Garden lighthouse with a beacon light

Some time ago my family has bought me a wooden lighthouse for use on my garden layout. The building is not exactly G-scale but looks great and I'm going to be installing it as soon as the season starts. One thing it was missing is some kind of interior lighting that would make it look more real.

But it's of course not just a building but a lighthouse. It needs a beacon light. So the emitted light should be either spinning or blinking. Creating a rotating light source seemed complicated so I decided to go for one that would just switch on and off. This can be of course achieved by using a multi-vibrator circuit.

The basic one can be seen below. There's not much to be said about it. The frequency of blinking can be adjusted by using different values for resistors and capacitors. And I really think we have a full freedom of choice here. One thing I would be careful about is making sure that R1 and R2 resistors are always of higher values than R3 and R4.

But the basic circuit was not good enough for me. Most notably - I wanted a blinking light, but one with a nice fade in and fade out effects. Therefore I had to make some changes:

My circuit differs from the basic one in three areas:

• I removed one of the LEDs as I needed only one blinking light
• I've added a bridge rectifier at the input - the circuit needs a proper polarization and I just didn't want to worry about that when connecting the power supply
• For the nice fade in and fade out effects I added an extra capacitor parallel to the LED

I also wanted the blinking to be slow. I could have calculated the proper resistance and capacity from the formulas for that circuit but it was just easier to reach the goal by experimenting. So my final values for the elements are:

• R1 = R2 = 9.4 kΩ
• R3 = 860 Ω
• R4 = 110 Ω
• C1 = C2 = 470 uF
• C3 = 2200 uF

I also had to decide what my actual light source would be. I was thinking about using LED strips and somehow forming them into a spherical shape. But then I discovered those cheap light bulbs on Ebay.

They're LEDs so they don't take much power. They're cheap - $0.50 a piece. They're powered with 12V, so they're safe. And their connector (which is G4) fits pretty nicely into a standard PCB socket. So I ordered them...

Here's my first prototype for the beacon light. It took some experimenting to decide the right values for the elements, and this way of building the circuit was great for the first step. And it also allowed me to easily monitor the voltage on the light bulb. Now I know that I need to provide at least 16V at the input in order to have around 12V on the LEDs.

Once I was happy with the light output, I had to solder the circuit. As always - my creation does not look good but works as expected!

I had two more goals to achieve:

• I wanted to protect the circuitry from the bad weather. I didn't think it needed to be perfectly sealed, but some level of protection was desired.
• I wanted to make the light more diffused. The light the LED bulb was producing was "too direct" for me.

And here's my solution. A plastic container remaining from a dessert my daughters had. You could say I got it for free.

Here's my circuit installed inside the plastic box. My favourite hot glue proved to be useful, as always :)

More hot glue and the whole beacon light bulb is now attached to the base of the lighthouse. I'm starting to be proud of my creation at this step!

The lighthouse is closed. The light is lit. Looks good to me!

And it looks even better when moved outside. The photo was taken just before dusk. The light is not very strong but it was not meant to be - I do not want to disturb my neighbours' sleep.

I've also shot some short videos at different phases of my work. They show the frequency of the blinking as well as the fade in/out effect. Enjoy!

First look at G-Scale rail clamps

I did not have the need to use rail clamps on my garden layout, yet. It's not really surprising since I've just started my adventure with G-Scale, and everything I have is brand new. I know however that sooner or later I'm going to need them...

So I decided to go ahead and try them already now. I've bought products from Split Jaw, PIKO and Uncle Herm's for that purpose. But I won't be reviewing or testing them here. It will all be just my first impressions...

One thing that has been brought up recently is that some of the rail clamps break when too much force is applied. It's very tempting for me to perform a test and have some conclusions documented on my blog. I could even live with the financial loss that such test requires but I won't do that. There are two reasons for that:

Reason one: the test would require to break a clamp from every manufacturer while the applied force is being precisely measured. I do not have an equipment to do that...

Reason two: let's take a look at the Split Jaw rail clamp installation note:

It says explicitly not to use too much force. So it seems the manufacturers know that these things may break and they warn us about it. Does proving that a manual is right make sense at all?

So instead I will be applying a reasonable force when working with rail clamps. I will always tighten them up to the point where I'm not able to pull the rails apart anymore. That's their function, isn't it? And as soon as any of them breaks (today, tomorrow or in a year) I will report it here.

OK, let's take a look at the rail clamps.

Uncle Herm's Code 332 Rail Joiners

I've bought a pack of 10 of those on Ebay. They were priced at $18.49 which gives $1.85 per piece. Shipping within US was free and I was able to use that option (courtesy of a friend of mine). What came in an envelope is a small plastic bag with clamps and a screwing tool.

