DC ditch lights ?

filfreight

Posts: 371
Joined: 2006-12-13

Hey all,

I don't normally venture off my layout thread but this is an electronics specific question that has probably been asked hundreds of times

that I need answered by electronics pros....yeah YOU !

I'm operating a DC layout and was thinking of popping in some flashing LEDS for locomotive ditch lights.

Can they be powered by track power or is a battery and obviously running a DCC layout, the only option ?

Thanks in advance, peace,

Phil

Submitted by filfreight on Thu, 12/13/2007 - 01:12.

dckuk

Posts: 223
Joined: 2003-11-17

two words:

Richmond Controls

Have a look: http://www.richmondcontrols.com/

Anything is possible, you just have to make it fit...

Dennis

Post No Bills

Thu, 12/13/2007 - 04:52

bbnd

Posts: 31
Joined: 2007-03-12

Ditch Lights

Thanks for the pointer. Great web site.

Brian Drury

Thu, 12/13/2007 - 10:02

filfreight

Posts: 371
Joined: 2006-12-13

dckuk,thanks alot. i'm

dckuk,

thanks alot. i'm wondering if they ones that flash. looks like fun!

peace,

phil

Thu, 12/13/2007 - 13:36

NH2006

Posts: 502
Joined: 2006-05-11

A link I had described

A link I had described fiber optic ditch lights, but the webpage has disappeared. It was brilliant and I wish I had saved it....

Fri, 12/14/2007 - 02:31

siderod

Posts: 2436
Joined: 2004-06-05

NH2006's copied-n-pasted

NH2006's copied-n-pasted post is a great way to -add- ditchlights to a locomotive that doesn't have them, but still doesn't allow flashing. With locomtoives that have ditchlights already, flashing is difficult, too, but thats not in question here.

With a little skill and a few bucks, you could make the flashing circuity yourself...Theres not many components involved, so space wouldn't be critically important with most locomotives. PCB would improve the task, but it's far from necessary.

Siderod (II)
Andrew Reid
* * *
nScale.net Forum Moderator

Fri, 12/14/2007 - 11:31

NH2006

Posts: 502
Joined: 2006-05-11

Fiber optic ditch lights

Found a redone website with the pictures here:

http://theoakvillesub.freehosting.net/atlas-8/atlas-8.htm

http://theoakvillesub.freehosting.net/ditch/ditch.htm

Author Jim Reising

theoakvillesub@aol.com

and "An article on how to do it appeared in the May-June 2003 issue of N-Scale Magazine"

Sat, 12/15/2007 - 01:32

filfreight

Posts: 371
Joined: 2006-12-13

NH,thanks fo finding &

NH,

thanks fo finding & posting the link again.

i've never worked with fiber optics tho.

i understand the basic principle of it but once

everything is installed where do you connect

it so it gets power ? where can i pick this stuff

up ? do regular chain hardware stores carry it ?

i.e. lowe's,home depot ? thanks, peace,

phil

Wed, 12/19/2007 - 14:06

Bryan

Posts: 4239
Joined: 2004-02-29

http://www.fiberopticproduct

http://www.fiberopticproducts.com/Kits.htm

Try this sampler kit... it should keep you playing for a while.

The ditch lights don't "get power", they just use the same light source as the headlights and channel it to where it's needed.

Bryan

Wed, 12/19/2007 - 18:19

mavrick0

Posts: 161
Joined: 2005-12-27

If you want the flashing

If you want the flashing option I would look at the new Kato SD40-2's in HO. They are designed that the ditchlights will flash or run solid on a DC layout. So maybe that circuit can be compacted a little and transfered to N-scale.

Wed, 12/19/2007 - 19:17

filfreight

Posts: 371
Joined: 2006-12-13

thank you all for your

thank you all for your help....sounds like fun !

i'll give it a try at some point....peace,

phil

Sun, 12/23/2007 - 15:12

DC ditch lights ?

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