QUOTE (John Webb @ 22 Sep 2008, 06:56)
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>Thanks for that - it may be that the one prototype I've looked at closely is an older model, but at 8" the 3mm LEDs are certainly a closer match for the modern ones.
For models, the LEDs do look better if the dome on the front is flattened as much as possible as the curvature on the lens front is not great on the prototypes. Careful filing and then polishing on 1200 grit wet and dry paper gives quite a good appearance.
Regards,
John Webb
*** I was referring to UK signals when I wrote the post John - As a healthy part of my business relates to accurate scale lighting, if I ever quote other than UK stuff on a UK forum, I'd say so
I've much more data on UK signals than I have for AU prototypes.
Actually all over the world the conventional style colour light signal uses quite similar sized lamp lenses with few exceptions, just as the lamp colour (tint) for red, green and yellow are similar as they tend to have standards that once generated in one place, are promulgated elsewhere....so as a result, in many cases the signal parts supplier is the same for many countries too.
As to flattening the LED front, even though I am a stickler for detail I'd have to say it is a lot of work to not much good purpose... if they are correctly seated within the shroud on an accurately built signal then there is, once established on the layout, no real practical or even much of an esoteric visual benefit - if someone is so bored with the general scene that they become fixated on looking at the light lense shape, then either they have no ability to appreciate a scene as a whole or the rest of the signal and layout would have to be very mediochre or boring indeed.
Richard