Headlight lenses for older Athearn bluebox F45 engine

[doctorwayne]

Capt.Brigg

....I tried fiber optic cable, however the fibers are even smaller than the headlight tubes and leave an unsatisfactory light gap....

You can create a lense on fibre optic material using heat.  I use a soldering iron as the heat source.  Simply bring the clean,squarely-cut end of the fibre optic material close (but not touching!) to the heat source.  The end will expand and acquire a convex surface, very similar to a lense in appearance.  It may take you a few attempts to get the proper size needed, but simply cut off the failed ones and try again.

Wayne

[crusader27529]

I also use 2mm clear LEDS for my F45 headlights.....that's about 0.080". The LEDS tend not to be exactly 2mm due to production tolerences, so I use a 0.078" drill bit in a pin vise to open the hole until the fit snugly. Painting the entire backside of the LED(s) once installed prevents any light from bleeding into the loco interior AND sort of glues the LEDS in place nicely.

I push the LED into the hole as far as I can, and if any sticks out beyond the fron of the housing, I snip the end off with really small diagonal cutters. It works fine for me.

 

[jjdamnit]

Hello all,

You could use a small piece of brass tube and glue it to the inside of the shell, around the lenses.

Then a LED could be fitted to the diameter of the tube. If the LED is too small an adapter of styrene tube could be made and fitted to the brass tube.

Black silicone (RTV) could be used to fix the LED to the styrene tube.

I suggest that this be a press-fit so you can remove the LED when removing the shell or IF the LED ever burns out (highly unlikely.)

Hope this helps.

[RR_Mel]

I found some 2mm diameter fiber on eBay that has worked out very good for observation car taillights.  I’ve also seen 1.5mm fiber.  If all else fails you can get clear Acrylic rod that will work for light pipe.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-0-1-5-2-0-2-5-3mm-PMMA-end-glow-light-optical-fiber-cable-RGB-transfer-1M-5M-/322350738465?var=511267387863&hash=item4b0d99ec21:m:mEsiyMeok3H_2zGh6Be7jIQ

 

 

There are also stovepipe LEDs available, 1.6mm, 1.8mm & 2mm.

 

 

Link to 2mm flat top stovepipe warm white LED

 

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/100pcs-2mm-LED-Diodes-Water-Clear-Warm-White-Light-Flat-Top-Transparent-USA-/121742148097?epid=1256175939&hash=item1c5865c201:g:AP0AAOSwiwVWRCQf

 

 

Mel

 

Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951

 

My Model Railroad   

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

 

Bakersfield, California

 

I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

[Capt.Brigg]

I have an older Athern bluebox F45 that I am converting to DCC and using LEDs for forward and rear lights. The problem is that since originally the engine used grain-of-sand light bulbs, I can find no lenses that will fit into the VERY small light tubes in front of the LEDs. I have the right diameter lenses, for a different engine, but the lense spacing is too wide for the two head lights on the F45. I tried fiber optic cable, however the fibers are even smaller than the headlight tubes and leave an unsatisfactory light gap. I love this engine as I painted into my PCRy colors many years ago and it still runs well. I need a plastic light lense that will fit into these small grain-of-sand size holes. Athearn doesn't carry these lenses since the engines come with bulbs. Suggestions and or links are greatly appreciated.
Capt. Brigg CEO
Pacific Cascade Railway in HO gauge