Model Railroading > Color Temperature Matters....

Back in the old days when we would fight over LED's vs bulbs for headlights I was always on the side of light bulbs simply because LED's didn't look like real locomotive headlights. The color was way too white and there was a specular quality as well as the color that a bulb provided. Well... Looks like we have settled in with LED bulbs and I still think they are way too white, or cold in color...
I have settled on a really simple way to warm up the cold cast given off by the LED's in today's models. Theatrical Gels. In my other life as a photographer, I use these gels over my strobe lights to change the color temperature of the strobes.... I wondered if it would work in HO scale and I believe they do fine. Cut a small piece of gel and fix it over the LED on the inside of the shell. These can be purchased in a selection of colors. I am using 1/2 CTO as my base. If I want it warmer, I can add a second layer.
This is much less destructive than trying to use paint to color the LED and can simply be removed if you find the need...
Just a little tip if you are on my side of the fence in wanting a better quality of light from the models...

Andy

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Clever!
Can you share an image of your "gel"?

A little more information. "Gels" are actually polycarbonate or polyester sheets. Very thin and a devil to cut and glue. Roscolux, Rosco Cinegel, LEE Color, and GAM are the major suppliers in the US of A. A sheet is typically 21" X 24", although there are many larger sizes and rolls available. A sheet costs about $12 and will color a couple thousand HO-scale locomotive lights! If you are not in a city with a theatrical supply house, the shipping will add a lot to the price because the sheets are rolled for shipping.

1.5" x 3.25" swatch books are available for about ten dollars and will contain a hundred or so colors. Most are not usable in modeling. But the C. T. (Color Temperature) samples will cover a lot of locomotive lights.

You can also make friends with your local community theatre's lighting tech, and see if they are willing to give you scrap gel pieces that they are going to throw away anyway... But hurry, as the switch to LED's is making it possible to have lights that change colors without gels. As they get cheaper, many theatre's are switching. Another source for swatch books might be your  local college theatre arts department, as they go through those things like crazy.

Interesting idea, thanks for sharing.

Posted from iPhone