Alice Springs LED lighting for your layout room

Hi All

I have been looking at replacing the Halogen lights in the train room.  Firstly, I replaced half with LED 12v replacements from Bunnings, I should have known, too cheap to be any good!  I won't go any further.

I found a joint called Ideal Lighting, the bloke running the show seemed to know what he was talking about, and with a steady stream of tradies coming in and out, I explained my situation.

He recommended a Brilliant LED 5m modular strip light, a 4200K Cool White.  This is all pre wired, and the strip comes with a 3M adhesive backing and a soft cover over the lights.
They can also be cut into different lengths.

It took me about half and hour to put the first one up, and less for the second.

the end result is shown below, I have burnt the pictures in by one stop, to illustrate the concept.

 Stuck straight on the roof, I think I can get away with out the need for a valance.

 The spread of light is good enough for me to shut off the Halogens, given a couple more strips, I probably won't need the spot lights.

 Here is the box.

Eventually I will put all the wiring into the roof, need to wait for a couple of days off.

I am happy with the result and will be adding some more to keep the consistency.

Enjoy

Scott

Alice Springs just a couple of pictures, playing around.

Hi All

Here is some couple of pictures,  just playing around, during the single person ops, this week once the house has all gone quiet.

CL2 and CL5 wait on the mainline to cross 166

The tags are for new operators, one of my jobs is to covert these to laminated instructions on the layout side sill

High Horsepower on the ready at Alice Springs.

GM20 on the Mereenie Oil shunt job.

I took some "night" shots, just to see how they would turn out.

I really need to get on with the scenery now.

Enjoy

Scott

Fitting a NCE D14SR DCC chip to the Auscision Models AN class

Hi All

If you need to get a your favorite 8 pin DCC chip into an Auscision AN class.
Here is how to do it.

Pop the body, using a couple of small flat head screw drivers.

Here is the DCC concepts converter, here is the link if you need it.

Prize off the DC plug board.

Home the DCC chip into the converter

Fit the converter and chip in one go.

The chip can be seen through the window.  All too easy.

Thanks

Scott

SDS Models AQCX container flat wagon model review

Hi All

This year marks the release of the very first AN ready to run container wagon being released!
SDS Models have done it.
These wagons come as a three pack, and pack A has two AN green and one SAR grey, pack B has two grey and one AN green, here is the link.
Either way you will have to get some SAR versions, not that it a bad thing.

Included in each pack are container lugs there is a link on the SDS site for installation, here the link to Norm Bray's shot of a AQCX with them fitted (however I have not seen these used on any AQTYs, see pictures below).  Also included are spare crossmembers, I assume as replacement for the second equipment tray that needs to be removed (near the hand brake wheel).
I placed 12 SDS AQCX on Alice Springs and seemed to track well, given that they are well weighted, I expected nothing less.
The printing detail is nice and sharp and seems all in the right spot.
The under wagon detail is crazy! there is a stack of detail.
Has RP88 profile wheels.
I am not sure about the SAR grey, however this is because I have not seen this livery, not to say that it does not exist.  Here is a couple of shots from Norm Bray, as you can see from the pics, they get fairly mucky, so it hard to tell the original colour.

For Alice Springs and Barcoola, I am going to convert mine to AQTYs, with 140Km/h Bogies and symbols, see the pix at the bottom of this blog.
I will publish another blog on how to convert a AQCX to a AQTY.

In the end this model is a welcomed addition to Alice Springs and Barcoola, a big two thumbs up SDS.  Well weighted, means that they will operate without the need to have containers fitted.

 Here is a AQTY on 166 express goods from Alice Springs

Another AQTY on AP5 with a half pack a flat rack and a 40ft shipping container.

Enjoy

Scott