I’ve just finished building/painting the FHN’s first road switcher, an Alco RS-3, and I have a question:
On the end of each hood, at the top is a small, square fixture built into the top curve of the hood (see the photo below). I’m thinking this is a sand hatch. Am I right, and if not, what is it?
It seems an ideal platform for an SP-style “barrel” headlight housing… [:)]
Its a sandbox filler cap.
If you put a headlight on it it will be too heavy to open.
Did you notice the dynamic brake grid right behind it?
Dave H.
You’ve got it. It is a hatch to fill the sand reservoir.
Absolutely correct. It’s a sand hatch cover.
Thanks for the confirmations, guys.
As an additional question, has anyone put headlights in a Hobbytown RS-3, and if so, how’d you do it? I managed to get an incandescent bulb mounted in a chopped-down headlight casting behind the (large, open-frame) motor, super-glued onto the inside of the body, but it’s not very satisfactory-looking. I’d like to get an LED (the golden-white type) in there, but they don’t make them the right size (about 4mm) for the headlight hole…[banghead]
Detail Associates # 1711 14 1/2" Headlight Lens fits. You’ll still have to rig up some kind of mount for a light behind it. I bent the legs of the LEDs into a “Z” shape and slipped them through 2 holes drilled into a styrene block epoxied to the hood and hit them with some CA to lock them in place. Allow about 1/4" to solder wire leads to the LED legs. The “Z” bends will allow for some adjustment to aim the LEDs through the lens.
Instead of the DA lens, you could also use Microscale’s Kristal Kleer to make a lens.
It’s not a great shot, but you can get the idea:
You also could get a MV Products lens, drill out the back and glue a small light bulb in the back with CA. I just used the MV Product lens and did not light it, it picks up any room light and reflects it back out.
Rick
You could use the 3mm LED, or use the 5mm and sand down the diameter to fit. They are basically the same thing. The 5mm just has a larger diameter of plastic.
Thanks, Jay! That is a great idea! (Why didn’t I think of that?!) I’ll get to that this week! Just gotta whip up a couple of LM334Z setups… And it gives me an excuse to visit my LHS, too!
And thanks to the rest of you guys, also. I do appreciate the ideas and info! (You’re never too old to learn…!)[:D]