Lionel 394 Rotating Beacon gets a proper motor

Very nice - I like it.  I sort of did the same thing with the rotating radar antenna but I could not locate a motor small enough to place up top.  So I had a motor laying around and mounted it underneath and ran a drive shaft up the middle. Same results but I think I will use your method when I do a Beacon.  Thanks for the post. 

Very nice, indeed!

What can you tell us about your source for this motor/gear drive??  Also, can you give us any further information on the LED's, their size, their arrangement within the beacon top?  And, finally, may we assume this became a DC powered accessory to accommodate the motor and LED's??

Thanks for the inspiration, too!!

KD

@dkdkrd posted:

Very nice, indeed!

What can you tell us about your source for this motor/gear drive??  Also, can you give us any further information on the LED's, their size, their arrangement within the beacon top?  And, finally, may we assume this became a DC powered accessory to accommodate the motor and LED's??

Thanks for the inspiration, too!!

KD

The motor/gear was bought on Ebay.  They are listed as 8-16 rpm, 6-12vdc.  The LEDs are typical 5mm 3v warm white.  I beveled the end to make the beam less directional. The LEDs are mounted horizontally as close to the rotating shaft as possible, at the midpoint of the beacon lens. I placed the LEDs so that they would be pointing towards the direction from which the beacon is most often viewed.

Yes, this is a DC powered accessory (5vdc). The LEDs are fed through resistors appropriate for the voltage.  My layout has two accessory voltages, 5vdc and 12vdc, both from an old desktop computer power supply.  The voltages have been adjusted slightly higher and are around 5.5v and 12.8 (at the supply).  The extra voltage keeps the supply sufficiently high at the far reaches of my layout.

I find the constant speed of the beacon much more satisfying to watch and I love the fact that it is silent.

Hope this helps anyone frustrated with their rotating beacon!

Great idea(s) for improving this nice traditional accessory!

Thanks for sharing!

@stangtrain posted:

Great idea(s) for improving this nice traditional accessory!

Thanks for sharing!

Ditto! two questions please and thanks in advance.

Is this the type of motor you used?  Seems this would  fit without extending much below the platform.

and did you use a slip ring connector for the leds?

@hokie71 posted:

Ditto! two questions please and thanks in advance.

Is this the type of motor you used?  Seems this would  fit without extending much below the platform.

and did you use a slip ring connector for the leds?

Yes, that appears to be the exact type of motor I used.  It extends a little below the platform and a little above.  I did not use slip rings.  The LEDs are fixed - located between the rotating shaft and the rotating beacon.  I decided that this was the easiest and most practical method.  I originally planned on four LEDs, or even more if necessary, but two worked fine and I can't tell that they are fixed.  If the accessory was viewable all the way around, four might have been needed, but possibly not. As previously stated, I beveled the edges of the LEDs to give a less directional, less concentrated beam.  It seems to have helped.

My 394 is the one I had back in the 50s/60s, and is still in remarkable shape (with a vibro motor).  If I ever buy one from the used market, I'll put one of these on.  I don't know if I'll be able to appreciate it without the noisy motor though

There IS a certain nostalgia about the noise.  I have a distinct dislike for 60hz hum or anything similar, so quiet works for me.  Other accessories that are too noisy for me in original form: 97 coal loader, 464 sawmill and others with the vibrator motor.  My modified 464 is much quieter, but it makes just enough noise that people think it is really sawing the boards.  Other things that are not nostalgic for me - 6v automotive electrical systems and bias ply tires.