Accurate Lighting Pro-Line series?

[wdytid]

Has anyone had any experience installing Accurate Lighting's Pro-Line series Forward/Reverse with ditch lights lighting kit? How easy is it to install them? What's needed?

[nfmisso]

Most people today just use DCC and a multifunction decoder. About the same price, or cheaper.

Nigel

[Anonymous]

Accurate Lighting's kits are very difficult to deal with. I installed a kit with forward/reverse lighting with ditch lights in an Athearn C44-9W, and it took me forever to get it right. There is too much extra wire leading to the bulbs - much of it needs to be "stuffed" inside the engine shell. Also, the power source is held in place crudely.
A better bet is the C.R.E. ("Creative railway Engineering" I think) lighting kits, which come in a bag and clearly tell you exactly what type of engine they will fit and what sort of lights are invloved. They are cheaper than Accurate Lighting as well. I have installed about 7 C.R.E. kits, and the results are incredible, especially the ones with the alternating ditch lights. Hope all this helps.

[wdytid]

Does C.R.E. (Creative Railway Engineering) have a web page with a listing of all of their products available? I can't find anything on the web about this company. Any help would be appreciated!

[Anonymous]

I don't think C.R.E. has any official website. If you look on a few of the online train shops, the CRE products should be there. According to my local dealer, Bill Rule, of Rule's Model Trains in Manheim, PA (he is also listed in Model Railroader), they are from somewhere in California. They seem to have come out of nowhere, but I feel that their lighting kits are the best. Bill also said that most modelers haven't noticed them in his store. Again, the kits come in a plastic bag on a cardboard back, clearly stating what kind of engine it will fit. I guarantee there's one for every Athearn engine imaginable. So far I have done 2 SD40-2s, a GP38-2, a GP40-2, and 2 GP60s, and they are the most visually stunning thing when they run.
The nice thing is that the power supply locks onto the motor contact, unlike Accurate Lighting's which needs to be taped, making installation twice as easy. Hope you can find them somewhere.