 Great things can be done with LEDs - lighted buildings, sequential runway lamps, flashing lighthouse and airport beacons, lighted subways, pulsing buoy markers - but safety must come first.
A first thought was to run 12 Volt DC jumpers underneath and between tables. In practice this would be troublesome and potentially unsafe. Jumpers could be 'hidden' by running them through the segment ends, where they would be inaccessible when modules are bolted together. This would be practical in a permanent table display or shelf railway, but a safer, simpler alternative is to power segments individually using 9 Volt batteries. Then, any 'powered' segments are truly compartmentalized. A transformer and electrical connection to an outlet might be fine for a shelf arrangement, but is sure to be a problem in the middle of a room full of kids... A small lockable panel below the module could hold the 9 Volt battery to ensure there is no contact with electrical connections. Include a switch or timer to turn lights on and off.
Obviously lights should be positioned in a protected place too. Consider recessing or placing LEDs behind clear panels so they cannot be chewed, pulled, or crushed. It is tempting
to run 12 Volt DC jumpers between tables from underneath but that could be troublesome or
unsafe. Jumpers could be ‘hidden’ by running these through the butted segment
ends where they would not be accessible when the modules were clamped up, although this
probably only makes sense for a permanent display.
All Electronics
A
handful of inexpensive LED kits can be found among a long list of electrical components.
Adjustable
Interval Timer Kit
 Blinking light control, pulse time adjustable between 0.5 and 5
seconds. Pause time
adjustable
between 2.5 and 60 seconds.
Adjustable
LED Flasher Kit
Two
potentiometers adjust the flash rate between two LEDs.
LED
Chaser Kit
Variable speed led chaser. 10 leds
flash sequentially.
LED
Flashing Kit
Two L.E.D.'s flash in unison.
Bakatronics
A
wide range of LED kits are available - many of which have options to tailor the circuits.
For an additional charge, the its can be purchased preassambled and tested.
Runway Lighting Kit
Fiber Optic Runway Lighting Kit for
Airport Scenes.
Airport Beacon Kit
Simulates rotation of White and Green
Search Lights. Micro Processor.
Tower Beacon / Flasher
Two programs. One program makes a set
of 3mm Red LEDs slowly brighten and slowly fade
like a tall building or radio or
other tower light. The second program flashes 2 LEDs in a
Strobe type pulse fashion.
Chasing LED Kit-White
for Airports
10 LEDs chase sequentially for
airport approach lights.
Lighthouse Flasher
Lighthouse beacon kit with simulated
rotation.
Buoy Flasher
Flashing Buoy Beacon Kit.
Campfire Kit
Amber LED simulates a campfire with
pulsing & flashing. Selectable pause or continuous
operation. Micro Processor.
Blacksmith Forge Fire
Orange LED simulates a Blacksmith's
forge with pulsing & glowing to simulate the bellows
pumping the fire in the forge. Micro
Processor.
Super Welder Kit
Simulates Pausing and Glowing Iron
effects. Micro processor.
Welding Flash Kit
Simulates welding circuit with pause.
Building on Fire Kit
Simulates a fire inside of a building
using different color LEDs and random flashing.
Alternating Flasher
A pair of LEDs flash alternately at a
speed similar to a blinking crossing light.
Traffic Light Kit
12 LED's function like a traffic
light.
LED Illuminator Kit
Makes buildings Come Alive. Generates
a sequence of preprogrammed patterns to give a
"lived in" look. |
