You seen those tiny red and green jewels on the roof of Athearn cabooses? How would you light those up?
Or are there LEDs that small to replace them? What would be the power source for constant lighting? Batteries maybe??
It could be done using a couple 0403 surface mount LEDs, but it's going to be a pretty good challenge. The Athearn Genesis bay window caboose has these roof top markers with LEDs in them .... not sure if you could get them as a separate piece from Athearn or not. (?)
Mark.
¡ uʍop ǝpısdn sı ǝɹnʇɐuƃıs ʎɯ 'dlǝɥ
Big Boy:
Do you already have the Athearn caboose? If so, installing LEDs is quite doable. If you haven't worked with SMD LEDs there are suppliers who sell them prewired.
Powering the LEDs can be done a number of ways but perhaps the simplest would be batteries. You will need a switch of course but that can be hidden in the underside.
I would start by finding out how easy it is to take the caboose apart.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
hon30critter .... It is certainly possible to scratch build the roof top marker lights but as Mark R. said it would be a bit of a challenge, especially if you have not worked with tiny SMD (Surface Mount Device) LEDs before. Mark referred to an 0403 SMD. That LED is .040" x .030"! If you take your eye off them when they are sitting on your workbench they can literally disappear from sight. .... Dave
.... It is certainly possible to scratch build the roof top marker lights but as Mark R. said it would be a bit of a challenge, especially if you have not worked with tiny SMD (Surface Mount Device) LEDs before. Mark referred to an 0403 SMD. That LED is .040" x .030"! If you take your eye off them when they are sitting on your workbench they can literally disappear from sight. ....
Yup - I've had a couple get caught under my fingernail and didn't even realize it !
Hi Mark:
I re-wrote my post after you quoted me to offer a simpler approach (i.e. prewired LEDs). I had second thoughts about suggesting that the OP start to learn to solder SMD LEDs with a project like this.
hon30critter Big Boy: Do you already have the Athearn caboose? If so, installing LEDs is quite doable. If you haven't worked with SMD LEDs there are suppliers who sell them prewired. Powering the LEDs can be done a number of ways but perhaps the simplest would be batteries. You will need a switch of course but that can be hidden in the underside. I would start by finding out how easy it is to take the caboose apart. Dave
I use a small red LED for the rear lamp on this caboose.
I'm guessing green may also be available in this size/form factor. These were from Miniatronics, but Ngineering also has similar, maybe smaller ones: http://www.ngineering.com/lightng.htm
Page down to where you find the "subminiature high intensity LEDs in color." They do have green ones.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
Big Boy Forever:
There is no difference between the larger LEDs that you are familiar with vs the SMD LEDs in how they operate. The only real difference is the size. They operate on the same power (resistors usually required except for some of the prewired ones that come with the resistors built in), they produce the same light (all other things being equal) and they have to have the correct polarity just like the bigger ones.
If I were in your position I would start by seeing how difficult it is to disassemble a caboose. Assuming it can be taken apart reasonably easily the next step would be to remove the roof top marker light assembly.
To install the LEDs you will have to do some drilling. You will have to remove whatever lenses are present and then drill the housings through the lights from front to back, and up from the bottom so you have an opening into which the LEDs can be inserted.
I suspect that the marker lights show green in one direction and red in the other so you will have to make a big enough hole to fit two LEDs for each of the two lights. You will want to use magnet wire for the LED leads otherwise the wiring will be an eyesore - if you need four LEDs you will have eight wires coming out of the bottom of the housing. There are ways to reduce the number of wires but they demand some pretty high soldering skills (and probably a lot of cursing too!).
Here is one source for prewired SMD LEDs. It is Australian and I have never dealt with them but the site will give you an idea of what is available.
http://www.dccconcepts.com/index_files/Prewired08mm0603SMTLEDs.htm
You don't need to install red and green LEDs. You can use white (warm white if possible) and install coloured lenses.
I know there are North American sites that have similar offerings but my brief search didn't locate any. That ball is in your court. Perhaps other forum members can suggest some sources.
