3D Printing Plus LED Lights Equal Low-Cost Light Fixtures

3D printing has amazing uses from creating artificial organs, prosthetics, architectural models, toys, guitars, parts for motor vehicles and rocket engines, and even chocolate bars. On the HPRR 3D printing has been used to "print" housings for layout control panels and now, floor lighting fixtures

At the Highland Pacific Railroad 3D printing was used to make LED holders to be installed for floor lighting. These little gems originated with a broken LED tube. Rather than throw them out Dave Flynn decided to recycle the LEDs in the club's floor lighting project. 

The LEDs were removed from the broken fixture and a single LED was used to design a fixture to house the LEDs. The fixture was then "printed" on Dave's 3D-printer.The addition of a couple of wires, 2 screws for mounting, a resistor, and voilà, floor lighting fixtures for the layout room for about $0.40 in parts. This will be especially useful for those times we operate the Highland Pacific Railroad in "night running" mode. 

 

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Do Not Use While Train is Standing in the Station

Flushed with pride, Gerry and Chris show off their handiwork. Except Gerry whose hands are, disturbingly, still in his pocket.

Flushed with pride, Gerry and Chris show off their handiwork. Except Gerry whose hands are, disturbingly, still in his pocket.

Thanks to Gerry Willis  and Chris Rippey the club’s Comfort Station has been upgraded with an ADA compliant toilet. The old toilet, part of the original house built pre-1948, while still working, has been relegated to the ash heap of old porcelain toilets. 

2018 SpringRail

The 2018 version of SpringRail will held just down the road from Highland Pacific Railroad headquarters, is at the College Avenue Church of the Nazarene, 8221 College Avenue at Second Ave., Whittier, the City of Trees (Directions: 2018 SpringRail). Our own James Keena is conference chair for this ;popular gathering of model railroad intelligentsia.. 

Registration begins at 7 AM and is $20 for NMRA members, $25 non-members. The Swap Meet begins at the same time where members buy no longer wanted model railroad gear.

Morning donuts and coffee included free although donations are accepted (cash, not used model railroad equipment). A pizza lunch is free if you enter a model into the model contest; otherwise the lunch cost is $7.

The flyer below provides additional details. 

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Scenery Upgrades Proceed Apace

Gerry overlooks his recent handiwork. 

Gerry overlooks his recent handiwork. 

The past couple of months have seen a burst of color on the west side of layout from Bayshore to Deka siding. The most recent revitalization was to the area around West End Yard up past Bayshore Valley Traction Station to the west.

Gerry Willis is the groundskeeper on this project. You can see how much brighter the scenery upgrade has made the layout in the photo at the right. Notice the better-defined path leading to the steps up to the bridge and trolley station. The greens are more vivid no doubt enhanced by the newly replaced trees. 

Some of the new trees here and along the layout edge near Bayshore are from Gerry's own layout that he had when living in Reno. Other materials come from the stock of scenery supplies that have been hidden in various parts of the club rooms for many years. The new and repurposed materials used in this project look so much better because they are not covered by a patina of 50 years of model railroad dust.

Come on down and check Gerry's work. He will give you a personalized tour of the newly renovated areas. Keep moving or he will give you a tree to plant. 

Jack Ross Joins Up

Jack Ross

Jack Ross

My Name is Jack Ross. I am 37, married, and I have an 8 year old daughter. I have lived in Southern California my entire life. 

I got interested in trains when I was 11. When I moved to Azusa from Pasadena, my parent's bought a house 2 blocks away from the Santa Fe mainline. I loved hearing the sounds of the trains as they went by so I started reading about them in school. 

I started collecting HO scale models shortly after and have been active with the hobby ever since. I enjoy sharing my knowledge and experiences with anything train related and own a decent collection of HO scale model trains. 

I model mainly 90's era Southern Pacific, but also have some "freelanced" modern Pacific Electric models.

Jack joins us as a Probationary Member and looks forward to being a member of the finest model railroad club in the Greater Los Angeles Area. Welcome Jack!