In a previous article I covered the use of LEDs as the best type of lighting for locomotives. In this article I am going to go over other types of lighting that are excellent depending on the size of the head lights and tail lights of a locomotive and tender.
The LED is still the best form of lighting and will eventually take the place of Incandescent and Fluorescent lights for all lighting usage.
At the present some engines light fixtures are too small to handle an LED. A good example is the 0-6-0 switch engine. In general the light fixture for the headlight does not have the room or capacity to handle an LED. To compensate the problem it is suggested that the modeler use a 1.5V 30mA 1.2 Dia. Incandescent Lamp - Clear with a 560-Ohm Resistor ½ Watt, 5% Tolerance. The alternative is to use either a 12 or 14 Volt 30mA 1.7mm Dia. Incandescent Lamp - Clear.
Another way to install lighting in steam locomotives is to do the following. Using fiber optics as the medium for transmitting light from a light source to the intended light fixture reduces the size needed for the light fixture and allows for a smaller hole to be drilled into the light fixture.
By installing an LED inside of the engine and the tender and then running a fiber optic into the light fixture will give you the light desired. The installation of the LED should include a cylindrical cover such as heat shrinkable tubing set around the LED. The tubing should be approximately 1/8 of an inch from the face of the LED to the end of the tubing. You will have to determine how long the tubing should be to keep it fastened to the LED. (1/8" plus length) Insert the fiber optic in the tubing placing the fiber optic against the face of the LED. Glue, with clear plastic glue, the fiber optic in place at the entrance to the heat shrinkable tubing. Tape the LED assembly to the inside of the smoke box or at the inside back end of the tender.
Leave yourself enough length of fiber optic to run the fiber optic through the smoke box wall or tender wall and into the light fixture. Make sure the fiber optic barely if any extends beyond the back of the light fixture. Glue it in place using metal/plastic clear glue. It is recommended that you place a small drop of glue at the back of the light fixture once the fiber optic is in place. Make sure that you install a lens on the light fixture once the fiber optic is glued in place.
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