Ditch Lights?

[Tank]

Not exactly sure if this counts as an electronics question, but i want to run ditch lights on my Athearn BB locomotive. Since it doesn't have a permanent home, and DCC is far out of my price range anyway, it would have to be run off DC power. So, guess the question is, what is the best way to go about adding ditch lights to my old junker? I'd like to go with LEDs preferably, but if running fiber optics isn't too tough i'd be willing to try it. I'm thinking the lights will be mounted on the front of the pilot, below the anticlimber. I don't have much knowledge of electronics, but i figure the LEDs would need a resistor or something to work properly.

[sd45longhoodfoward]

what are you willing to invest dollar wise?there are several routes you can take .but you at least want constant lighting.that means your loco even sitting still would have its lights on! at about the same intensity all the time that would be a simple circuit using diodes n4001

[Tank]

I'll have to look into that. It doesn't have to be fancy, it just has to work. Something that lights up when the headlight comes on and it starts moving. Preferably cheap, and something i can upgrade if i make the decoder jump. It's a CNW unit, so no epileptic seizure inducing flashing lights or anything. I was hoping to cobble something up with cheap LEDs, wire, ditchlight castings, and a resistor or something. My budget is pretty tight untill i get back to work in about two months, but i'd like to get this thing more or less finished by then

[Raeder]

Hmmm...here what I see as the absolute minimum you'll need.

Solder and a soldering iron, I assume you have these already.

Two LED's - your choice. I've used Digikey p/n P13483CT-ND, although the LED's on eBay at this site look promising also:

cgi.ebay.com/100pcs-0603-Ultra-Bright-Warm-White-SMD-LED-X-BOX-/320568699250?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0

They are available in smaller quantities as well.

Wire - Ngineering - Walthers p/n 541-N5038 This stuff is tiny, and can be routed anywhere, plus, it will not interfere with the ditch lights being mounted wherever they need to go.

Ditch light castings, probably a Details West part, whatever is appropriate for your model.

A constant intensity lighting circuit, as was mentioned above, will be needed. The parts for these can usually be had for a fairly cheap price, check out www.allelectrnics.com for cheap parts, or if you are ordering from Digikey, you can get them there, as well. Depending on how you build it, you may not need a resistor.
The page below has a lot of info on designing a constant intensity circuit and should be able to help you figure out what you'll need for that part of things:

www.awrr.com/ConstantLighting.html

If you plan on pulling the shell off the loco for servicing later on, you may want to install conectors. Allelectronics and Digikey have them:

alllelectronics p/n DHP-48

digikey p/n A460-ND

Good luck with your project!

Kevin

[Tank]

Too cool! Thanks guys!