Lou’s RR Track Vacuum Car

[desertdrover]

Well thank you very much Larry. But, I'm used to it as far as a patent goes. Believe it or not, I've had work ideas taken from other modelers, and sent to railroad magazines and published as their own work. The last one was a burned down engine house build I did here at Railroad-Line, and I had it published in Model Railroad Craftsman. See first picture of my build.
Well, Three (3) years after my build was published in RMC, Menards came out with the second picture for sale. Does it look familiar????

[locolouie]

Yes, that was a gut punch for sure. However, there is a phrase "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery". Meanwhile, yes you *should* have been compensated; however, it is an outwit/outlast (who has more money) situation to fight something like this.

[potsy]

Louis I think you would get some kind of compensation from whom ever made that build although its a little different!!! Your vacuum car build
is progressing well.


Mark

[desertdrover]

Thanks Mark for your comment on the vacuum car! But, about the loco shed, how much different is that, to be able to say "That's not it"????

[desertdrover]

Enough about the Loco Shed. I soldered the power wires to the MDC powered trucks, and as stated in last progress, leaving off the MDC truck jack shaft gear assembly, to make the trucks freewheeling. A few of the kit original screw mounting holes in the MDC underframe had to be filled with J-B Weld epoxy, and other holes were added, for my project use. The first picture shows the trucks ready for mounting onto the underframe/chassis.
The second picture shows more or less where I plan on mounting the circuit board, and placing the electronic parts. The last two, picture and diagram view, is of my electronic parts being used, and how they are to be wired-up for operating the vacuum car.
I will be using one resistor for two (2) Red LEDs wired in series, and programed to flash as rotary beacons at the front, and rear of the vacuum car. Now onto soldering the components to the perfboard.

For those interested in LED wiring read on; when connecting an LED to a decoder a resistor is required to reduce the voltage. Different color LEDs run on slightly different voltages. Unlike lamps that require you to select a value of resistor to match the lamp, selection for LEDs is easy. A 1K (1000) Ohm 1/4 Watt resistor works fine with 10 to 14 volts on the rails. If using more than the standard 14 volts, use a 1/2 watt 1K resistor. If space is at a premium even a 1.5K Ohm 1/8 Watt resistor will work. I have used on other projects up to 3 LEDs in series with a 1K resistor. (Two red for rear markers, and one white for a headlight. The light from an LED is much less sensitive to changes in voltage and current than lamps. The maximum current rating of most LEDs is 20 mA (milliamps). The light output from an LED is almost constant from about 5 mA to the maximum (about 20 mA). For an example, an operating voltage of 5V a dropping resistor of 150 ohms will provide max brightness. A larger resistor of around 220- 470 ohm can be used to reduce current at a lower brightness. Many railroad modelers want to be calculating LED Resistor Values for the maximum brightness of their LEDs. If you don’t want that headache, then just buy 1k Ohm ¼ watt resistors, and use them with all your LEDs. Our DCC voltage and LEDs play well together, and will give you the brightness you’ll ever need.

[Larryc]

Louis you're moving right along nicely. Thanks for the electronics explanation, it may
come in handy sometime for sure. Keep up the great work.

[Tyson Rayles]

[desertdrover]

Larry thank you for your continued interest and posting your thoughts and comments.

[desertdrover]

[k9wrangler]

Going great guns, Lou! You are explaining things very well.

[john_holt]

Seeing your build reminds me why I love Rail Road Line Forums. Always something neat going on.
Can't wait to see your final product. Thanks for taking time to post all the photos and information.

As far as the Engine House thing goes, just remember that your project was so unique that someone thought it worthy to be made into a model kit for others. Thats got to make a man feel pretty good about his talents. Credits or no credits, at least YOU know where their inspiration came from.

Thanks....John

[desertdrover]

Karl, thanks for your input, and kind comment.

[desertdrover]

John I thank you for your thoughts and comments on this build. The photos and all the information does add greatly to the time put into it. But I enjoy that part as well. I've always enjoyed a how-to from others that go into great detail.

And, as far as the Loco Shed goes, I was hurt at first seeing it come out. But than I came to the conclusion that I built the how-to on Railroad-Line for all to see, and build one of their own if they wanted, so "water under the bridge", as they say. All my RR-Line family knows where that came from.

[Bernd]

Louis,

I may be getting ahead of what you are going to explain. I went back through the thread to see if the question I have had been answered. I didn't see to this point that it has. Now, you are using a 12 volt fan. I see you are picking the power off the rails, so that begs the question, will it be run off DCC or plain DC. I can't remember if you are a DCC powered layout. If it is DCC how are you going to run the fan? With a separate decoder? I think I may have just answered my own question.

Since I am not a DCC user I would use two 9 volt batteries and connect them through a 12volt regulator to run the fan. But that's me. Sorry if I'm getting ahead of your electrical explanation.

Bernd

[BurleyJim]

I'm still trying to figure out where the exhaust blast ends up? Will there be a plenum directing the airflow?

Jim

[desertdrover]

Louis,

I may be getting ahead of what you are going to explain. I went back through the thread to see if the question I have had been answered. I didn't see to this point that it has. Now, you are using a 12 volt fan. I see you are picking the power off the rails, so that begs the question, will it be run off DCC or plain DC. I can't remember if you are a DCC powered layout. If it is DCC how are you going to run the fan? With a separate decoder? I think I may have just answered my own question.

Since I am not a DCC user I would use two 9 volt batteries and connect them through a 12volt regulator to run the fan. But that's me. Sorry if I'm getting ahead of your electrical explanation.

Bernd

Bernd, I do have a DCC controlled layout. I show the Digitrax DZ143 decoder in the picture of parts on page #1. And, the circuit board picture above, this page, also shows the NMRA 8 Pin socket for decoder plug-in.
When you have a 12 volt DC locomotive, and install a DCC decoder into it, it still has that original 12 volt DC motor running on DCC rails. And, your thoughts of two 9 volt batteries, with a 12volt regulator as well, where would you plan on installing all those items in an HO size anything????