Adding lighting to N scale passenger trains

i have several of the n scale r32 nyc subway car kits from imperial hobby. i know there are kits by kato that add interior lighting to the cars, but i would also like to add the headlights and red tail lights to the train. is there anything on the market for that in n scale? or perhaps does anybody have any suggestions as to how this may be possible?

thanks,
richard

netrain wrote:i have several of the n scale r32 nyc subway car kits from imperial hobby. i know there are kits by kato that add interior lighting to the cars, but i would also like to add the headlights and red tail lights to the train. is there anything on the market for that in n scale? or perhaps does anybody have any suggestions as to how this may be possible?

To add headlights and markers, you'll most likely have to do those modifications yourself. Using LED's is a good start. Constant lighting systems (the ones that dont depend on track power) can be readily found through Walthers and other suppliers.

thanks otto. any ideas where i can get REALLY small leds? like smaller than 3mm? i'd like to add lights to solid resin kit n scale vehicles as well.

thanks
r.

netrain wrote:thanks otto. any ideas where i can get REALLY small leds? like smaller than 3mm? i'd like to add lights to solid resin kit n scale vehicles as well.

thanks
r.

NeTrain, did you check out this company already: http://www.ngineering.com/index.htm

Try buying tower LEDs. They sell them on ebay.

your best bet is a decoder and some SMD LEDs. These are very tiny, and should fit. Some fiber optics could help you get the small size you need, and using some transparent red paint (i use some from Tamiya) will make it glow red, if you can't find a small red LED.

If you're on DC, you could also mount a wire clip on the axle, which has just enough of a hold that it spins whichever way the truck goes. by adding contacts on either side of the clip, you can energize the headlights or tail lights depending on direction of travel. it works really well, trust me!

If you have difficulty finding what you need, try BLAN;

Blan Electronics Corp
15748 26th Ave
Flushing, NY 11354
718-746-5222

These guys have a massive assortment of everything you can imagine. They even carry a full line of Turntable Belts. They used to have a store in lower Manhattan.

D/

How about...

http://www.rapidotrains.com/light_n.html

-otto-

Kato also has a kit for lighting passenger cars
http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/KATO-N-P ... -11210.htm