[Nick Jr]

Yes, I'n not a PRR historian as you, but do know they changed the look of the whole pilot on the 1361. Built about 1918 had one like the bottom pic, but was upgraded to what some call the 'Post War' pilot. No more 'train control' box as it was done by radio. Some one directed me to an excellent article that described the working of the control box when I was lighting up the K4, found it to be amazing for it's time. A series of pulses were sent through the rails on the block that loco was on,'decoded' in the box and sent to the cab. For me, would have better liked if had been restored to it's original 'look'.

 

[RioGrandeFan]

Nick,

Looks like your LEDs are using fine enamel coated wire? How does this hold up to the heat I am worried about the enamel melting off and causing a short. I plan to run enamel coated wires through a metal tube back to the cab.

 

[Nick Jr]

I used thin wall copper tubing to run my wires through, and so far no problem. I think they call it magnet wire. Under the color coating is a skin of laquer, they have a video shows how to use fine abrasive paper to remove it or the connection won't be made, frustrating before I learned the proper way. Even the heat of a soldering iron doesn't remove it properly. Please post pics of your success.

 

[boilingwater]

I second Evans Designs…very happy with product and customer service.

Sam

 

[RioGrandeFan]

What size LEDs did you use? And how did you secure/mount the copper tube to the boiler?

Do you have Tamiya clear orange paint? If you paint some on your LED in the headlight it will make it a nice gold yellow color instead of the bluish color I've done this on other scales. Just a tip if you care otherwise it looks great.

 

[Nick Jr]

LED:I used the "Full brightness all around Double LED, Cool White. Nano
Pipes: since the K4 already had pipes all over the smoke box, mostly force fitted
them between the others, where necessary used JB Weld, not the KWIK.
I have the Tamiya clear yellow, what do you think?? thank you for the tip.

 

[RioGrandeFan]

I pretty much have a plan in mind now of how I am getting the wires back to the cab, now I am trying to decide if I want to run the wiring back to the tender. I am thinking of putting my receiver back there with a battery pack for the radio control and having the receivers output voltage power the LEDs on its own channel with a on/off switch controlled from my transmitter. I would need to have two electrical plugs between the tender and loco tho, one for lights and one for a servo. I could go coin battery but I don't want to always have to buy one or a 9v rechargeable in the cab. I need to think about it.

The yellow might work I have never tried it. You can paint it on the led while its lit and see how it looks. Maybe try it on a different LED if you have extras laying around.

 

[RioGrandeFan]

The class lights from shapeways showed up today. They are looking very nice. The black ones are what comes stock with the c-18.

 

[RioGrandeFan]

My plan is to remove the handhold on the front of the smoke box and replace it with a tube so I can run the wires from one class light over to the other class and have the wires from the headlight and two class lights meet at the same point then run in one tube back to the cab. I am thinking of replacing the long handhold that run the length of the boiler with a tube as well.

So I started by filing small flat spots on the end of the stanchion post to make it easier to get the drill bit started then I drilled a small pilot hole working my way up to 1/16" bit. The middle stanchions are floating from the smoke box and are not attached at all.

With the middle stanchions + handhold removed and outer stanchions drilled out the 1/16" tube fits nicely. Pictured is a aluminum tube but I will most likely use brass tube so I soldier everything in place. Still trying to figure out how I want to mount the new class lights.

LEDs should be here today. More updates coming.