit.

I certainly agree with you about the look of LED's when they flash.

Tom
 
I just tested several LED's, and integrating the rise and fall with a capacitor and resistor works perfectly to make the LED look like an incandescent lamp.

If I had a sample of the LED type and knew what was driving the LED, I could give a typical value for components. I used a 47 uFd capacitor and a pair of 1 k ohm resistors and the LED's I played with looked pretty much like a filament type lamp to me.

Now you got me going, and I'm thinking of adding LED's to my locomotives.
 
Whoa! Hang on a minute.......

I'm not sure about others, but know that (most?) Digitrax decoders can be programmed to do a "gentle" (ramp up, then down) on-off cycle - I don't have the details right now, but IIRC it's called something like a "gyralite simulation" (?) I tried it and it was pretty convincing.

I'll see if I can find the details.

Cheers,
Ian
 
Tom good thinking. May have to test that out. Ian , yes Digatrax has sevral options for the simulating the function of the light. Problem that I have incountered is that if I used a LED it was basicly on/off. this is where Toms idea may work well...

Trent
 
lmackattack said:
... Problem that I have incountered is that if I used a LED it was basicly on/off. this is where Toms idea may work well...
Click to expand...

Indeed - Certainly worth some research.

I found the manual - My emphasis added:

6.10.2 Customizing FX & FX3Effects CV62

CV62 lets you control the rate and keep-alive brightness for each FX effect you set up. The CV value for CV62 is made up of 2 digits, the first digit and the second digit.

The first digit controls the keep alive/baseline off voltage for incandescent lamps. This value should be between 0 and F. A value of 0 gives no keep alive and a value of F gives maximum keep alive. Values between the high and low allow you to vary whether the lamp actually goes off between light pulses or whether it stays on very dimly or more brightly. (If you are using LEDs, the first digit for CV62 should be 0.)

The second digit controls the rate of the FXeffects programmed. This value should be between 0 and F. A value of 0 gives a fast rate and a value of F gives a slow rate of operation. We recommend you start with a 4 and adjust it up or down until you get the effect you are looking for.
Click to expand...

The LED setting lets it know what you've got, and it really did do a pretty good simulation. Having said that, drop in a little 1.5V incandescent instead and go nuts! :)

Cheers,
Ian
 
Good info Ian I will have to see what I can do with it tonight.

thanks for taking the time to post this info..

Trent
 
lmackattack said:
Good info Ian I will have to see what I can do with it tonight.
Click to expand...

Good luck! You use JMRI, right?

I actually pulled out the Zephyr and my test engine - Thomas, with a DZ143. [and the worlds brightest white led eyes!]

His roof light is currently just on or off, and I *only* program from JMRI, but am about three releases out of date. I'll get it updated and see if I can do a quick video of the effect "later".....

Cheers,
Ian
 
sadly my MRC will not accept JMRI interface. I do use JMRI at the club and for intracate programing its so much nicer than using my throttel on the program track. You can see what your adjusting and then go back and see all the settings.

Trent
 
fast_ian said:
Whoa! Hang on a minute.......

I'm not sure about others, but know that (most?) Digitrax decoders can be programmed to do a "gentle" (ramp up, then down) on-off cycle - I don't have the details right now, but IIRC it's called something like a "gyralite simulation" (?) I tried it and it was pretty convincing.

I'll see if I can find the details.

Cheers,
Ian
Click to expand...

That's great if they include it. :)
 
Rico, while i wish it were my video / layout, i cant take credit for it. Just left you a comment on your video however! Sound is very very clear on your loco and you can easily and clearly see the beacon in action! Thanks for the vid :D
 
Well after much searching for a "gum ball" tonight I just decided to put in a 3mm amber LED for the beacon. It was the closest look to the 1960s style that I could find. It looks ok for the most part but I need to adjust the pulse and still want to add a silver ring at the base.
 
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