# Adding a light to Bachmann Thomas



## cabledawg (Nov 30, 2010)

My daughter was tired of asking me to turn on Thomas' light that doesnt exist. SO I went online and found someone selling these little 2mm LED ditch lights. Perfect!

*These pics are kinda big, so to be easy on folks, I'll just add them as attachments unless someone requests otherwise*

I had to start by seperating the body from gearbox and then the body comes apart in two pieces. Since I wanted to put the new light in the same spot as the old one, I cut the old one down till the LED fit in the same area. It isnt an exact match tot he old, but once glued and painted, it isnt that noticable until you get really close.

Using the smallest drill bit I own and a pin vise, I drilled a hole through the platform for the wires. I then drilled a second hole up through the body, being careful to mark and measure where the wheels will be when done and where the upper body sits. I had to cut a little notch in the upper body to clear the wires, but you cant see it once assembled.


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## cabledawg (Nov 30, 2010)

Once the body was back on, I pulled the slack out of the wires and checked for clearances. Everythin looked good, so I reassembled the body, leaving the top of the cab off so I could slder the wires and tuck everything back in.

I followed the Digitrax wiring guide and attached the neg light lead to the white wire and the pos light lead with the resistor to the blue wire. A quick function check proved that everything worked. Crammed te wiring and the huge decoder back into Thomas and put the cap back on. You can see the light is stupid bright. Like enough to cause spots afterward. The guy wasnt joking when he said these things were super bright. With some model glue and flat white paint around the housing and the LED to blend them together, Thomas now has a light and the "princess" is happy.

The last pic is the back of Thomas that will get another light attached to the rear light output, but I had enough with soldering and magnifying glasses for the night. Maybe next weekend


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Dawg,

Looks like a fun retrofit. So, the original _did _have a light that broke away at some point?

Post a pic or two of the front when your all done.

Are you wiring LED straight to track voltage?

Thanks,

TJ

===

EDIT ... Dohhh ... cross posting ... nice work!


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## cabledawg (Nov 30, 2010)

TJ, this Thomas never had a light up front. It was just a plastic housing with silver paint to make it look like a light. But all the other trains we own have lights, so Thomas needed an upgrade. I was going to just wire in a small grain of rice bulb, but it wouldnt have looked very good.

Edit: I didnt realize I forgot the pic of the front with the light installed. Here is one, but I'm going to go grab another now that the paint is dry. Back in a few minutes........


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## cabledawg (Nov 30, 2010)

A few shots of the light with paint and glue.


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

cabledawg,
Excellent job, gotta keep the "princess's" in our lives happy!


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## cabledawg (Nov 30, 2010)

Yeah, I put the 0-6-0 under the knife for a new light as well, and my oldest son (11) got mad that I was messing with his stuff. Just goes to prove that boys will be happy with what they have, girls cant. :laugh:


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Dawg,

Good stuff. Boy, that little ditch light housing looks like it was meant to fit especially on the existing (old) light plinth on the loco. I know that's not the case, but it sure is a good match.

Nice job!

TJ


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## cabledawg (Nov 30, 2010)

Thanks all! 


Now to send Thomas off to NIMT for a sound makeover


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## Xnats (Dec 5, 2010)

That was pretty cool, thanks for the step by step guide.


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

Send him on over, I will make him clank and clatter like a champ!!


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## tankist (Jun 11, 2009)

very nice indeed. in couple years i will be shopping for Thomas stuff as well


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

You can try to add a resistor to dim the light. Something like 1000 ohms. Brightness is always a concern and I normally try different resistors before installing.

It came out great!:thumbsup:


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