Signaling a Change in Topic Part 2

Hello all!

I really DO intend to finish posting about my locomotive roster sometime, but I've been distracted by recent developments in creating illuminating signals on the Kings Port Division....

...Well...that and needing to take time to paint my house!   Sometimes life gets in the way of model railroading!

My previous post displayed my first attempts at using LEDs for signals on the layout.  Encouraged by my early success I've continued working on this project.    I am fortunate to have received a couple dozen cast metal signals of various types from my uncle many years ago when he changed scales from HO to N.    Examples follow below.

 These signals are probably over 50 years old.   Many of the Grain of Wheat red, green, and yellow bulbs in the two and three aspect signal heads did not function.  I kept them in a box since around 1981 and finally decided it was time to get them on the layout!


 

 The first consideration before installation was that I really wasn't a fan of the larger three light signals.   Growing up on the PC's River Line, about 100 miles North of New York City, I tended to see single light searchlight signals and wanted to replicate them on the layout.   I removed the large three light heads and replaced them with single-light heads made from cut down grommets as show in my last post.  I positioned the grommets near the opening in the signal mast to facilitate wiring.

 I secured the grommet signal head with Gorilla brand Super Glue after my futile attempts at soldering them.    They seem to be securely stuck on the signal masts!  Most of the old signals had chipped paint, making them look bad, so I spray painted their entire structures black.

                              Pictured above is the entire collection of signals after modification and painting.   

 I like the two aspect signal heads.  I decided not to modify them except to remove the bulbs and paint them black.

 I was especially pleased with this decision after seeing a photo in my copy of Morning Sun Books "Penn Central in Color Vol. 1" of all black signals on the B&M tracks used by the Penn Central.

Wire can be an expense but there is a cool liquidator store in my area called Axemans that sells bulk wire by the foot.   I purchased this 50 feet of wire for $2.00!

Here is a wired signal.   I threaded one wire down the mast and soldered the other leg of the LED to the signal itself.  I then soldered a wire to the base of the signal to complete the circuit. Resistors are included in the circuit under the benchwork.

One of the former two-aspect signals controlling access to the Main from the Mayfield Branch.   A air of GP9s wait for a train expected from the other direction.   The signals are wired to the track for power, making them simple "polarity signals".  Depending on the track polarity the LED will illuminate either RED or GREEN.   I tried to be clever in placing the wires to achieve operational functions.   In the case above, the signal is wired to the mainline to its right.    This is a separate block from the branch line on my DC layout so the signal can light up even though the track the GP9s sit on is not powered at this time.

 On the other side, this dwarf signal controls access to the Mayfield Branch from the main line.  This signal is powered by the first block of the Mayfield Branch so the signal aspect is RED when trains are coming off the branch toward the main, as noted above.   Trains approaching the branch when polarity is aligned the opposite way will be cheered by a GREEN indication allowing them to access the branch.

I've filmed another "Ops Snippets" video that show cases this action.   Here's the link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x13LF8Q-F04

Next time I'll document signal installation on the other side of the layout in Kings Port that will include these searchlight signals, among others.   As I noted previously,  I'm now totally hooked on signals!   The illuminating lights look great and I've found an easy way to use them to enhance operations on the Kings Port Division.

Signaling a change of topic!

I was originally planning to continue presenting my Penn Central locomotive roster in this next post, but am instead going to talk about a signal project I've been working on lately.
 

 I'm a babe in the woods when it comes to electrical projects. Witness my use of Atlas components as an easy way to provide block control on my DC layout.

 Look Ma!  No toggle switches!  :)

So, no electronically controlled switch machines, no illuminated structures, and no functioning signals on my layout.

Last year, however, I DID create a large scale model of a railroad signal for fun, and to use while operating the layout from my F unit control stand.

Here's a YouTube video of it in action: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfjQu-3ayYY

If you watched the video, you saw that I have some nonfunctioning signals that can be seen as "dark" from my train cam.   One of the motivations to illuminate some of these was the thought of enjoying red and green lights coming into view on my TV/ locomotive windshield as my loco with the train cam approaches them.

I've done numerous searches about model railroad signal systems but most are rather expensive and I don't immediately grasp the concepts of "logic" that control them.    Fortunately one of my searches found a link to inexpensive scratchbuilt signals used to indicate the track polarity.   Utilizing bi polar red/green LEDs,  these signals wired to the track let the operator know which direction trains will run.    It occurred to me that I could use an indicator like that for a staging track at West Mill.    Using two throttles,  I sometimes lose track of the direction a train might take when powering up.    Trains might appear on the layout from staging OR they might back up against the bumper of the staging track, and derail in the hidden depths, creating a major headache.

