Model Railroading > Working "Rotary" HO Scale Beacon

I finally finished my buddy Joe's Broadway Limited SD40-2. It has Soundtraxx Tsunami installed and a very nice custom cab interior with a superb weathering job. I asked if I could use this engine as "test bed" for placing a working rotary beacon in it. After a little frustration and lots of paitence, it works. Eventually I will be adding a tutorial on my website on how to do this. I hope you enjoy.

I told you I would do it Harry!

Perry

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Nice! That's really a cool effect Perry.

I'm also interested in your conductor figure. Surprisingly realistic for what we're used to in HO scale. Can you tell us more about it?

Joe Atkinson

Needs to be slower. but looks great!

6ET Wrote:
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> Needs to be slower. but looks great!

I think it needs to turn the other direction, too. But it's a great start.

Good work Perry, did you use two bulbs?

Wow! Nice Job Perry! I've never seen a BLI SD40-2 look so good! Now you are going to make me buy a stack o' Tsunami decoders.. just when I got used to DH163s and A6Xs.. sigh!

Cheers,
Harry

looks good and sounds good.......great job Perry!

Thanks for sharing
Franz

Actually it flashes the correct direction for the Prime 8911 Model and the flash rate is close to the prototype. The only thing you can't do is block the light off in something that small so you can't see the other side (like the prototype). There are actually three LED's and I'm trying to work on a 4th LED and it would be 100% correct.

Joe, I think the figure is from Presier and Joe put a cigarette in his mouth...a little too much even for me!

Thanks Harry...I only installed the beacon and the rest Joe did himself. When he installed the Tsunami, it was a 100% better than the factory sound.

Perry



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/04/09 07:45 by superfleet93.

Harry wrote:
> Now you are going to make me buy a stack o' Tsunami decoders..

I've been leaning toward them for my Atlas GP38/38-2s and Kato SD38/40-2s, but I keep seeing disturbing references to low-speed motor control problems with Tsunamis. Perry, do you know if Joe's had any such concerns with his?

Joe Atkinson

Joe,

Yeah there has been some problems with low speed control and I spent hours trying to correct this, but you can only change the speed curve so much. It runs as good as it ever will but personally, I'll stick with the LokSound decoders. This was a pre Atlas/Athearn board and was hard wired in anyways. It's always a matter of preference for the modeler as I'm still on the side of LokSound. They have excellent motor control and you can't beat the uploadable sounds (or the prototypical lights). Tsunami, even though it's been indicated the bulbs slowly go dim, still isn't as good as the LokSound when you turn the lights on/off.

Perry

Thanks Perry. I've been very, very happy with the LokSound in my M420R. That's really what convinced me to go all in for sound on the rest of the roster. I was leaning toward Tsunamis after hearing one in a friend's SD38-2, but there's no way I'd want to give up low-speed smoothness, no matter how good the sound is.

Sorry to hijack your thread with that question, but I appreciate you taking the time to answer.

Joe

Wow...looks great...Let me know if you want to make a couple more...LOL!!

Thomas Austin
Centralia, IL
Joppa Sub Layout Site

I'm glad you liked it Tom! It was a pleasure meeting you last week and I'm thinking about offering the LED's already put together for sale.

Perry

Put me about 5 on backorder, then!! LOL. Likewise, it was a pleasure meeting you as well...I have you guys on my Extra board for when the Joppa Sub is operational again...hopefully this December.

Thomas Austin
Centralia, IL
Joppa Sub Layout Site



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/06/09 16:04 by JoppaSub.