Camera in Jordan Spreader

I like it. Does it transmit the picture to a regular TV or to something like the railscope tv.

Gunrunner

Besides Nicks question.

What is the brand name of the camera you used? I went to the bay and there must 10 pages of them things.

Thanks

Larry

Here's the CM200 Camera Kit and here's just the CM200 Camera.

I bought the kit and I also have a couple of extra cameras that I'll install in different cars.  One is going into a caboose to see the view from the back of the train.  I'm looking for a nice locomotive with dual headlights where I can hide one in the second headlight.

Nick, the picture comes to the receiver and is available as a composite video signal and the sound.  Yep, it has sound as well.

Most awesome! Can't wait to se video results.

Well, the bad thing about the video is that it's real-time, it just displays on a monitor.  If I wanted to capture it, I'd have to have a computer with a video capture card.

Nice job mounting the camera John, but that's not a Jordan spreader. It's a wedge plow.

I used to have a USB one, but it didn't work with Windows 7.  I've never picked up another one, someday...

IMHO

Very nice.

That is a cleaver idea, nicely executed, too.

Good morning

I always thought the camera or camera's should be in the MTH DC-3 track inspection car.

Seems like a natural

Clem

Very nice indeed John!! 

Alan

Thanks for the kind words.

I couldn't fit the camera in the cab, that was my first choice.  I have a similar wireless camera to the one Joe mentioned, but that didn't seem to fit either.  I finally decided to put it where it is.

I think Clem's idea of the track inspection car is a natural, what a great location.

Very clever place to install the camera, looks great!

The one I used looked like this.

I think I also did some minor modifications to the inside of the cab to get it to fit.

This place has some interesting products.

http://hobbywireless.com/mini-fpv-cameras-c-122_6/

That's the exact one I have, I'd like to see what mods you did to make it fit.

FWIW, eBay has those for less than half of what Hobby Wireless has them for, and they're the exact same camera.

John;

While Capture with a Video Card is great for direct to web, You can go back a generation in Recording.

Using an actual VCR or DVD recorder in line will work as well. Then you can scan it into a computer later if you want.

John,

Like I said, it was done 8 to 10 years ago, so I don't remember exactly. I believe I used a Dremel to grind away some of the plastic inside the cab but that's all I could tell you.

Russell, I'd like to use my laptop to capture it.  I don't have a stand-alone DVD recorder, and have no interest in buying one.  Working with a VCR seems just wrong, and the only one I have is a beast!  With a video capture unit, I can not only get it on the computer, but easily put it on a DVD if I desire.

Joe, when I looked, it seemed that I'd have to grind all the way through the roof to get the lens aligned, maybe I gave up too easily.

John,

Where did you find the 5V modular power supply?

I'll post what John told me today since I been bothering him with dumb questions all day by e-mail. I'm tech challenged but wanted to play with this process.

from Gunner

The power supply I used was one that's been mentioned many times in the forum.  I buy them in lots, here's an auction for five of them, total price for the lot is less than $6 with shipping.  They handy for lots of power tasks around the layout, and you can adjust the voltage over a wide range.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Mini-5pcs-LM2596s-3A-DC-to-DC-Buck-Converter-Power-Supply-Step-Down-Module-/131122820551?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e878775c7



I add a bridge rectifier on the input and run them from track power with a 22uh choke for DCS compatibility.

John

John,

Great work as always, very nicely done.

Alex

John, Great looking camera car! Thanks for sharing the details. Terry

See the next post, Larry posted the link to what I use.

Thanks Alex.  I don't know if I can knock the "smoke king" off the throne, but I'm going to at least saw one leg off.

You're most welcome, glad you like it.

John, I admire your ingenuity!  how does it perform in low light? 

When it goes through a tunnel, it blacks out.   However, in just low light in the corners, it still works fine.

I was thinking of really juicing up the headlight to give it more light to work with.  I have some 3W LED's, but I think I'd have to add a fan to cool them and not melt the cab!

Just have the fan in High Beam Mode in the tunnels and have a circuit detect when you enter and exit to control the light and the fan! LOL JK

You cease to amaze me!

Keep it coming!

Gosh Dennis, when did I cease to amaze you?

You know what I mean!

Yep, but it was such an easy target.

John,

I read this post a while ago, and I've been meaning to copy your idea and build a camera car myself.  Here's the final result: A camera caboose for my local club.  The camera looks out the back door (the "glass" there is removed) and the antenna pokes out the caboose roof.  I also added an on/off switch on the rear of the cupola so the camera can be turned off if desired. 

When I take it to the club Saturday, I plan to experiment with a higher gain antenna on the receiver to see if that helps appreciably in maintaining the signal as the caboose makes its rounds.

-Dustin

Dustin,

Nice job.

Looks great, and you can't even notice there's a camera there.  I'm looking to put one of my other ones in a locomotive, I'm just looking for one with dual headlights and enough room behind it for the little camera.

I've always enjoyed your posts John.

Concerning  a camera-ready locomotive, I "made" a dummy out of an old Williams Diesel and use that as the lead locomotive pushed by a powered unit.

The headlight area was opened up for the camera and there is plenty of space for the camera and transmitter without the motors, etc..

To make power collection reliable I ran two small flexible wires between the two locos which are never separated.

TJ

I've considered a dummy, but I'd still like the lead engine to have a headlight.  One of these days, I'll stumble across the ideal candidate.