The Showcase Miniatures dwarf signals are spot-on. The trick to putting them together is to take your time. While glueing the shields to the body, the glue will drip into the lens opening. I quit fighting it and redrilled the holes once the shields were firmly cemented. The electronics (3-color micro LED purchased separately) requires kid gloves. But once the unit is completed and painted, you will not find a more realistic model. Don't forget to weather the base!

If I could make two suggestions to SM, it would be to offer an extra base for the double light models to give modelers a single-double or two single-singles, and while the brass shield matches the original propportions in terms of scale, a plastic or styrene shield would be easier to attach.

OK, one more suggestion: A hollow brass tube to run up the center of concrete block and body to mount the unit to your layout, and to use as a conduit for the LED wires. The older Century models used that format and it made mounting and moving them a piece of cake.

My layout is based in the Northeast late in the 1950s to early 60s, and these match the dwarf signals of the region. I have three on my layout and like them so much I bought nine more, which will be used to protect interlocking turnouts.

I am using the kit as two single head dwarfs. I made resin castings of the base for the orphan heads. I also didn’t like the thought of wires out the back, so I drilled through the mounting stud and base and ran the wires through there. It took a while to get used to the very small parts, but, with the aid of some powerful magnification and jewelers tweezers, I got the knack of building them. I have built 27.  My double ended yard is full of them. When you build something 1/87th real size things get really small. The detail is fantastic. Love them. You guys fill a niche that is sorely needed in this hobby. I am thinking of a way to make working wig-wag signals using one of your kits. That’s still in the concept phase, but I might just come up with a way. I love a challenge. 

Nice product with exceptional details1 For me, a not too experienced model builder, a little challenging to build, however the end result was fantastic!!

As good as it gets for dwarf signals.

Model is much improved over earlier models with fibre optics with a lens included. The inside of the signal must be enlarged to fit the 3 color LED into the signal so that the LED is facing the lens opening...