I want to put marker lights on the rear car of my passenger trains. I was going to drill two holes in the upper corners of the rear of the car and use red mini bulbs. Or I could use the Tomar marker lights. Not sure what to use. Any suggestions.
Insufficient data.
What scale, era, type of passenger car…
The TTTO-era rules for markers (colors to be displayed) were the same whether the train carried people, pigs or pig iron. While 99.99% of models display red all the time, the colors are supposed to be changed when the train takes siding, and can be non-standard under some conditions (red on one side, yellow or green on the other.)
Interestingly, the illustrations of marker colors (Rights of Trains, Chap II Fig 4 and 7-11) all show lanterns with four lenses of different colors. There is also a color issue with the `other than red’ lenses - some railroads required green to the sides, others yellow.
Amtrak-era passenger cars are set up to display red to the rear in built-into-the-carbody markers. Older passenger cars, like most cabeese, had separately-installed lanterns in brackets. Most cars that could be run as the last car in a train had brackets, but only the car at the end of a train would have markers.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with JNR-rule markers)
Short answer: Yes, for older heavyweights you can use the Tomar markers. Anything modern drill hole(s) and use the Detail Associates ditchlight housings (bezels) and lenses (7"). Look up some pictures for placement.
I drilled small holes and used a pair of small surface-mount LEDs (with resistors) inside the car. Low cost, low power consumption.
I have done as Mr. Beasley did, but the result was not exactly what I had in mind.
LION would drill small holes and use optic fiber to an LED inside the car body.
Actually on my subway cars there is a plastic light duct that came with the sets which I use, but I use three LEDS. A bright red LED for when the car is at the rear of the train and two white LEDs for when the car is the lead car.
I have had to tape up the lights fairly well to prevent light leakage, and I packed the car end with modeling clay so that the light would not shine through the plastic.
Must say, it works great.
ROAR
Thanks for all the tips. The Tomars will go on the heavyweights. Not sure yet on the smoothsides.
Liquid insulation or black shrink tubing works to prevent light leakage.