One of the items on my to-do list was to convert my train-show acquired Dispatch station from batteries to delightfully cheap Chinese electronics, especially since my grandson requested it … a few times! And the batteries had corroded into a horrible mess years ago. Here's a quick video to give you an idea of what was involved.
I wanted to design a circuit such that the Dispatch station no longer relied on battery power, but rather got its juice from the transformer. It works, but my electronics design skills are somewhat lacking, so I suspect with an improved interface, I could get even better sound. If anybody can offer up a schematic that interfaces a telephone-style carbon mic to a standard high impedance amp input, please pass it on!
I also wanted better lighting than the incredibly anemic single bulb - and if you turn up the juice, you definitely risk a station roof meltdown
Top viewThe speaker is original, pretty much everything else is new
I love that the original paper scene in the front window was intact - the LEDs do it justice, I think.
