Light issues on Mantua (MRC) locomotive

[CascadeWestern]

I recently purchased a Mantua 2-6-6-2T Logger new, and love it, except for the oversize 12v bulbs used in the headlight and backup light. Both extend at least 1/8" outside the light housing, causing as much light to shine sideways as you get straight ahead. I would like to replace these bulbs either with smaller ones that will be totally inside the housings, or, maybe better yet, LEDs. This locomotive is now imported by MRC and has an MRC decoder with no provision for a low-voltage bulb or LED, so I assume I'll have to include a resistor for each light. What's the best way to make the change, and what value should the resistor be? Anyone out there fixed this same problem? I can't believe I'm the only one who objects to the appearance of the original bulbs.

 

CascadeWestern

Twin Falls, ID

 

[rrinker]

 You should see how far they stick out the light castings on the 0-6-0T....

A 1.8mm LED should fit, if you don't want to mess around with SMD LEDs - which you cna get with wires already soldered on but they are still dlicate and need care in threading the wire through. Ones marked golden white should be approriate in color. Evans Designs has them with resistors already installed, otherwise you need a 1K resistor (for well within the safe operating current for the LED) or maybe more if it is too bright. However - I suspec at a typical decoder output their 12V LEDs with the resistor built in will be too bright - they use a less than 1K resistor. Their 3V LEDs are plain LEDs, no resistor, you supply the resistor.

                      --Randy

 

[wjstix]

Evans Designs make some quite small LEDs from 5mm down to nanochips. They're a bit more expensive than some, but come prewired with resistors and such so you can use them with AC or DC, up to 19V. I've used some in remote trackside buildings by just connecting them directly to the DCC powerbus. Works fine!

http://www.modeltrainsoftware.com/ledlights1.html