LEDs will run for many hours on battery power. I would start with that, but keep in mind that you need to be able to lift the top off the caboose to replace batteries. If that isn't easy to do then you will need to explore track power. If I were going to use batteries I would acquire some of Rapido's Easy Peasy Interior Lighting systems and harvest the magnetic switch mechanisms so I could turn the markers on and off with the wave of a wand instead of having to pick the caboose up and turn it over to access a switch. I would use AA or AAA batteries instead of the ones Rapido supplies because apparently they don't last very long. The weight of the bigger batteries won't hurt either.
Just some more suggestions for you to consider.
Here's a North American source for prewired SMD LEDs, great service, fast shipping -- just a multiplely satisfied customer.
http://www.ulrichmodels.biz/servlet/the-350/Miniature-Surface-Mount-LEDs/Detail
These are also available in "ditch light" cofiguration. Instead of the leads coming straight back, they are at 90 degrees. Makes them easier to mount in many cases.
mlehman Here's a North American source for prewired SMD LEDs, great service, fast shipping -- just a multiplely satisfied customer. http://www.ulrichmodels.biz/servlet/the-350/Miniature-Surface-Mount-LEDs/Detail These are also available in "ditch light" cofiguration. Instead of the leads coming straight back, they are at 90 degrees. Makes them easier to mount in many cases.
I will second that motion to consider Ulrich Models. Great folks. Great products.
Rich
Alton Junction
richhotrainDoggone it, Mike, you beat me to it. Don't you ever sleep? Laugh
Rich,
Not nearly enough, unfortunately.
Thanks.
Howabout those pulsating strobes on modern Diesels?
Also, how would you use "Track Power" to light the LEDs, and is that even a good idea?
For the puulsating strobes, the SMD LEDs work great. If mounted like a ditch light, then the ditch light version of the pre-wired SMD LED would be easy to configure. For other locations, they've usually small enough to fit virtually anywhere.
If you want to use tracl power without a decoder, this thread currently nearby is useful: http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/744/t/230553.aspx
That will just get you steady light when on the track, though. You need a decoder with the capability to do special FX to make it into a strobe.
One more thought...the SMD LEDs Ulriach offers are only in variations on white. You'll need a colored lens to do red, green, etc. I'd bet there are SMD LEDs available in different colors, though, just not sure about any prewired with leads being available. If anyone has a source for prewired color SMD LEDs, give us a shout.
mlehman One more thought...the SMD LEDs Ulriach offers are only in variations on white. You'll need a colored lens to do red, green, etc. I'd bet there are SMD LEDs available in different colors, though, just not sure about any prewired with leads being available. If anyone has a source for prewired color SMD LEDs, give us a shout.
What lenses?
How can you get lenses that small?
Might have to make them yourself. You could punch them out of plastic sheet that's the right color. But IIRC, someone supplies lens for the EMD "fisheye" marker lights found on hood units. That's a possible source.
What are these "jewels" you have like? If they have a mirrored backing, you can scrape that off and put the SMD behind it maybe?
mlehman Might have to make them yourself. You could punch them out of plastic sheet that's the right color. But IIRC, someone supplies lens for the EMD "fisheye" marker lights found on hood units. That's a possible source. What are these "jewels" you have like? If they have a mirrored backing, you can scrape that off and put the SMD behind it maybe?
They are the standard jewels that came with Athearn bay window cabooses, red and green, to put in the fake lighting fixture on the roof, but I don't know what material they are.
One other way to create coloured lighting effects is to use "clear" coloured paint. Tamiya sells several colours and I have used them with great effect.
You can also create your own lenses with clear epoxy glue or gel CA.
Another method is to use fiberoptic cable. If you hold the end of the cable close to a heat source like a soldering iron the cable will flare out as it melts, creating a perfect lense shape for HO scale. I have used this method to illuminate the lights on several HO scale vehicles. Here is one example:
P.S. I didn't misspell 'colours'. I'm from Canada eh!