Can someone please give me some help(steps)on wiring up ditch lights on Athearn diesels. The instructions are far from clear…Thank you!
It depends on what type of Athearn loco you want to mount ditch lights on.I used to model Athearn, but I don’t model much of their stuff anymore!
If you want to install the ditch lights under the under the anti-climber of a loco(the easier of the two predicaments!!). Glue the light housings where you want them then drill out the backs of them through the pilot to make room for the bulbs.
Then you should be able to run the leads up over the trucks(being careful not to entangle them in the drive lineS).You should then be able to just solder them to the headlight metal contact strip.
If you can still see the cablesunder the chassis then depending on the athearn loco you should be able to mill a couple of notches in the end of the loco frame and just tuck them in!
I hope I have been of some help to you. My instructions may be a little vague, but it has been a few years since I worked on an athearn loco. I usually save all penies and buy Kato or Atlas loc’s when they come out, thusly avoiding a lot of Athearn’s pitfalls. I’m not saying they are a bad line of loco’s, they make an excellent starting point for modellers of all ages or people who don’t want or expect a lot of detail in their model’s.
If you want to contact me then here I am:
terrythomson2001@yahoo.com.au
See you later!!!