Adding LEDs to Locomotives


NIKO_SUAV3

NIKO_SUAV3

Member
Hello Everyone,

ive kinda been tinkering over the weekend on adding LEDs to my locomotives, but cant seem to come up with a method I like. Does anyone out there have any best practices or ideas on what works best? So far, I have been messing with Optic strands and LEDs, as well as trying surface mount LEDs (though this seems to illuminate the whole housing.) any input would be much appreciated!
 
NIKO_SUAV3 said:
ive kinda been tinkering over the weekend on adding LEDs to my locomotives, but cant seem to come up with a method I like. Does anyone out there have any best practices or ideas on what works best? So far, I have been messing with Optic strands and LEDs, as well as trying surface mount LEDs (though this seems to illuminate the whole housing.) any input would be much appreciated!
Click to expand...
I would say there is not best practice as each locomotive situation is going to be different.
Sometimes I file off the round part of a normal LED so it is flat and glue it to the plastic lens(es) of the loco.
Sometimes I drill a hole into the locos plastic lens and put the LED there.
Sometimes I replace the whole plastic lens with an LED.
If you scratch up an LED filing it to fit, often a bit of liquid styrene cement brushed on will make it all smooth again.
For fiber optics do the opposite. Drill a hole in the top of the led, polish the strand and run it down into the hole. Then seal with plastic cement.
If you are having trouble with it lighting the whole housing simply paint the back black.
 
I'm not familiar with the optic strand technique, but the thought had crossed my mind. It seems that they'd work especially in locomotives where space isn't readily available and lights weren't previously installed. What products are used for this?
 
Railrunner130 said:
I'm not familiar with the optic strand technique, but the thought had crossed my mind. It seems that they'd work especially in locomotives where space isn't readily available and lights weren't previously installed. What products are used for this?
Click to expand...


So for the Fiber Optics, what I got was Plastruct .06 fiber optics. It seems to fit pretty well in place of the standard bulbs. I have head you can melt the end of the optic to create a lens look, but I'm not good at this ha. All in all it works alright but just doesn't seem bright enough, though it might be the LEDs I'm using. I went with Miniatronics Yeloglo LEDs, just because I thought they might be more authentic looking, but I'm not sure if it would be better to go with a more bight white LED.
 
I've got 2 Proto 2000 GP60's (late release) that I put silent decoders in. They have a plastic light "tube" from a bulb (maybe LED, not sure) mounted on the lighting board, which then passes over the top of the cab, down behind the windscreens and then out to the H'lights in the short nose. They were pretty useless before I did the install, but because the shielding around the bulb and across the cab roof got disturbed and it didn't seal up at all well, the light coming out of them is next to nothing. Don't think there's a lot of room in the nose for LED's in there without cutting off some of the weight (the plastic light tube fits into a groove across it's top). I was wondering about fiber optic. Do you need to paint it to prevent light loss along it's length?
 
So I have another follow up, for those that use LEDs where do you all get them and what brand? I've been picking up some 5mm Yeloglo Bulbs from my LHS and I really like them, but Ive seen some use surface mount LEDs and havent found a good place to get those. Thoughts?
 
For steamers I use WARM while, slight yellow tint. For modern locos I use bright white.
I have been getting my LEDs( 1.8mm with resistor and leads attached) from evermodel_es on ebay. Good price & great LEDs IMO, about $12.99 for 20. In some tight spots I strip the wires and resistor and use the bare LED.

For tight spots or locos that had no lights when new I use fiber optics. Holding a lighter near the end will form a great lens. A little practice makes PERFECT. I have fiber optic cables ranging from 0.5mm to 2.0mm. BTW I form the lens FIRST, before cutting it to length. That was, if I make the lens too big I just cut off the end and start over. The last thing I do is cut the fiber optic to desired length for the install.

Sometimes I use BLACK heat shrink on the fiber optic headlight (inside the loco) and another black shrink tube over the LED. One (smaller) slips inside the other(larger) and makes installing the shell easier and reduces light leaks.

Fiber optics are GREAT for model RRing. One led can light a bunch of fiber optics say for a building etc. I also use fiber optics for FREDs and caboose lights. (one red LED and 2 tiny fiber optics inserted into tiny holes (in the rear lanterns).

For FREDs I put the (radio-shack flashing red LED) LED in the car and run the fiber optic out the back center at the floor bottom. I gave up on battery power and went to track power. I use wheel set that are insulated on one side ONLY and make wipers using stripped 30 gage wire-wrap wire by coiling it around both axels on each truck. I make both trucks the SAME. Remember the trucks when on the car , one runs backwards with respect to each other, so they will pick up separate rails in normal use.

I am a N scalle'r and run mostly DCC, so LEDS always light. If you need a light on for BOTH forward and reverse running on analog/DC just light the fiber optic with 2 LEDs, one for each direction.
 
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