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Lighting Suggestions for SD-50

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  • Member since
    January 2010
  • 2,616 posts
Lighting Suggestions for SD-50
Posted by peahrens on Monday, February 2, 2015 6:04 PM

My "newest" loco is a HO LifeLike Proto 2000 Missouri Pacific (post UP merger) SD50.  I will be adding a LokSound decoder and changing the bulb headlights to LED.  How would these headlight pairs function on the prototype.  Should I have different lights (colors, functioning) if desired and operate them separately?  The simplest approach would be to replace the headlight bulbs with 3 or 5mm LEDs (one at each end) and just run the pairs at each end in unison, but I'll consider options for separating each pair into two functions.

Plus, the photo below shows there are (unused) lenses for what I assume are marker lights, this photo showing the pair near the top of the short hood.  I understand that they would exhibit a color (back then) of white, red, green.  If so, my bias is to add white SMD LEDs behind the short hood ones, particularly, and have that extra function.  I will have to grind the front of the weight slightly to ensure the room needed.  Can I just use white glue, as it dries clear, and cement the SMDs directly to the back of the unused lenses?  I have some 0603 SMDs on hand, and some 0402s on the way.

Any insight or suggestions are appreciated.

   

Paul

Modeling HO with a transition era UP bent

  • Member since
    April 2004
  • From: Ontario Canada
  • 3,574 posts
Posted by Mark R. on Monday, February 2, 2015 6:51 PM

The nose lights could serve two purposes - class lights (white or green or off) and / or marker lights (red).

Class lights for the most part are seldom used today. More often than not, these lights are used as a marker light (red) for light engine moves or for helper service ....

http://trn.trains.com/railroads/abcs-of-railroading/2006/05/locomotive-classification-lights

Mark.

¡ uʍop ǝpısdn sı ǝɹnʇɐuƃıs ʎɯ 'dlǝɥ

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