Model Railroading > Going all out with locomotive lights?

As a locomotive engineer, railfan photographer, and modeler, I know that most locomotive have many more lights than just the headlights and number boards. Watching a train pass by at night reveals all manner of walkway, step and ground lights. I would like to try to model a locomotive with all these lights, but using a bunch of surface mount LED's and associated resistors seemingly would get crowded in a hurry. So I'm thinking of fiber optics to a central 3mm LED. Has anyone tried this before? Where would I find some super flexible fiber optics that I can bend and secure to the inside of a shell?

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

---

---

---

What about the very fine fibre tubes off of one of those old lamps.They were all the rage....just before lava lamps.I dare say ,very hard to find these days.
I also like the step and truck lights.
Regards,DK

Ted:  I would suggest running "bus" wires and take the LED leads to them.  That would cut down on all the wires.  Those tiny LED's would be perfect.

I've seen 0402 LEDs fit into Cannon step lights.  If you glue magnet wire to the inside of the shell and run it all up to a header/connector it's not that bad.  The trouble with fiber optics is you can't control the brightness of any one without affecting all the others.  The fiber brightness will be affected by mounting, curvature, length, etc. and hard to get even.

I am planning this myself and I can understand why you are asking.

My loco has a cast frame and drilling any holes is going to be a PITA. (I might be able to do it without drilling any holes.) But if I attach the wiring and surface mounted LED to the frame, I won't have to worry about having a problem when I remove the shell. I have the tiny castings that simulate the truck lights that hang along the frame but they are too small to run anything inside. On each of the truck lights I'm going to just attach the SMLEDs to the backside of the casting to simulate the light coming from the casting. I am going to try the very fine magnet wire that is coated with an insulating material.

On my prototype (a GP7) the step lights are not there or noticeable, so I'm not going to do them unless I can find a photo that shows that. I would do the same as I do for the truck lights, as my steps are part of the cast frame.

Your model locos may be designed differently.

Does this make sense to you all, as you can help me out too if I haven't thought it out enough.

Incidentally, I plan on having 6 light functions: clear Mars light, red Mars light, front headlight, rear headlight, number board and truck light on the same function, and finally, clear marker lights. That's why I purchased a Lok Sound decoder. I plan on using LEDs with a yellow tint to them but a more modern loco might have more of a white light.

Victor A. Baird
http://www.erstwhilepublications.com



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 02/05/16 09:10 by wabash2800.

> Incidentally, I plan on having 6 light functions:
> clear Mars light, red Mars light, front headlight,
> rear headlight, number board and truck light on
> the same function, and finally, clear marker
> lights. That's why I purchased a Lok Sound
> decoder.
>

Any six-function decoder will provide what you are looking for.
Alternatives include TCS's A6X, Digitrax's DH163/165 series and more..  I've used up all six functions on a DH163, as well as on TCS's A6Xs for some SP applications. =)

Cheers,
Harry
 

Circuitron manufactures at least 3 sizes of "small" fiber optics.

I highly recommend u consider Surface Mount LED's and the Ulrich LED board. It has built in resistance for LED's and can support up to 8 outputs of LED's.

It's a nice board and inexpensive. I have used them in about 50 locomotives. 

http://www.ulrichmodels.biz/led-lighting-resistor-board/

Bruce

Richmond Controls offer the Surface Mounted LEDs with the wires leads already attached as that is what I have.

Victor A. Baird
http://www.erstwhilepublications.com
 

brfriedm Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I highly recommend u consider Surface Mount LED's
> and the Ulrich LED board. It has built in
> resistance for LED's and can support up to 8
> outputs of LED's.
>
> It's a nice board and inexpensive. I have used
> them in about 50 locomotives. 
>
Very good find Bruce.  Thanks for that link.
Rick

For my last locomotive projects I have started mounting the decoders inside the top of the locomotive shell with a little breathing room for cooling. This means the lights are firmly attached and there is no need for extra slack in any of the lighting connections. I use a four pin or two paired wire connectors for the red and black track wires and orange and grey motor wires to remove the shells from the frame.

The Circuitron fiber optic material is tiny and easy to work with but even with heat flared ends the lighting is very directional.

Posted from iPhone

I'm doing this with a pair of SD40-2's I'm building: https://milepost15.com/2014/04/13/working-ditch-and-step-lights-for-bnsf-7070-and-7072/

So far I have the step lights, ditch lights and front walkway lights working (no photos of the walkway lights yet).  I'm also going to add rear walkway lights and the light on conductors side at the end of the blower duct.  All of these will run to a pair of homemade PCB's, one of which will be mounted in the nose while the other will be back near the radiator.

- Chris
http://www.milepost15.com
https://www.facebook.com/milepost15

Chris, when I posted above I was thinking of your work.  

cslemp Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm doing this with a pair of SD40-2's I'm
> building:
> https://milepost15.com/2014/04/13/working-ditch-an
> d-step-lights-for-bnsf-7070-and-7072/
>
> So far I have the step lights, ditch lights and
> front walkway lights working (no photos of the
> walkway lights yet).  I'm also going to add rear
> walkway lights and the light on conductors side at
> the end of the blower duct.  All of these will
> run to a pair of homemade PCB's, one of which will
> be mounted in the nose while the other will be
> back near the radiator.
>
> - Chris
> http://www.milepost15.com
> https://www.facebook.com/milepost15