Model Railroading > SP Train Indicator boxes and Classification lights

Train indicator boxes are the number boards where the numbers can be changed by the employee. I enjoy understanding how these were used by rule and how as modeler I can replicate this with my new Rapido Espee PA models.
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/25/22 18:18 by Ozolian.

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Changeable number boards are going to be extremely difficult to replicate in a manner that allows you to change them multiple times. You could obviously use decals to reletter them but beyond that is going to get tricky.

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You can use decals on clear acetate that was used for overhead projectors and cut to fit. I bought several boxes at a office supply store.
Or you can do as I did and run them through a laser printer.

TomG Wrote:
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> You can use decals on clear acetate that was used
> for overhead projectors and cut to fit. I bought
> several boxes at a office supply store.
> Or you can do as I did and run them through a
> laser printer.
Great idea, Tom! That opens a whole host of options for different trains; running regular timetable trains with dark class lights, sections of regular trains with green class lights or running extra trains with white class lights. Thanks for your post!
 

We of the Southern Pacific persuasion (and experience) understand all this about displaying train numbers. What I do not understand is how other railroads (OK, the UP used the system a little) could get by without it. I wonder what the SP $ charge was to grant the use of their copyrighted plan. 

Westbound Wrote:
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> We of the Southern Pacific persuasion (and
> experience) understand all this about displaying
> train numbers. What I do not understand is how
> other railroads (OK, the UP used the system a
> little) could get by without it. I wonder what the
> SP $ charge was to grant the use of their
> copyrighted plan. 

In a train order: No 755 has eng 230, same as was done on SP after the indicators went away. Or, one might do what MILW and UP crews did between Tacoma and Black River - ask trtains they met who they were. Some were inventive and used cardboard and magic marker as a hand held train indicator.


TAW

Ozolian Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> TomG Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > You can use decals on clear acetate that was
> used
> > for overhead projectors and cut to fit. I
> bought
> > several boxes at a office supply store.
> > Or you can do as I did and run them through a
> > laser printer.
> Great idea, Tom! That opens a whole host of
> options for different trains; running regular
> timetable trains with dark class lights, secttouions
> of regular trains with green class lights or
> running extra trains with white class lights.
> Thanks for your post!
>  

Your quite welcome. The beauty of the printer is you can do all your testing on plain paper until you are pleased with what you want before wasting acetate. Also beware of running multiple sheets as the printer drum can get hot and will brown the acetate. It will take a little trial and error but you will enjoy the end results. Its easy to make the SP individual numbers like above, just make solid black with a white line to separate the blocks and a white number on the black background. When printed there is no white so you will get the clear background. Enjoy.