One of the modifications I want to make to the Birney car is to open up the solid brass destination signs so that I can have it light up.
![](http://bp0.blogger.com/_kKP142YHLOQ/SFCxnAr-h8I/AAAAAAAAAl8/443YGEm5bY4/s400/Birney_1_before.jpg)
The destination sign is over the short window on the left. Ken Kidder has the shape of it stamped in there, so that simplifies things some.
![](http://bp1.blogger.com/_kKP142YHLOQ/SFCxnQr-h9I/AAAAAAAAAmE/xGXyxUULuRM/s400/Birney_2_drill.jpg)
Start by drilling small holes large enough to accommodate a miniature ream.
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A ream is basically a cylindrical file.
![](http://bp3.blogger.com/_kKP142YHLOQ/SFCxbwr-h5I/AAAAAAAAAlk/WQ9TzfQ2cL4/s400/Birney_4_square.jpg)
Ream out the holes into a roughly square shape so that it can accommodate square file.
![](http://bp0.blogger.com/_kKP142YHLOQ/SFCxcAr-h6I/AAAAAAAAAls/iZfQkHs0VBs/s400/Birney_5_optivisor.jpg)
I highly recommend using some sort of magnification while working with such tiny models. That’s Dave wearing his Optivisor®.
![](http://bp0.blogger.com/_kKP142YHLOQ/SFCxcAr-h7I/AAAAAAAAAl0/mE4ik5zo4w4/s400/Birney_6_enlarge.jpg)
Hack away at the brass now that the square file fits in there, roughing out the shape of the opening.
![](http://bp0.blogger.com/_kKP142YHLOQ/SFCxNAr-h2I/AAAAAAAAAlM/TgBbHKUyH1s/s400/Birney_7_straighten.jpg)
Easy does it now with the flat file, carefully leveling out the edges into straight lines out to the final size of the openings.
![](http://bp1.blogger.com/_kKP142YHLOQ/SFCxNQr-h3I/AAAAAAAAAlU/Xr_yJfcK-iI/s400/Birney_8_corner.jpg)
Corners are the toughest. Your file with the sharpest edge will determine how sharp the corners of the opening will be. I find that a three sided file has the sharpest edges.
![](http://bp1.blogger.com/_kKP142YHLOQ/SFCxNQr-h4I/AAAAAAAAAlc/B-PztRD8z7E/s400/Birney_9_after.jpg)
And there you go. An opening where once there were none. Took about an hour to do, and I still have the one on the other end to do.
Then I'll have to figure a way to light it, but I’ll worry about that when I get to it. Yessir, worry about it when I get to it.
Holy Cow! I had no idea that the trolley was so small. Did you save the shavings? I bet it is worth a small fortune!
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