At first I was not sure what to think. Was the tool part of the set? Was it a free gift? Why do the clamps come in a regular plastic bag with just a sticker? Why wasn't it all packaged like a real product?

But let's move on. There are no surprises after unboxing. It's still just the clamps and the tool. No manual at all and no spare parts.

Inclusion of the tool is a big plus. You don't need to search for one in your toolbox, it's just there for you. The tool is pretty thin but feels sturdy. It does not bend and seems it could be easily used to apply more force than is really needed.

Here's a close up look at the clamp. It is built from two brass pieces connected with two screws. The profile seems rather low and the screws are medium sized. It feels like a solid piece of metal when held in a hand.

The installation was rather tricky. When unscrewed, the clamp won't stay on the rail. It means it has to be held with one hand while the screws are being tightened with another. Unless of course you get some help from a friend or use an extra tool to hold it. But it's definitely not easy...

But it looks very nice when installed and it holds the rails very well. I have to say that even though my first impression was a mixed one, the Uncle Herm's clamp feels like a quality piece and gets the job done well.

Uncle Herm's clamp on PIKO R3 track

PIKO 35293

I purchased this 10-pack online and I used a US-based store again. It was priced at $16.79 which means $1.68 per piece. What arrived looks like a typical PIKO product and makes a good first impression.

Unboxing reveals a manual (one without any "excessive force warning"), a tool, clamps and two extra screws. The inclusion of spare parts is nice although one may wonder why the manufacturer decided to do that.

The only reason I'm questioning it is because the screws are really tiny. And the tool is very thin and a little bendy, too. I can imagine that those small parts might be easy to lose or break. But I'm really just hypothesizing now...

What comes with those tiny screws is a really nice look. PIKO clamp makes an impression of a well designed product. It's not the most important thing in case of a rail clamp but the German tidiness is definitely there.

The clamp has a rather high profile. This probably makes it harder to hide but definitely easier to install. I have to assume that such higher profile is still compatible with all the rolling stock around the world but I don't really know that.

The element is built from two brass pieces connected with screws. It feels a little lighter than the other clamps but I weighted it and it's not lighter at all. So it must be the soft shape...

The installation of PIKO joiner is reaaaaally easy. And it's all because the clamp simply stays on the rail once you put it there. So it does not need to be supported when being tightened. This is really cool and the installation experience is definitely the best of all three products.

And of course it holds the rails very well. Just as expected.

PIKO rail clamp on PIKO R3 track

Split Jaw 40105

The last one I bought is a very popular (at least in the US) Split Jaw brand. The pack of 10 cost me $19.99 which is of course $2.00 per piece. It is therefore the most expensive one and I expect it to be the best one, too :)

Unboxing and a surprise - no screwing tool there. Just the clamps. No manual except for a small note at the back of the bag.

The clamps feel heavy and solid - similar to Uncle Herm's. The profile is low but the screws are noticeably larger. They don't look that nice in my opinion but perhaps their size guarantees better operation. If that's the case - I'm fine with a worse look.

An interesting thing is that the clamp looks like it's made from a single brass piece. And I started wondering how this was going to work...

The mystery is revealed once the screws are loosened. It's actually three brass pieces. So the design is completely different than the two other products.

The biggest challenge for me was the lack of the tool. I thought I had every type of screwdriver in my possession already but this clamp proved me wrong. None of my tools fitted it. Must be some American standard. I really wish Split Jaw took care of that like the other manufacturers did.

Once you have the tool the installation is easy. Not as easy as PIKO but easier than Uncle Herm's. The thing is: the clamp does not stay on the rail when unscrewed and it has to be held. BUT since it consists of three metal pieces you can do it rail by rail. So the clamp can be first attached to one rail end and tightened. And then connection to the other rail end is very easy, since the element is now stable.

Split Jaw therefore manages to keep the low profile while making the installation acceptably easy. That's very cool. And I'm impressed.

The screws are of course still ugly but the rails are kept together well.

Split Jaw clamp on PIKO R3 track

Summary

The three different rail clamps are really three different products. There are differences in all areas:

• the price (small difference but might pile up if you buy 500 pieces)
• the look (both: the height of the profile and the finishing)
• the installation (from very easy to a procedure requiring a third hand)

But in the end they all seem to hold the rails equally well and I'm not able to tell which one I will choose for my layout.

I really like the Split Jaw except for the ugly screws and the lack of the tool. PIKO seems nicely designed but I keep wondering about the very thin and tiny elements. Uncle Herm's is low profile and looks good but the installation is rather difficult.

None of the clamps broke during my first experience :)
And here are some photos to prove that!

