RE: (erielack) Seeking HO DL&W Signal Advice

["Paul R. Tupaczewski" <paultup_@_comcast.net>]

> Model Memories makes some great bridges and heads, but it's 
> the heads I need.  Can heads be purchased separately or is 
> there another way to go?


The signal heads are by Oregon Rail Supply (that's what Model Memories
uses). Hopefully Bill Botkin will chime in with photos of the signals on his
layout - he's made superb DL&W signal that are in service on his Port Morris
layout (if he gives permission, I'll post the photos I took of them the last
time I visited his layout).

Basically, it's the Oregon Rail heads on a brass tube, with a finial added
on top, and ladder stock with a etched maintenance platform for each head.
Bill can provide the details.

Bill and I learned a neat trick from Don Silverbauer at Model Memories. To
make a really nice looking signal lens, use a belt sander on your LEDs to
remove most of the plastic from the tip (sand down to within a 1/32" from
the LED element inside the plastic casing). Glue the LEDs inside the signal
head, and fill in the rest of the hole from the end of the LED to the face
of the signal with the clear glazing liquid that Micro-Mark sells. When it
dries, it's crystal clear (yes, Microscale makes a similar model, but Don
says he liked the Micro-Mark product better)  When the LED is illuminated,
the effect is breathtaking. When it's extinguished, it's black - not "LED
color" :)

Another tip is for the "green" LEDs, we ended up using white (the "blueish"
white, not the "warm glow" white) LEDs, and I used stained glass stain
(purchased at my local Michaels art supply store) to color the LED casing a
blue-green color. This more accurately reflects the railroads' "green"
signal colors (don't forget - the "green" lenses were actually a blue color,
and the bulbs were very yellow, and as any good elementary school student
will tell you, "blue + yellow = green" :)   Of course, the bulbs weren't
nearly as yellow as the glass was blue, so the green had a shift towards the
blue side of the spectrum.

	- Paul



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