I purchased a package of five bi polar LEDS around three years ago and finally got around to trying my hand at working with the lights.    Soldering the accompanying resistor and some wire to one of the LEDs was easy.  I used a cheapie Bachmann dwarf signal as the basis for the model.   Drilling out one of the facsimile lights in the signal I inserted the LED in the back and used a thin plastic coffee stir straw to hide the resistor and wire.     (Cue dramatic Frankenstein movie music).  IT WORKS!!!!!!!  IT WORKS!!!!   Thank you for your indulgence in response to my first small but significant victory in working with LED technology!

Green signal means its OK to to run a train into staging.  Red means its OK to run one out of staging.

Once I got my feet wet, I wanted to try more LED signal projects.    The next obvious choice was the empty signal bridge by West Mill's tunnel.   The two tracks that disappear into the tunnel are the layout's continuous main line and a long siding that emerges with the main on the other side of the layout at King Port.    Since during operations I use the hidden section of both of these tracks as staging it was also important to be confident about the directions trains will travel when I hit the throttle.

I soldered resistors and wire leads for three LEDs, one for the main and two to control the siding and the turnout from the main to the siding.

I'm using grommets as the signal heads, cutting half of the protruding part to simulate a "hood" or shade for the light.

I threaded the wires through black stir straws and the bases of the signsl bridge uprights, guided them through holes in the bench work, and soldered them to the tracks.  Briefly using alligator clips to attach the six wires, trial and error sessions enabled me to determine the proper locations to solder the wires so the LEDs would show the proper aspects (I.e.  Green for "approach toward the tunnel" and red for "Stop...trains are coming out of the tunnel")

Once again...IT WORKS!!!!!!!

Things I learned:  I don't have to connect the resistor directly to the LED.  Doing so with all thee LEDs on the signal bridge left a lot of bulky items to cover up that could have been below the benchwork.  I also realized later that I could have wired the two LEDs that control the siding (the two lower level signals) as part of the same circuit instead of separately each with its own resistor.

Still, as my most sophisticated electrical project so far, I'm pleased with the results and look forward to learning more and creating additional lighting effects!

     
May you always have the green aspect!

Penn Central Power 2

U30C  #6538 joins the fleet!

I was going to write about the rest of my PC locomotive fleet in this installment but will instead focus on my most recent addition, which was obtained just last week!    I won an eBay auction for an Athearn Blue Box U28C that was never used and still in its original box with all of the accompanying details.    I’ve seen locomotives like this listed for 30-40 dollars but was able to obtain it for $12.50.  Couldn't pass up that deal!

Many thanks to John R. of the New York Central Train Layout blog for alerting me about this sale and also for much of the information that follows.   John is an excellent researcher and provided me with prototype information about Penn Central’s large U Boats.

The new loco is Athearn’s U28C numbered 6533.  Here is the pristine shell in the box after I removed it from the chassis to do some work on it.   

Since I already have one of these units numbered as 6533 (I've had it for many years as noted in a previous post) I decided to renumber the new one as 6538.  At first I thought it would be a simple matter of replacing the last 3 with an 8, but checking my Microscale PC locomotive decal sheets I quickly observed that the Athearn  numbering did not match their style.  

I decided to completely remove the stock numbers and replace all four digits for 6538 using the decal sheet.   Applying 91% alcohol with a Q-tip, I swabbed the old numbers and then followed up by carefully rubbing them off with a pencil eraser.   It took about five minutes work on each side of the loco.  I washed the shell thoroughly with mild soap and water and let it dry for a day before decaling.

 

When I informed John that I had renumbered the locomotive as #6538 he provided some surprising information.    He told me that,  “Certain General Electric units ( 6528-6531) in the U28C series were upgraded from 2,800 hp to 3,000 hp. Five units numbered from 6535-6539 were delivered new to the PRR in 1967 and designated as U30Cs. The bodies of the U28C and U30C are basically identical and best identified by their numbers."

Turns out that my decision to renumber #6533 to become #6538 changed the designation of the locomotive from a U28C to a U30C and upgraded the unit 200 horse power!   I thought that was great!

Once the new numbers were thoroughly dry I installed the handrails.  I find this to be a tedious job and realize why I appreciate F units so much!   It’s been years  since I’ve installed handrails on an Athearn unit…and it occurs to me I didn’t wear bifocals then!   Once that was finally done,  I weathered the units with artist chalks and acrylic paints

   

Here is U30C #6538 fully assembled with yellow safety handrails and weathered.

I like to add printed number boards made with Microsoft Word.    The U’s spot horn hook couplers in this pic but I converted them to Kaydees after this was taken.

