Any ideas on how to make ditch light holders for Kato SD-45?

[RBrodzinsky]

One of my upcoming LokSound conversions for my own fleet is going to be Kato's SD-45 SP #8613 (really a converted SD-45 into an SD40M-2). The Kato model has the proper headlight arrangement, but is missing the ditch lights (ok, and the horn is in the wrong place)

http://www.katousa.com/N/SD45/176-3132.jpg

As an example, here is a 12-year old view of the loco:

http://s3.amazonaws.com/rrpa_photos/7907/DSCN4710.JPG

I figure to use 0402 SMD LEDs (just running the magnet wires across the deck plate and under the nose, but am stymied on what to use as a casing / mounting for them. Any ideas from our creative folks?

[Jbub]

I bought these for a gp60 I'm going to do. A 0402 led fits inside the hole. I'm thinking of using ca to attach the light to the housing and housing to the deck unless someone has a better idea

https://www.shapeways.com/product/LZX8NEAGW/n-scale-ditch-lights-v3?optionId=60032208&li=ostatus

[Spades]

Shapeways has n scale ditch lights.  You would have to round the top of the piece.  On YouTube just type in N scale ditch lights.  A Russian? gentleman made his own and installed them on an Atlas GP83-2.  You will have to turn on the subtitles for an English version. 

[RBrodzinsky]

I bought these for a gp60 I'm going to do. A 0402 led fits inside the hole. I'm thinking of using ca to attach the light to the housing and housing to the deck unless someone has a better idea

https://www.shapeways.com/product/LZX8NEAGW/n-scale-ditch-lights-v3?optionId=60032208&li=ostatus

Weird - your link disappeared in your post, but when I quote it, it is there

[Jbub]

Weird - your link disappeared in your post, but when I quote it, it is there

Weird, I originally forgot the link so maybe that had something to do with it

[Mark W]

Lego makes a ditch light brick.


Probably too large for N Scale though. 


I was going to mention the SW part or the castings that Ryan mentioned over on TB.
If not those, scratchbuild out of styrene or brass.

[JanesCustomTrain]

Shapeways has n scale ditch lights.  You would have to round the top of the piece.

bnsfdash8 sells the right ones on shapeways

https://www.shapeways.com/product/5BK85TFBJ/rounded-ditch-light-n-scale?optionId=42676779&li=marketplace

Jane

[RBrodzinsky]

bnsfdash8 sells the right ones on shapeways

https://www.shapeways.com/product/5BK85TFBJ/rounded-ditch-light-n-scale?optionId=42676779&li=marketplace

Jane

Ooh, those look like just the ticket

[jpwisc]

I used Reese's regular ditch lights and sanded the tops to get the profile that matched what you are looking for (they have a little more material up top than the round tops. I look forward to seeing your wire routing, maybe I'll finish this project yet.

[RBrodzinsky]

Karl,

Just to give you an idea of the wires, I’ve laid two 38awg magnet wires across the front deck plate. Plan will be to run under the hood, above the deck. Painted, these wires will be barely visible. I wire all my 0402 and 0603 SMD LEDs with this size wire.

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[woodone]

Start of a thread merged in from the DCC board, by request.  Note the post titles. -gfh

Anyone ever make ditch lights (porch mount) housings. I have been trying to get together some thing that looks real and to scale.
Working with N scale here. So it is small!
Maybe this belongs in the Z and N scale section? But it is electrical in a way.
Using 402 LED's

[Jbub]

Actually discussed a few days ago in the N scale forum

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=43416.0

[woodone]

Thanks Jbub!
Again I missed that posting. Some good ideas.
I will post what I have come up with on the other forum.

[RBrodzinsky]

Jerry,

Jbub pointed you at my recent thread.  I should have the Shapeways housings here on Monday or Tuesday, and have also acquired some of the Sunrise cast housings.  Hope to experiment with them next week, and will post photos in my thread.

[woodone]

Well I have been working on building some, but they are so small that it is hard to get everything looking right.
I started out with a .040 X .060 styrene strip. Drilled a small hole  ( number 60 drill ) Makes a .040 hole. That only leaves .010 per side left of the strip. On the back side I file out a slot that is in line with the hole so I can set the 402 LED into. I also make a small lens to fit into the hole on the front side. This gives a lens effect even without the light being on. I then put on a small bezel on the front. Painted mine black. Now to mount.
The first unit I am working on is an Atlas  GP38-2. This model has a red light ( non working) that is mounted on the porch so that does not leave too much room to mount the ditch lights. I am going to mill a slot on the porch and fit the Ditch light into the slot with the wires and route them inside the shell.
Post some photos when I get it finished.