From left: Split Jaw, Uncle Herm's, PIKO

From top: Split Jaw, Uncle Herm's, PIKO

From left: Split Jaw, Uncle Herm's, PIKO

Garden works, part 8: Elevated layout frame

Another month has passed and I've managed to achieve some significant progress with regard to my elevated garden layout. My last update covered building the drainage/foundation for the future structure. It also mentioned the challenge of removing all the dirt that was left from the digging I had to do...

Well, I'm happy to report that 2 full days and 5 afternoons later, the dirt is no more! I transported it all with a wheelbarrow to a container and it was taken away by a truck.

Right after that I bought all the wood that was needed for the missing layout frame modules. And it was of course immediately painted with a wood protector.

Once dry, the work on building the next set of walls has started. One challenge I had here was that the planks I bought were rarely really straight. I had to use a set of transport belts to force them into the correct position.

When the module walls were ready, they were painted the second time.

The next part was surprisingly easy. The wooden walls were connected using cross planks and immediately became my layout modules. They're not perfectly rectangular, but they fit pretty well. And it all actually looks pretty good, too (especially from a distance).

The trickiest part of the frame was the "soft corner". I really regret coming up with this idea. It took me over half a day to build and it was the moment when my lack of experience in working with wood really showed. The result is far from perfect but it feels sturdy and will have to do...

I also took an extra care about the modules' connections. Each module is supposed to be independent and be able to hold the filling by itself. But I really wanted to make sure that they don't shift and that the entire frame stays as one. Hence the extra support at the points of contact:


The remaining elements were installed and painted. The entire frame for my elevated layout is now ready. It's waiting for the stones to be filled with.

Unfortunately the days are becoming shorter and colder. The weather is often rainy, too. There's no way I can finish this project before winter. I guess I'll have to cover the structure for now to protect it and restart my activities in spring. So that might be the last update on my elevated layout this year...

Kato Portram 14-801-8, N-Scale TLR0605 Tram

And so it happened. I've bought my first Kato engine. I've been hesitating to do it for a very long time due to my love to DCC and Kato's lack of REAL support for this technology. But I needed something small, and nice, and not necessarily DCC to be permanently placed on my tiny layout. That's how the idea of buying a Kato tram came to life...

The unit I've bought is Kato 14-801-8 and it's an N-Scale model of a TLR0605 Japanese streetcar. I've purchased it from Plaza Japan on Ebay and it cost me $71 plus shipping. The unit comes in a typical transparent plastic box:

After opening it and removing the bubble wrap layer, the tram is fully visible. The model I bought has an interesting painting scheme. It's colourful and very Japanese-looking. The choice I've made will certainly be appreciated by my little daughters.

There isn't much to be found in the box. Here's the full content:

The manual is exclusively in Japanese. I can't read it at all and I hope I did not miss anything important. Two things however are worth mentioning:

The manual explains in pictures the process of opening the unit. This will be useful as I'm planning to install some people figures inside the car.

Judging from the pictures, it seems spare parts are available. No need for that, yet, but who knows what happens in the future...

Here's the tram in its full glory. Photos from almost every possible angle:


The tram looks fantastic. It has plenty of details and it's very nicely painted. The body is all plastic and it does not feel very heavy. This could imply low quality materials but the unit does not feel that way. It feels just right - neither fragile, nor very sturdy.

The wheels of the engine are very small. Smaller than anything I encountered in the N-Scale so far. I'd expect the model to be more prone to derailing because of that.
And that's correct - it ran off the track almost immediately, as my test layout had a small bump between the adjacent track pieces. I had to correct the connection between the rails to allow the unit to pass it properly.

Another interesting element is the pantograph. It's made of plastic and you open it by simply pulling it up. There's no mechanism there to hold it or support it. It looks great but it also looks very fragile. No wonder it's available as a spare part.

A very nice thing about the unit is the factory installed lighting. The tram has double white front lights and a single red back light. And yes, they work in both directions.

On top of that, it also features interior lighting, so the inside of the car is nicely lit, too. That's one of the reason I picked up this model and I have to say it was worth it. Looks great!

Unfortunately the lighting is constructed as in a usual DC model. So its intensity strongly depends on the track voltage and to get the full experience the tram has go fast.

Here are some photos showing the car under full power in a dark setting:

Enough pictures. It's time to see how it runs. In my opinion it's a little loud but other than that it operates perfectly. Here's a video showing it on my test track:

So how do I like the model?

I like it a lot. It runs nicely and looks great when illuminated. It would fit a modern city layout perfectly. Money well spent.

Pros:

• great looking
• nicely painted 
• well detailed
• runs smoothly
• interior lighting
• reasonable price

Cons:

• not DCC/sound friendly
• light intensity depends on track voltage
• small wheels
• fragile pantograph