Adding some "spark" to the subway

Very nice effect.  Well done!

That's pretty cool 

That is really good!  Wow.  

 

I love it!

That's awesome Chris. Nice job.

That is so cool! Thanks, Malcolm

Hi Chris,

 

Wow this look's so realistic, very nicely done. We missed you at York.

 

 

Alex

Nice effect, Chris.

 

Rick

A long time ago, I saw an OO gauge model of EMU trains that used old flashguns to simulate the flashes from the third rail.  This was pretty amazing at the time, and looked very close to the real thing. 

In my younger days, I can remember watching the huge flashes as electric trains travelled through the countryside on a cold and damp winter's night.

Pretty clever dude.

Chris, nice effect. 

Very nice, indeed!

 

In an earlier thread on a similar topic, I suggested using the Evans Nano chips to simulate the high voltage sparking between the pantographs and catenary wire.  They're small enough that they could be placed at a catenary pole periodically to give a flash as the train zipped by.  Hey, MTH, it could even be a 'feature' for your catenary sets!

 

I remember watching with Dad the express trains of the PRR departing Washington, D.C.'s Union Station.  There was a road overlooking the Ivy City yards on which we'd park on the shoulder.  We'd lean against the door of our 1949 Buick Super (Gawd-awful turquoise color!) The GG1's were stepping out right smartly with their matching strings of Budd & P-S cars heading north to Baltimore, Philly, and NYC at that point.  The occasional spark flash above the pantograph was better (IMHO, of course) than the Fourth of July fireworks on The Mall in that town!!  (Less crowded, too!) 

 

Ah, memories...

 

Chris,

Your sparking is prototypical and is a neat technique!!

Very nice!

Ralph

Now that's what I call "cool white". Very inventive, Chris, I really like the effect.

Really nice Chris. You have certainly added a WOW factor to your layout!

Never seen that before. It looks real sharp. Nice job.

Chris,

That looks amazing. Any chance you have some photos to show how you did it. I read the other thread and didn't get a solid idea of how to proceed. Also the item number for the LEDs you used.

Thanks,

 

Jay in Ottawa

Do you have a delay such that the LED does not flash immediately when the train enters the isolated block?  Otherwise, I would think the first flash would occur ahead of the train, depending upon the distance of the LED from the cut rail.  Would love to hear more  specifics as to how you achieved this.  Thanks.

 

Rick

Chris great work and yes we missed you at York!

Nice job Chris!  For those of you that are interested also check out the thread on the subway forum.  Some have mounted the flasher on the truck by the 3rd rail shoe with a random spark circuit.  That is more complex though, and Chris's way looks just fine.

I missed not being at York and all you guy's too. We'll be back in October. Hotel reservations already made!

This is one of the coolest things I have seen in a long time. And relatively simple to do. Very creative!

That's awesome Chris!!!! Keep up the good work buddy!

BRILLIANT 

Ken Jr.    Thank you. BTW When can we pre order from the tinplate catalog?

Just got the new catalog and pricing from Rich and Mike at York.  Hopefully I will have everything up by the end of the week.  

 

Did you see the O Gauge Red Bird set? I think that will be pretty cool too.  But the tinplate subway set is pretty interesting.  Send me an email at orders@trainworld.com if you need a free MTH or Lionel Catalog.  Mention in the email you spoke to Ken Jr. 

 

 

Cool, do we have to call you "Sparky" now?  I've never seen that done before, neat little mod.

That's pretty cool, thanx for sharing.

Thanks Joe! You realize that nickname will probably stick now!   That would make a cool Miller sign!