Glass headlights

[southernpacificgs4]

I have an old locomotive where the headlights are glass headlights instead off light bulbs.

One glass headlight is missing. 

I thought that I saw it in an old Walthers catalogue those "diamond" shaped glass headlights, I was looking in my old Walthers year catalogue but I do find it back in the parts department

Is Walthers still selling them or an other company?

[gmpullman]

Wow, it has been years since I've seen one of those!

They were also used in the Tyco Floodlight tower as I recall. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/HO-SCALE-TYCO-4-BULB-FLOODLIGHT-TOWER-IN-ORIGINAL-BLISTER-PACK/352767616639?hash=item522296a67f:g:KSEAAOSwLh5dCr6X

There may be a collector or old repair shop that might have some old stock?

Good Luck, Ed

[Overmod]

southernpacificgs4

I have an old locomotive where the headlights are glass headlights instead off light bulbs.

I believe you're talking about 'jewel' headlights (there were markers also) and may have better luck if you search and ask using that term, if so.  The ones I remember are metal-backed, like rhinestones, and this has to be partially-removed if you want to shine light through them.

Jewelry supply (or 'craft' stores) would be a likely source for replacements.

But I would wholeheartedly recommend that you replace jewels with either a more 'prototypical' lens or by installing one of the lights with properly-colored and shaped lens included.  This is one of the places where a very small amount of careful work has an enormous effect on the prototypical appearance of a locomotive.

(Note to the ancient: When jewels were a common thing to see in RTR locomotives, the 'grain of rice' electric bulb was still a new and comparatively high-technology thing; the grain-of-wheat bulb was still a staple of electric trains.   Using a molded piece of plastic to channel some of the light out through the headlight 'holes' was about the most advanced thing you'd see, usually with ill-fitting numberboards illuminated as part of the same piece, and with distortions and air bubbles usually in evidence.  I can still remember the early advent of fiber-optics (and how to form 'lenses' at the end of the fibers) and how amazing it was to have actual spots of light in headlights and markers that looked reasonable.  How things have changed!)

[gmpullman]

Overmod

I believe you're talking about 'jewel' headlights

In that case I would suggest an MV Products lens. Just measure the diameter of the opening and buy the appropriate size. MV has an amber color that is just like the Pyle YelloGlo headlight reflector.

I mistook the OP and thought he was looking for a replacement lamp of the type that had a lens molded into the flattened front face.

Something like this:

https://www.megahobby.com/products/180-amber-1-for-ho-15-1-2-headlights-1-24-1-25-1-32-vehicle-military-lights-mv-products.html

Many of the brass locomotives I've purchased had only a gaping hole for a headlight, Steam, diesel or electric.

IMG_9976 by Edmund, on Flickr

If you do prefer jewels many can be found at ebay:

https://tinyurl.com/yykuhjkq

 or these:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/K4-HO-Parts-Asst-Sizes-Headlight-Marker-Lamp-Crystal-Clear-Jewel-Lenses/192093586370?epid=682353158&hash=item2cb9ab83c2:g:OegAAOSw-0xYkg5m

Sorry, Ed

[SeeYou190]

gmpullman

Many of the brass locomotives I've purchased had only a gaping hole for a headlight,

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I have given up trying to install working lights into the gaping hole.

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MV lenses for all my brass steamers.

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-Kevin

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[emdmike]

Working headlights in older brass imports can be a total pain in the butt, but well worth the effort once done.  I have used MV lenses with the foil backing removed, along with lucite rod that I polish to create headlight lenses.  I prefer to have working headlights on my steamers, even though up to a certain year, they would have been turned off back then.   Only after a certain year did the headlight being "ON" become the norm due to FRA rule changes(more grade crossings as the automobile became more widespread).   

[MikeFF]

Cody had a segment on using jewels from the scrapbook section of craft stores a couple of episodes back.

 

[doctorwayne]

On my freelanced late '30s-era layout, locomotives were not required to have their headlights lit during the daytime, and since I dislike all the wiring needed for them, and don't run night operations, I went with the MV lenses, too...

However, I'm currently building a Bowser PRR A-5 for a friend, and his layout is DCC, and includes locomotives with lights. 

Here's the locomotive's headlight, (unlit) an MV Products lense with a small LED inserted into a hole drilled in the back of the lense...

Here's the tender's back-up light, done in the same manner, illuminated...

While I think that the illuminated lense looks pretty good, and despite the fact that the wiring for my DC locomotives would be a little simpler, I'll stick with the unlit MVP lenses, as they're good enough for my needs.

Wayne