I Want to Install a small light in an N-Scale observation car.

[Anonymous]

I'am not the best when it comes to soldering, especially really small items. Does anyone have a good method of installing a small light in an N-Scale observation car. I don't want to light up the whole car just the (end of train lights), ones on the roof at the rear ot the car. It can't produce much heat so maybe an Led?

Thanks
Ran

[Anonymous]

You may want to post this over in the Model Railroader forum. They specialize in HO and N. This forum is primarily frequented by TOY train operator/collectors, aka three rail O, Standard Gauge and American Flyer.

[thor]

You have a couple of choices. The LED is probably the best but depending on your skills you COULD use a lightbulb and some light conducting fiber. However, in an N scale car I would be concerned about even the small amount of heat from an incandescent bulb and so that leaves the LED.

Soldering an LED isnt hard, you must use needle nose pliars or a couple of small crocodile clips as heat sinks, to ensure that the heat from the soldering iron doesnt travel up the wires and destroy the LED.

If you're really worried and or clumsy, you can buy sockets for LEDS and also you can buy silver conductive paint which can stand in for a soldering job where there's no worries about any mechanical stresses.

[lionelsoni]

Even a 3-millimeter LED is huge in N scale, about 18 inches. Aside from light pipes, here are two practical ways to make them look smaller:

Machine the tip of the LED to the diameter you need, around 1 millimeter; then stick that through the same size hole in the carbody shell. As long as you don't cut into the LED chip itself, this doesn't harm the LED.

Drill a hole from the inside of the carbody shell almost all the way through, with just a small opening breaking through to the outside. Then set the LED flush with that opening. There is a risk here of drilling too far and ruining the car.

Or do both. The large hole from the back reduces the amount that you have to turn down on the front of the LED.