Ooo

Here are some photos 7 box cars repainting 1st coat on. Some old box cars Weaver not same as CP train but close. Just painting all CP Red, no decals on box cars just CP logo and Beaver on engine.

I gutted the Loco for parts so a dummy not a body I needed.

Will do the name on 1st 4,  Canadian Pacific Holiday Train,

 2 box cars with the figures some how will have to figure out how to light?

 and 1 box car with the stage, have some CP heavy Weight passenger cars I can use;

Might make a frame to layover to hold light strings or EL lighting to the sides so no damage to the good bodies.

Will do this as a static display so can leave back door off on box cars and access for the lighting connections.

Will tie box cars to tracks and run common 120 volt converters from Lemax that step down to 4.5 volts to power each battery box for lights.

Here are the pics of the parts;

Kj, use a primer coat next shot...otherwise it'll take way more coats of red to cover up the old markings

Found it !!!!!!!!!

The perfect way to make the Winter Scenes in the photos of the real train that are posted above animated!

Found this at the local ToysR Us for $12 today and tried it out worked great and went back for a 2nd one. Says $24 on line but perhaps check your local Toys R Us and see if on sale like our local store. Great value!

http://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/glow-book/6000022212718

http://www2.crayola.com/products/splash/glow-book/

If you look at the animated image in the 2nd link this shows what you can do with it or take it apart or do something like yourself.

There are 4 sheets of thick plastic that you slip into 4 slots on the "Book Binder edge"

each sleve that they fit into has 2 tiny LED lights that shine out into the plastic.

Where ever you use the included marker pens the clear surface lights up with that pen color.

So in the photos from the real train above the sort of neon looking images of the figures and trees etc. on the real train the lights change in layers to make it look like the cowboy is dancing and singing etc. the sleigh or animals moving etc. Santa dancing etc.

So with this light color thing you can draw different shapes on each layer, press button 5 on the left and the lights change slowly in sequence 1st lighting the 1st layer then the 1st layer goes out and the 2nd is lit then the 3rd then 4th.

So if you draw your moving figure each layer shows up in squence so it looks similar to the Train box cars where the lights layers come on and off to show the figures moving.

You could perhaps take this all apart cut it down to fit the side of the box car or build your own like this.

I am not sure what they use for the pens there are only the 6 colors included tried some other Crayola marker pens that look similar from the store but they do not work.

You can also create your own sequence of lights turning each of the 4 layers on and off in any order or time sequence.

Will run for 60 minutes then goes to sleep push button to reactivate the sequence.

Runs on 3 AA batteries.

I think I will mount mine the red power box below the train track level with the ends of the book pages sticking up about the top of the box car height. Fits well along the side just short about an inch on either end of the ends of the box car.

Will perhaps put dots for the lights around the edge of the car in different colors so it looks like they change.

I am mounting my train stationary in a Shadow box effect so hoping the lights will show up more then the box car sides.

1 more layer of red paint should have everything ready tomorrow.

Going to set this up at   Polar Express train event at our local Railway museum in a couple of weeks.

WoW!  You guys and Keith especially are really talented!

Been enjoying this thread so, so much.

Thanks!!

Called Crayola they do not have any more colors available.

Does anyone know of any other color materials that would work or have an idea of what the properties are of the color markers that make the light transmit?

Going to make a couple of different images up and and will post the jpeg's if anyone wants to copy them.

Will use them as the tracing sheets for each of the 4 layers.

Think I will do the Swinging bells on the sides of each panel.

sheet 1 with bell to left, 2 centre, 3 to right and 4 centre this will make the bell look like the one on the train swinging as each  color changes!

Can use the photos I posted above as the trace sheets for starting point. 

Following are my tracing sheets I made from the real train photos for 1 of my 2 glow book projects;

Feel free to copy if you want to do these for your own train.

Line up + to position on each sheet will need to blow up to fit.

Click on each photo to blow it up  in the window to copy.

Bells swing left, centre, right, centre etc. with striker bell swinging in correct position.

Cowboy rocks, Sleigh moves across the scene, stars on trees and music symbols move.

And if you make each of the 4 sheets with a  different color on the dots (one color each sheet) then the lights on edge of box car should light up and move like on the real one changing 4 colors.

Of to start marking the images on the light board.

Wish I could find more colors.

Keith,

I have been away from the forum for a few years -moved over to n scale. (GRVS.org)

I just paged through your Vision of a CP Holiday Train.

I admire you're authenticity and creativity. You are to be applauded.

Please Keep Everyone posted on your progress.

P.S

Although this youtube Christmas Train is old (2010); It was my son's one and only attempt at a UP Christmas Train. "Listen for the Horn!" and enjoy.

MTH UP Christmas Train

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llah3b-oPEw

Sincerely

Grandmaster (Steve Widmer)

Great project you have going. Looking forward to seeing it all come together.

Great job love the detail looks good.

I saw these when out hunting for stuff for decorations etc. at the $1 store; $5 each picked up some.

It is solar powered, designed for outside comes on when dark. But sure can be rewired to run off batteries or a power supply.

The light is bright and colors change over a few different colors.

Might try your drilling holes and mounting it looks really good.

Will have to tinker with it when time, really like your design looks great.

Setting up a large Christmas model train and village at the Railway museum for Polar Express event CP Holiday train will have to wait might get some work done on it while running the display this weekend.

Keith:

Looking forward to seeing your progress photos.

Doing some more experimenting.

I am tinkering with side lit LED projection images for the CP Holiday Train name that is on the side of the 1st 4 box cars.

Like the EL lighting idea but trying something different.

Here are some LED lit things I picked up at Walmart. Tinkering with taking the tree apart it comes in an X shape on the base.

Can slip the sections apart and when you etch on the back of the plastic around the edges and a couple of lines across the middle then where you etched becomes visible when side lit with the LED.

Here are some ideas how it can be done! ;

http://www.instructables.com/i...creen-edge-lit-sign/

http://www.instructables.com/id/Edge-Lit-Displays/

Would like to tinker with etching on the plastic. The Crayola thing works OK that I showed eariler but the side lit LED sheets would be a little nicer if images were etched. Check out the link to the 2 level sign can do a different etch on each panel.

And different color.

Keith,

What ever happened to this CP Holiday Train project?

(Yesterday's Who's lit the rooftop campfire on the Polar Express ... thread reminded me about this.)

Dave

Keith:

You have many Forum members just waiting for this set to be complete. I am one of them.