Building F.R.E.D. (the flashing rear-end device)

In the late '60s and '70s the Flashing rear-end device (FRED) replaced the iconic caboose on most freight trains.
Since that's the era that I model, I decided to build one on the cheap using another iconic device - the 555 timer IC .
Grab yourself a drink and come along for the ride.
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My tip jar: / pileofstuff
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This isn't the only way to do it.
It's probably not the best way to do it.
But it's how I do it.

[@larryb.lindsay2366]

Nice bit to add to a train. I did a lot of car based dioramas and that would have been a good addition to many of them.

[@davidbugler4597]

Really neat stuff! Two suggestions for future projects. 1. For fine stripes you can get really fine thin masking-tape (Tamiya does it, maybe others too) which is self-adhesive. That gives you nice crisp straight stripes, which obviously will "follow" neatly round corners, and the tape comes in a variety of colors too. Works like a charm with a coat of clear varnish for permanent protection. 2. I personally would file down the hole in the car floor. With those thin wires, even the smallest burr could wear away the insulation over time (every truck movement will flex the wires and maybe rub them against the hole).

[@roboftherock]

I like my trains in 1:1 scale, but THis came up as a KZbin 'Recommended'. Why, I don't know, but I watched it. I enjoyed your enthusiasm for the hobby and a willingness to try something different. Thanks for choosing to show us your efforts - warts and all (and I'm not referring to AC PSU's!)

[@pileofstuff]

Thanks for dropping in and taking a look around. Glad you found something worth your time on my channel.

[@Horse2021]

Very interesting build, very impressed and applaud your work. Have always been a 'five foot rule' type and never understood the rivet counters that try to impose their demands onto others. 'You do you and I'll do me' when it comes to modeling and if you think that my equipment is going to give cooties to your equipment while sharing a club layout then you are the one with the problem.

[@DrTeddyMMM]

@17:31 It's amazing how much Magic Smoke they can pack into a little container like that.. Nice! :P

[@kevinching1975]

It's great I model in N scale and I made one to fit the caboose but I put the circuit inside the car and use a bit of fibre optic to get the light back to the coupler it worked fine

[@newburypi]

I remember a CBC interview, with a trainman, when CN was decommissioning the caboose. He called it a FRED, but he inferred that "flashing" was not the correct "f" word ;)

[@pileofstuff]

I have also heard that particular naming convention.

[@dakel20]

Heck, I had a book in school (A school book actually), that said that too.

[@handsomekao5023]

fantastic job! I like it!

[@comment2009]

Smoke Test. Good lesson and reminder to size the perfboard before component assembly.

[@pileofstuff]

There's lots to be learned from my videos. I make the mistakes so you don't have to!

[@SimpleElectronics]

Hey @pileofstuff I bought 100 pipettes for like a buck and it is amazing for dispensing CA glue. plus you just check them after!

[@pileofstuff]

I'm fairly confident there is already a pack of them somewhere in my incoming mail pile.

[@SimpleElectronics]

@@pileofstuff lol I absolutely love that "fairly" is the confidence level for something you personally ordered :P (not that I can't relate lol)

[@typicalbamboozler6030]

Im terrible with wiring lol i would probably buy a commercial kit myself but, if i had the time and skill you have i would give it a try for sure, looks great!

[@GeorgeJFW]

I actually attempted my first pef board project tonight, this made for a good soundtrack 👍 nice work

[@teh60]

Looks good, nice job.

[@gapadad2]

First, I like that you got some good solder. 2nd you can get LED's that blink and get some super caps to hold voltage. But good video....POP--------Magic smoke.

[@newburypi]

Final result is great. Only change, i would make, is to dab opaque paint on the back of the led to reduce the flash splash on the box car.. I don't think the protos shine that way.

[@BALD8BIL]

What a excellent job and video keep them coming

[@nesr8786]

Hi ,Great tutorial,i just use 12volt flashing SMD led ,no circuit needed.

[@mickdog2]

this was very interesting, thanks

[@icenesiswayons9962]

I repair electronics almost everyday and a 1/4 pound of solder lasted me 8 years. I don't use solder to remover solder like many do these days, it's defeating.

[@pileofstuff]

Occasionally I'll add a bit of lead solder to help make an unleaded joint cooperate, but I agree that it's normally not needed.

[@tommac9992]

Hi. Love the channel, it's something that me and my boys both watch. I was wondering if you can list all the components you used to make this. Watching your videos has made me return to playing with electronics again. Thanks, and keep up the awesome job you are doing.

[@pileofstuff]

The basic circuit is this: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/555_timer_IC#Astable I added and LED and a series resistor to the output (pin 3). I mentioned the resistors and capacitor values in the video (at 18:39).

[@jimrice5588]

Just a little tidbit of info for you...CN wanted to charge the museum their cost for the devise and refused to donate it, so they approached CP and they donated the devise to the museum. So the CN caboose is outfitted with a CP FRED. How cool is that..

[@pileofstuff]

I didn't know that. Thanks. I really need to spend more time down at the museum. I know they have a lot of cool stuff in the collection that I still haven't explored properly.

[@KARLLARK100]

Always love your vids and your beer,.//.,

[@MrNadefodder]

Just a quick tip, If you are making anything with stripes, instead of going insane using masking and paint, just use a permanent marker, soooo much easier and quicker.

[@pileofstuff]

That was the first thing I went looking for when I went raiding my daughter's art supplies.

[@mrbillmacneill]

you have inspired me to make one...

