More from Kim

“Hi Al. I was asked by mark if I could show better detail on this strobe.

Take the led and add a very very tiny bit of solder on the tips of the led. Dont over heat the led – be fast. If you look carefully you see I put one post to the resistor and the other post to the mini led that is on the board. Sort of tie into it.

The tiny original led will be left alone as it would destroy the board trying to remove it. Just tie into the tiny one. When you go to solder the led be fast at it when tying into the led or you will over heat it. I removed the tiny battery that came with it to attach a few longer wires for power.

Max power should be 3 volts or burn the board or blow something. The board came with two other led’s one on each side that I unsoldered as I didn’t need them. Hope this helps

Kim”

ho scale 006


“Light bars for lighting cabooses or passenger cars can be made from 5mm LEDs and clear drinking straws. One LED goes in each end of the straw and wired in series. The light carrying medium is 5 minute epoxy from one of those Loctite instant mix tubes. (One minute epoxy is too fast and sets in the mixing tube.) Squirt it into the straw, cap with the LED then cap the other end with the other LED. This is all much less expensive than lighting kits. With the new Evan Designs LEDs, no decoder is needed. Any voltage source works.

Mike, Illinois”


“Hi Al. Im sure you have run into this problem. Most do after a while. I made up a cleaner that takes 5 minutes to change the nasty dirty track to brand new. You will notice an unclean track to the left. When your trains start to jerk or stall or don’t seem to run right. Dirty track.

Wont hurt plastic. and if you have really dirty wheels it will work there as well.

Formula to clean your track or any metal I guess: Pour the peroxide level with the track laying face down in the plastic container.Then sprinkle the soda all over it.

Dont have to use a lot of soda sort of sprinkle it all over the liquid and track.Let sit I say 5 minutes but found it took less than a minute. When happy with the track, rinse hot water on the track to clean of the cleaner off. Dry the track and away ya go.

I guess using say a cloth with the mixture on track that is nailed down.Let it sit on the track a few minutes and then use a cloth with warm water on it to clean off the mixture. just don’t get it all over the place as it will remove paint ,gim,dirt,electrical stains,just about anything lol.And don’t touch any train with wet finger’s or your going to hate me.Remove anything on the track before hand.And get rid of the mixture after done as so no pets or kids get at it.

Kim”

ho scale 004

ho scale 008

Big thanks to Kim – dirty tracks can drain the enjoyment out of any layout.

Please do keep ’em coming.

Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.

Best

Al

12 Responses to More from Kim

  1. Raymond Bove says:

    Hi there,

    I’m not debating the cleaning power of your method, but it doesn’t appear to be at all practical since one apparently has to dismantle the track to dip it in a plastic tray.
    Or did I miss something????

  2. Frank Polo says:

    A word of caution:

    “The decomposition of hydrogen peroxide liberates oxygen and heat; this can be dangerous as spilling high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide on a flammable substance can cause an immediate fire.”

  3. John says:

    When soldering delicate items like LEDs use a heat shunt such as Maplins FR10L

  4. Barry Read. Devon UK says:

    Mike form Illinois, thanks for the “Evan Design” info. Your item about coach lighting came at just the right time for me , as I am planning to light about a dozen coaches and was not sure which way to go.
    The Evans web site is brilliant and they send to UK. I am ordering LED’s etc.
    I am also going to hunt for clear straws. Do you have a photo of the LED and straw, working.
    All the best, Barry, Devon, UK.

  5. bob says:

    hi, i just use a fine sand paper, i put one finger on each of my three rails and work it back and fourth, then wipe it off with a rag. clean and no mess or damage to any other surface. and you can do this with the track all in place on the platform,

  6. paul Otway says:

    way to go Kim

  7. jeffrey sikes says:

    sounded good I just use soap and water wash the track real good dry it then I use a bright boy track cleaner and polish the rails with it and the ends real good with track clips out .

  8. Chris says:

    Hi i used to use a product called Calite it is white spirit and used to be made by Caltex NZ . Works a treat a little on a clean cotton rag and wipe the rails also used to clean a large slot car track with it also

  9. builder Kim says:

    Or use a cloth with the mixture on it and wipe the track. and then wipe it off with clean water.your choice if you want to rip ya track up. or do it before you lay the track. and fire well use common cense right. I give the idea on how to that’s all. up to you what you do with it or not. The idea is mainly for those who are just laying track and are using older track . becareful with the sand paper it will leave micro scratches that will become a problem later on. glad you all injoyed this idea.or least some.

  10. very informative Kim…and I have done that with a peroxide cloth, then a soda cloth on thebrass tracks…also I have used brass cymbal polish from a drum kit to clean the brass rails, especially on G scale track as it works better on outside layouts…It is more expensive but not as toxic…

    as for the fine grit sandpaper…it leaves too many small minute scratches in the rails causing oxidation much quicker…especially if the layout is close to the ocean…but I HAVE used a small ‘diamond’ fingernail file…and it seems to work really well without any kind of residue left over…also works on the wheels too!!

  11. Jim says:

    Really great info here, just two quick questions. 1 where do you get the circuit boards for the LED lighting, and 2 what is the Evans website url??

  12. builder Kim says:

    Hi everyone.The circuit board came from a busted up mini helicopter I found wedged in my grill of my truck .So I took it apart and desoldered the two white leds as I didn’t need them and attached a led to the resistor and led that was already on there to indicate it was working. Can use this board for a lot of things.

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