Scrolling OLD Message Threads and Posts

This forum is dedicated to Riding Scale Railroading with propulsion using other than steam (Hydraulics, diesel engines, gas engines, electric motors, hybrid etc.)

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Atkinson_Railroad
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Joined: Mon Jun 08, 2015 6:27 pm
Location: Michigan
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Scrolling OLD Message Threads and Posts

Post by Atkinson_Railroad »

Hello Everyone;

I’ve been reading some of the older threads and posts on this site from over a decade ago,
and discovered a couple different profile names I had here from back then… I didn’t know I had.
(One… from back in 2003!)

I’m chuckling at some of the musings written ten or more years ago and thinking, “Did I really write that?”
And sadly scrolling some of the profiles that were so active on this site for many years only to see they’ve not
posted anything since 2008, 2010, etc.

The many different re-locations to several states chasing employment; the several computers scraped
along the way, losing browser bookmarks/slash/favorites, changing interests, life circumstances and so on…
have all contributed to my “coming-n-going”.

I wish I had been around this place when all the opinions were wrestling with what to call the
“Riding Scale Railroading” topic. ~smiling~~

The knowledge base has grown immensely here from those early forum days.
There are a lot of really talented people here.

Peeking back into the hobby and avocation,

John

Unrelated POST SCRIPT:
I recently found a dusty 1995 photo of some of the many molds made during my more active time in the hobby.
Hopefully, as priorities allow… I’ll return to expanding more photos to the gallery URL below.

http://www.pbase.com/visual_first/image/160808334
Rwilliams
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Joined: Thu Dec 22, 2005 2:45 pm
Location: Central California

Re: Scrolling OLD Message Threads and Posts

Post by Rwilliams »

John,

The signal project is very detailed and such detail in scale signals is a rare find in this hobby. The signal looks to be complete and ready for installation at a track. I have never seen this signal offered for sale by any supplier in recent times. This begs the question if it was ever brought to market or is still not in production?

Can you tell us more about the signal project and its future offerings to the hobby?

Robert
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Atkinson_Railroad
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Joined: Mon Jun 08, 2015 6:27 pm
Location: Michigan
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Re: Scrolling OLD Message Threads and Posts

Post by Atkinson_Railroad »

Robert;

The signaling equipment I built was on the market for about a decade.
(Back when you sent a self addressed stamped envelope for more information.)

The products were made from polyurethane tooling resins, aluminum for the
construction of ladder components, and stainless steel fasteners.

A semaphore mechanism was into a fifth revision before I ceased making the units in 2003.
My original approach was along the line of solenoid actuation of the signal blade movements
but abandoned that idea in 1998 after displaying a lower quadrant semaphore at the North
American Model Engineering Exposition that same year. On looker's quickly pointed out to me
the blade movement time was incorrect. So I went to work at designing a motor driven unit.
When I left off on the semaphore mechanism, it consisted of a 3 volt motor at 1000 rpm driving
a cluster gear train. I had found an excellent source of spur gears made out of DuPont Delrin at
the time and unfortunately only a few customers received semaphores with the much improved
design before I stopped making the units.

Reflecting back on my efforts, I would say there may have been a bit of stubbornness on my part
for not utilizing some sort of off-the-shelf RC servo motor to drive the semaphores.

I'm in the process of putting together a video of what went into the searchlight signals I made.
The searchlight was a little more forgiving in its outcome. Though it had its design issues as well.

John
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