Installing Ditch Lights on F40PH

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Drill out a hole in the location of the ditch lights and file them square with a small square file making sure the hole is big enough for the ditch light casting. After that you mount some styrene accross the nose where the ditchlights will be then drill out holes for the bulbs or LEDs.

Results are pretty good.

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Do I file all the way through the shell or do I drill a hole and then file the surrounding area flat?

Also, where do I get the castings? Looking at th prototype photo, and looking at the ditch light castings offered by the detail companies, I can't seem to find the correct castings.
 


diburning said:
Do I file all the way through the shell or do I drill a hole and then file the surrounding area flat?

Also, where do I get the castings? Looking at th prototype photo, and looking at the ditch light castings offered by the detail companies, I can't seem to find the correct castings.
Click to expand...

Drill a hole all the way through and file it square. then put a styrene strip inside the shell and mount the ditch light castings. There are no accurate castings made so all that was done on the amtrak unit was to use Detail Associate ditch lights(1022) and trimming the top and bottom of each one.
 
Well here you go all done. I used Overland CR GE Marker light castings instead as thats what I had laying around.

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On the Amtrak unit they were Bulbs but the MBTA unit is ALL LEDs as I turn 5mm LEDs to whatever size I need on my lathe. AT least then you get a nice lens from the LED instead of using seperate parts. All of the LEDs are press fit and DO not require any glu to install.
 
Mark another great job on that F40. Im going to be shooting you an email later tonight about that tunnel motor ditch light project. Finally got the DA ditch lights for the tunnel motor.
 
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