Some updated vehicle pics...


We went to Chicago to take in a couple of Cubs games years back. I had a '73 Blazer with big "monster tires", 1-ton springs, a 10" lift kit and an 8" body lift. The bottom of the truck was about chest high. The tires were 50" tall and nearly 21" wide.

To make a long story short, I was ticketed for taking up two parking spaces, even though I was feeding both meters. Next time I won't feed any.

The officer asked me what I used the truck for. I told him that I ran over police cars. lol

Bob
 
thats our lovely city all right. they need to get the money to cover the hole in budget somehow...
 
here is the first 2 models finished.

1950s Mack B model (athearn) with a 1950s beavertail style lowboy (ghq)
Machine is woodland scenics shovel

installed a flasher circuit that alternates the rear trailer tail lights and truck roof "gumball"

I think this will get placed on a job site or side of the road getting ready to load or unload the machine
 
There was a guy in our club that would install LED's in vehicles. He used a battery about the size of the fingernail of your pinky. The guy was amazing. In the time of we spent at a club meeting each week, he could finish two automobiles. I'd have to say that he had the method down pat.

And he could install a decoder in a loco in about 20 minutes. It takes me that long to figger out which wires to cut.

His layout "twinkled" with lights, in cars, buildings, trucks. Amazing. Unfortunately, like with many of our old club members, he passed on to the railroad in the sky.

I do think that adding vehivcles to a layout gives so much "life" to any layout. I could use more, I know.

Bob
 
Nice rig and shovel, Trent. Are you using 12 volts to powr the lights? I've done a couple emergency vehicles with LED's using 12 volt power but I hate that they always have to stay in the same place, since the wires run down to the lighting bus. The button batteries, like Bob is talking about, would be a much better alternative, but it's hard to find a place to hide the battery in a Crown Vic. They would work with a mount to the underside but they are just a tad to thick. Anyone else come up with any better ideas?
 
Jim, the guy at the club used a very small battery and placed it in the trunk or under the hood(ingenius, where else would you put the battery? DUH!!!) One had to remove the battery to turn off the light however. The car was too small for a micro-switch. Though I saw some at Radio Shack that just might work. They were pretty tiny.

Bob
 
on most of my trucks I put a Led with a resistor for use with 12V DC. I use DC to power 99% of all trucks as I have to get the led resistor so tucked up in the frame that I have no space for a battery. I like to use leds as they last alot longer than bulbs. all have 2 wires to a power source under the table as everthing is containd in the car or truck. most likely this will end up down at the club for one of the scenery aeras I am working on.

this tractor has a led on the roof top, wires run from cab interior to the trailer and act as the air hoses for the trailer brakes. Under the lowboy is the flasher circuit and a red led, this red Led has light tubes that go to the rear tail lights and flash, the cab "gumball" and trailer tail lights flash out of sequence.
 
Jim, the batteries I'm talking about are as thin as a dime and the size of the fingernail on your pinky. ITTY BITTY. I have no idea of the reference number. He said he got them at Just Batteries. They are a chain store that sells............just batteries. Figures. lol

Bob
 
Hmmm...I know about Just Batteries. I'll have to go hunting around their site. It seems like you could rig up a magnetic reed switch, if I can find one small enough, so you can turn the lights on and off with a magnet outside the vehicle. Now that you mention it, I don't think I ever tried a battery under the hood. I'll have to see how much space there really is on a Crown Vic under there.
 
Just a thought, Jim, if the models are true to form, there is NO room under the hood, but the trunk is a cave!!!! I've got a Gran Marquis, Merc's answer to the Crown Vic, and I can testify to that.

Bob
 
How about Hearing Aid batteries. You can get them just about anywhere's that sells batteries. WM in the jewelry dept.
 
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