Product Review - Bakatronics

Recently while looking around the net for some lighting circuits I ran across Bakatronic Electronics. They have some really awesome circuits that I have since purchased. Some of the kits that I now have are the lighthouse, ultimate welder, and buoy circuits. I also plan on purchasing several of the LED illuminator kits, this module generates a sequence of preprogrammed patterns of lighting that turn off and on at various time. Say you have a structure with several rooms, typically when you power up the lighting the whole structure lights up at the same time. This module will delay some of the lighting in each room to give the impression of people turning on lights in the room at different times and gives the "lived in" look.

Here is video of the lighthouse circuit (the most realistic on the market as I can tell)



So if you in the market for some cool circuits I recommend Bakatronics, you can buy the kits to assemble yourself or for a nominal fee they will assemble it for you.

I give Bakatronics 5 lanterns

From my workbench

As part of my MMR Rolling Stock AP, I am required to build a total of 8 cars consisting of 4 different types and it must include 1 passenger type car. Of these 4 have to be scratch built, the remaining can be kits that are "super-detailed".


The following cars are 5th, 6th, and 7th of the required eight. One train that I have been wanting to model is a bridge pile driving train. So I built one.

Southern Pacific HO Pile Driver #90


This pile driver built from a late 1960’s early 70’s Paige Industries kit. It is based off a 1890’s pile driver that has been upgraded during the 1940’s The kit did not include under carriage details, trucks, end seal details, grab irons, fueling ports, search light, and couplers. The kit itself consisted of scale lumber, scribed siding (which was not used) metal castings and line.



Besides the kit components, I took certain liberties, I installed a complete brake system, light and appropriate conduit, figures, replaced all of the line provided, added over 2 dozen bolt heads, coupler release rods and chain. I added the work lamp and lens and appropriate conduit. To compliment the fuel tender car, I added connections for water and oil. The tension lines provided were not to my liking and were replaced. Also I elected to use board on board construction rather than the scribed siding provided.

Southern Pacific HO Pile Driver Tender #7

This car is completely scratch built using scale wood, window glazing, corrugated metal, duct tape (pump belts), solder, shrink tubing, and various SS limited details to construct the pump assembly. I used Grandt line windows. The car is built primarily using board on board construction. Build time was approximately 40 hours.

I installed a complete brake system, figure, coupler release rods and chain, grab irons, marker lamps and lens. pumps, pump drive motor, belts hoses, cabin door, cabin contents, welding tanks and chain. Bolt heads and various hand made elements were used. This was my first attempt using the mineral spirits paint peeling technique and it worked very well.

This fuel tender and supply car was built to work in tandem with the HO pile driver I have built. The car is used as a supply car for the MOW train as well as fuel delivery system that from the locomotive tender to the pile driver steam engine. Neither formal plans nor photos exist of the car in real life; it is purely conceived in my mind.

Southern Pacific H0 Piling & Bridge Timber Car #78


This car is completely scratch built using scale wood, SS limited detail parts and Grandt line bolt heads and scale chain. The car is built primarily using board on board construction. The pilings are meat kabob skewers. Build time was approximately 10 hours. I installed a complete brake system, figure, coupler release rods and chain, grab irons and chain. Bolt heads and various hand made elements were used.

This piling and timber car was built to work in tandem with the HO pile driver MOW train. The car carried the pilings and bridge timbers that were used during construction. This combined with the fuel and supply tender that I built had all the necessary materials (sans rail) to complete the bridge. Neither formal plans nor photos exist of the car in real life; it is purely conceived in my mind.


Well, only one more to go, the passenger car, currently I am building a 1904 Southern Pacific Executive car with Interior, its just about done, stay tuned...