More on the Gates

Now the fun part of installing the mechanism/control for the gates to the module. Holes were drilled at the base of the pivot points of the base board when the module was built, in the hope at the time.

The servos are fitted on Brunel Hobby servo mounts in a way not envisaged by the designer, the servo is mounted upside and with the inner side of the mount missing to allow the sweep action of the servo crank. The pivot pin is made from copper wire soldered to a copper wire 'staple' that that is hot glued to the crank, the pins of the 'staple' lines up with the holes of the crank, and the pivot wire lines up with the centreline of the servo shaft. A clearance hole was drilled in each of the servo mounts for the pivot wire to protrude through.

 

One of the four servo assemblies.

 

 

The crossing gates are readily available, made by Peco, while British in origin, they have been kitbashed and details added to make them more like the older style gates that dotted the railway network prior to the more contemporary boom gates. These were drilled out with a pin vice with a 1mm drill bit, along the centre line of the hinge pin.

 

 

 

The pivot pin through the gate post hinge.

(The copper wire will 'give' in the event of impact,

the post is pressed fitted onto its base)

 

Before with the crossing lights.

 

 



Work in progress

(the servos are pinned with thumbtacks until final positioning)

 

 

The front of the module will be replaced with a perpex window so to keep an eye of the inner workings.

 

From under the road, under the wires.

Glenn