Improving Color Light Signal Components

[iak]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!
How amusing

[beast66606]

We only need 7 to start with - we will up it to 10 when it won't work and then blame others for it - wee laddie

[iak]

So you have to keep sniping don't you.
You cannot help yourself can you............
What a shame that an excellent thread about some fine signals has to be spoilt.
How terribly sad and unfortunate.

[jim s-w]

If the surface mount LEDs are available as tri-colour LEDs, then might we soon see replicas of the new-type Dorman LED heads?

Horsetan,

Am building a tri colour light signal at this time. Beta unit works like a champ. I sent Mike Turner, a member of the WFRM modelling group, a final assembly of scratch built parts and yesterday I received them back with the LED fitted and all wires neatly soldered. I don't do electrics. Now to make a couple more components and get it assembled, painted and deliver it back to Mike so it can be fitted on the layout. No doubt I'll write it up for one of the train rags in due time like I did with the gantries I made a few years back.

Later, Tony Sissons

Hi Tone

How accurate do you feel the colours are for the tri-colour LED?

Cheers

Jim

[modelmaker87]

Hi Tone

How accurate do you feel the colours are for the tri-colour LED?

Cheers

Jim

Hi Jim,

That nice young Mike man explained to me that you have to fiddle with resistors to get the colour right, that's his domain. The colours I can reproduce using my LED tester are red and green and they look OK to me, but my benchmark is the signals on the Piedmont Division of the NS. Plus my old eyes are not going to reproduce the same vibrance of colour that your younger eyes would perceive and even less so to a person 20 years younger then you even. Evidently to make the yellow both red and green have to be powered at the same time and if I tried that I'd end up with something either smoking or melted on my bench. Remember - I don't do electrics - I just make the model hardware. Well, I can fit a decoder, does that count...?

When I'm all set up I'll shoot a few grab shots and bung them on here. Right now I'm continuing scratch building the remainder of the signal parts. All I sent to Mike was a completed target board and shroud assy for fitting the LED and wiring it up. Progress above that: I've completed the rectangular post and had to make a custom female section for it to slide up/down for adjustment to set the correct sighting line height for the fantasy driver in the locomotives from its determined location on the layout. Its old hat technology, nothing new, but round post signals are a darn sight easier to do the same thing with.

Horsetan asked for a image or three also, so....

Sorry I can't be more helpful on the electrickery side of things...

Cheers, Tone

[beast66606]

So you have to keep sniping don't you.
You cannot help yourself can you............
What a shame that an excellent thread about some fine signals has to be spoilt.
How terribly sad and unfortunate.

It was a joke (which would have died) until you got involved but then YOU have to spoil it.

Sorry for the diversion Tone, there's always one who walks into the kitchen and then moans about the heat.

[johnp]

Evidently to make the yellow both red and green have to be powered at the same time

This means using alternating current and adjusting the on off times of the red/green to get the appropriate yellow.

[grovenor-2685]

This means using alternating current and adjusting the on off times of the red/green to get the appropriate yellow.

This does depend on the type of LED. Its correct for 2-wire LEDs that give red or green depending on polarity. 3-wire LEDs are easier as you can adjust the colour balance just by the resistors used for the red and green and there is no need for polarity changing or an AC supply.
regards

[modelmaker87]

Hi interested signal Guys,

At the request of Horsetan, it was my intent to post an image or two of the tri-colour signal I'm scratch building but this will have to be put on hold for the moment. I have been told that the original firm - Hammonds - that designed the rectangular post style equipment, which I made a replica of already with a bunch of attaching bits, were overpriced and the contract was awarded to a company named Collis. The design is different and the aspect is now located on a circular post. The overall design is very much simpler than the Hammonds Co design, virtually no details in terms of walkway, handrails, ladders and other extraneous components, at least as far as I can see from the couple images I have of it. So I will make a fresh start on the new parts that represent this new design signal.

Cheers, Tony

[Horsetan]

Can't wait. I'm fascinated by the new Dorman LED signals, and 'tis good to see scale replicas coming out of the woodwork!