An issue with Kato engines is they tend to have a long clear 'light bar' so the light for the headlight is located several inches behind the headlight, often behind the cab backwall for the front headlight and even farther for the rear light. Adding LEDs and putting each one right behind the headlight openings can make a huge difference.
Hello, I have some questions on HO locomotive lighting upgrades. I am seeking to modify/upgrade my KATO SD40 Conrail locomotive to have the front/back red marker lights, under truck lighting and stair lighting and add new (brighter) LED lights for head lights and tail lights (adding the front/tail LED's is easy for me). However I have some questions that I wanted to ask the forum community about:
1. Understand the LED's (size, and brand/vendor and their item numbers recommended for each LED placement position) that I would need to acquire and best place to get them from. I have bought LEDs from Evans Design in the past. I like Evans Design becuase they have included the existing necessary resistor. What other brands are good places for small LED's with resistors included I should consider? Again also, I am uncertain the sizes of LED's I'd need too. Also for the Sound what speaker is good to use: SCALE SOUND SYSTEMS...rectify speakers??? If I use the LOK Sound decoder, do they offer a CV for the marker lights (front/back)?
2. The complexity of the effort for this project/undertaking.
3. Anything I should be aware of from those more experienced in this than I.
Now I do run DCC and I have heard LOK Sound is likely the best DCC decoder I should plan to use. I would like to know for the under step lighting and under truck lighting how (or what should I use) to affix the LED lights. Also, what resistors would need to be in place for this?
Does anyone know of a good walk through YouTube video I could use for installing the stair step lighting, so I can see how they channel the wiring? I was planning to use thin magnetic wire (like 38 AWG).
Thanks for your time reading this and offering any advice.
Henry