[@gavinsmalley1513]

Some great tiny painting there! Slightly off-topic, I hope you don't mind. This DCC intrigues me (was all analogue voltage control when I was modelling as a youngster). I can see it is possible with DCC for the controller to communicate to any device on the track but is there any way for a device on the track to communicate back to the controller? Or is it strictly a one-way communication protocol?

[@pileofstuff]

I believe the protocol allows for some 2 direction communication during programming, but AFAIK, not during normal operation. The whole specification can be found by searching for "NMRA DCC specification"

[@gavinsmalley1513]

@@pileofstuff Thanks for the quick response. I've had a look at the specification and I'm afraid I just drowned in a sea of acronyms I didn't really understand. That said they do seem to have a section on "Decoder Transmission" so maybe that is the bit I need to try and read. Ultimately I'm looking at the DCC++ Arduino version so will have to see if that follows the same spec. At least I know where to look now though so many thanks for your help.

[@Trotters79]

DCC is basically a one way communication protocol. The confirmation "replies" during programming is basically the decoder using the loco motor to put a load on the track, drawing a few mA. This is why you can sometimes see the loco move a little during programming. However, there is an extension to DCC called RailCom which allows the decoders to send some information back, e.g. decoder address and such. This requires the decoder to support RailCom, as well as the command station (and boosters if you have any) to support RailCom (in order to interpret the data) and add the required RailCom cutout (which is a pause in the DCC signalling) during which the decoders send their data. Please read more here: dccwiki.com/Term:RailCom

[@pileofstuff]

Trotters: Thanks. My DCC system is ancient, and only supports the basic current pulse response, so I haven't really investigated the more modern stuff much.

[@cprtrain]

Well done Kent! Where do the brakeman and conductor sit.

[@pileofstuff]

Sadly, they sit at the unemployment office...

[@maicod]

enjoying watching you create the tail light. I was kinda shocked when the cap blew ;)

[@pileofstuff]

It's amazing what'll happen when you hit thins with twice as much voltage as they were expecting...

[@maicod]

yes we can't do it all right the first time eh :)

[@jamesburton7298]

You sure have a lot of time on your hands. Me not so much. I just bought a boxcar with a working FRED from Trainworld for $34.95. Works great

[@pileofstuff]

I got into this hobby initially to build models, but later got interested in operating. The great thing about model railroading is that there are s many different hobbies within it. and, really, this project only took about 4-5 hours spread out over 3 days (not counting drying time for the paint and glue). It took almost as long to edit the video.

[@jamesburton7298]

pileofstuff yh

[@tomgeorge3726]

Hi, good video, I was wondering about the board size. I likewise use test point loops on my prototypes, means clipleads can be used or a little solder to attach test or input/output wiring.

[@pileofstuff]

Yeah, I wasn't paying close enough attention when I was laying out the board. I was mostly trying to prevent tracks from having to cross over very much so I wouldn't get lost in the maze. I wasn't entirely successful at that either.

[@djward2327]

FULL BRIDGE RECTIFIER!!!

[@jenntek.101]

@17:31 That's my luck too.

[@ElmerFuddGun]

Yep, reading some of the comments first (while the ads played) and thus knowing something was going to smoke, I figured it would be the voltage regulator... You forgot to check your ratings for the high voltage you are using. 27.7V AC = 39.2Vpeak DC - 1.4V drop across the diodes (likely only .5V each with that load) = *37.8V peak!* Ya, your 16V capacitor isn't going to last long and your AMS1117 voltage regulator is rated for 15V max! What is the max track voltage?

[@pileofstuff]

The track is just under 13V (square wave).

[@jimb032]

Excellent! The only thing wrong was your choice of boxcar. :D

[@dalecherne1043]

Could you make a step-by-step on how to do this? I see lots of things hooked up to a breadboard, but I dont know whats going on.

[@pileofstuff]

The circuit is basically this one, with a couple of the resistor values changed experimentally until I found a flash rate that I liked.: www.electroschematics.com/555-led-flasher/

[@dalecherne1043]

@@pileofstuff Ah! Thank you!

[@xyloidify]

Lol I am too lazy for the 555 I would have bought flashing leds - RED Flashing LEDs : Forward voltage: 1.9-2.3 V / Color temperature : 620-625K / Power dissipation:75mw / Luminous intensity : 70-150MCD. Cool video though. I had never heard of FRED.

[@pileofstuff]

Yeah, that would be easier. But do they come in 0603 SMD?

[@JWimpy]

$22 is not bad for good solder. I always buy Kester.

[@TheSkogemann]

~5:00 What the heck is going on with the LED here ? o_O Interference ?

[@pileofstuff]

Not sure. Maybe a loose wire in my janky power feed - I had a chain of clip leads dangling of the rails above my head.

[@MusicalBox]

Nice work ! But F.R.E.D. or E.O.T will never sound as nice and cool as "Caboose"

[@maicod]

Does the creator of that Pile of Stuff have a first name perhaps :) ?

[@johncoops6897]

"Pile" (rhymes with "Kyle")

[@pileofstuff]

@@johncoops6897 Nope.

[@pileofstuff]

It's not a complete secret. A few people have figured it out from clues. But I'm not going to make it easy...

[@maicod]

@pileofstuff don't worry. I asked it because it is easier to address you (and more personal) but I respect it if you don't want to tell me your first name. I know you don't like to show your face on camera but I figured you might share your first name :)

[@TheUnofficialMaker]

@@maicod It's Elon in disguise.

[@mre3820]

Poor capacitor 😥😥