        The new unit meets its cousins, U28C #6533 and U38C #6554

6538 and 6533 take it to the road! (Headlights photo shopped)

  

Some more information from John that will be useful for the locomotive card I'll make for the new unit.

GE U30C  3,000 HP  C-C axles

Weight: 395,000 lbs,   Tractive Effort: Maximum 98,875 / Continuous: 85,000

Gear Ratio: 74:18,       Speed: Maximum 70 mph, Continuous 10.2 mph

Coupled Length: 67'3", Fuel Capacity: 4,000 gals, Engine: FDL16

Maintenance Base: Selkirk

The Penn Central boasted some big power and now I'm pleased to have added another large six axle unit to my roster.   I'll be running 6538 at the head end of thru-trains on the Kings Port Division and also include it in power runs back to Selkirk.  

Penn Central Power!

Penn Central Power, the title of Robert J. Yanosey’s comprehensive book illustrating the PC’s locomotive roster…and of which,  ridiculously enough, I do not own copy!  I must try to remedy that situation!

It’s also the title of this latest blog entry, a description of the Penn Central locomotives seen on the Kings Port Division.  In addition to the obvious purpose of showing my locomotives, I have an ulterior motive.  I’ve been intending to work on a series of cards describing my locomotive roster that I may use during operations on the layout.   Procrastination has kept me from completing this project but now by putting it out on the blog I’ve supplied myself with some extra motivation!

                        Here is the engine yard in Kings Port.  It serves both the Penn Central and my freelanced Kings Port & western railroad  (more on the KP&W in a later post). 

                        I installed this card holder several moths ago with the intention of adding cards representing the roster that I might select to determine the power for various trains.  

    

                                           Here is an example of one of the completed cards. 

I’m including information and data about the prototype locos to add some interest.  It’s cool to know that my GP38-2s have 2000 horsepower with a two stroke V-16 engine, for example.   Cards also include a description of how the loco is most often used on the Kings Port Division

In lieu of finding facts for the cards from Yanosey’s Penn Central Power (did I mention that I gotta get a copy!?!),  I’m  obtaining Info from online searches of PC sites including  the “Unlikely Penn Central”.  Its “Scrap Yard “section includes an extensive guide to the PC  diesel roster with photos and information.

http://unlikelypcrr.com/page6/Welcome_files/PCDieselSpottersGuideReid.pdf

Let’s start the first installment of my diesel roster:

 As noted in the card example above, GP38-2 #8038 and #8046 typically run together.   Both are Athearn Blue Box units that I purchased from my local hobby shop in the 1990s, with one being powered and the other a dummy.     #8046 was factory painted and lettered  as PC # 8045.      I  have a second dummy unit that was also factory painted and lettered as #8045 so I changed the last number on one to make them sister units.    #8038  was undecorated so I painted it black and applied PC logos and numbers, giving this unit the orange “C” scheme  for variety.   The powered and dummy consists run well enough to be good for switching but I also assign them to  through-trains.  

 Next up is this pair of RSD-12s that I purchased last year from a fellow modeler.  These Atlas units run beautifully smoothly at slow speeds; perfect for switching.    I’m keeping them in their pre-merger livery since the original owner had nicely weathered them.

U28C # 6533.    Another Athearn Blue Box unit that I purchased in the 1990s.   This unit came with the factory stock PC logo and number.    Sharp eyes will note the horn hook couplers.  I still have several old freight cars that need conversion to magnetic couplers so it’s nice to have a set of locomotives that can pull them.   I use this loco for run-through trains, usually coupled to a dummy U33C.

GP30 # 2212.   This is a Bachmann unit I purchased from WB Klein at a good price a couple of years ago.   It is a nice quiet running loco that I use for way freights and switching.   I toyed with updating the livery to the Penn Central but decided to keep it pre-merger.

GP40 # 3007.  Another Bachmann unit I purchased at the same time as the GP30.   Unlike its cousin,  this unit was a terrible growler.   I tried lubrication, break-in running, checked the gear teeth for obvious burrs, but had no success in making it quieter.    I read about one modeler’s fix of applying electrical tape around the frame under the shell to deaden noise and vibration.   I applied a wrap of electrical tape around the frame and was just able to fit the shell snugly over it.  This did significantly cut the grinding noise to an acceptable level.   The loco runs nicely and is as good a switcher as the GP30 and RSD-12s.

I don’t want to overwhelm this post so I’ll describe the rest of my roster in one or two more future entries.

Here is a link to my most recent YouTube effort that focuses on my engine yard and features some of the above mentioned locomotives.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_KtYTJ-A1k 

Thanks for taking a look at my black-dipped collection!