# N-scale caboose with working marker lights.



## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

A while back I added my 2 cents worth on a thread about train lighting. My suggestion was to use battery powered LEDs and switch them on/off with a rotating smoke-jack that operated a switch. Well that's OK as a theory, but will it really work? In N-scale? Thus, a much more complicated project than I bargained for, began. I found a battery just small enough to fit under an N-scale car at my local Home depot. Then I had the joy of dealing with some very small, surface-mount LEDs. Once they were mounted and working (which only took a couple of weeks or so!) then I started making a new PC board "floor" for the caboose. This included a "battery holder" and "switch." Both looked quite crude, (probably because they are ) and both were many times harder to fit in; with room for trucks, end platforms, steps, and couplers. I discovered that it's awfully crowded under an N-scale caboose! I also learned how to melt steps, and other plastic parts, while trying to solder down there. Then I needed to stretch the wheelbase between the front and rear trucks, in order to fit "stuff." This led to making a new bolster and mounting it further back than the original. That, and the melted steps, required scratch-building a new platform, and steps from brass, and adding a ladder and brake wheel. (fortunately these were commercial detail parts I had on hand.)
Finally, after lots more unanticipated complications, including making a brass smoke jack, I got it to work, though it's still not done (of course) 
So, is it possible to build this in N-scale? Yes, but it would probably be a lot easier in HO or larger scales. Is it something that many N-scale modelers will rush out and do? NO. Not unless they're as crazy as I am!:smilie_auslachen:

Traction Fan:smilie_daumenpos:


----------



## Never Get Old (Apr 16, 2016)

Ok, that looks great. I just have one question though. Why not use track power pickup and a constant lighting circuit? I did that one time. The LED's were the normal size, easy to work with, flat, rectangular ones with the tiny cylinder projecting from the lens so the visible size on the exterior was "acceptable" size to me.

-Never Get Old


----------



## 89Suburban (Jan 4, 2017)

Nice effort there sir. Looks good.


----------



## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*More than one way to light a caboose*



Never Get Old said:


> Ok, that looks great. I just have one question though. Why not use track power pickup and a constant lighting circuit? I did that one time. The LED's were the normal size, easy to work with, flat, rectangular ones with the tiny cylinder projecting from the lens so the visible size on the exterior was "acceptable" size to me.
> 
> -Never Get Old


Never Get Old;

Yes, of course, it could have been done that way. In fact it has been done the way you suggest, for years. If you read my post, I said that I wanted to try an idea that I had proposed on someone else's thread about car lighting. The point of my project was specifically to see if battery power could work in N-scale. Using track power, while a perfectly viable method of car lighting, would not have answered the "battery power in N-scale" question. Because of all the problems I related, I might not do it again. 

regards;

Traction Fan:smilie_daumenpos:


----------



## Never Get Old (Apr 16, 2016)

Why not use an N scale GATR Works cabooseLITE model cbl-2s and then change the switch to your rotating smoke jack idea?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/N-scale-cab...rksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&autorefresh=true

I know, I know. That would take the challenge and the fun out of the project. Battery life is only 30 hours unfortunately.

-Never Get Old


----------



## subwayaz (Dec 26, 2009)

Never Get Old said:


> Why not use an N scale GATR Works cabooseLITE model cbl-2s and then change the switch to your rotating smoke jack idea?
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Great idea  thanks I just ordered one specifically for the Fred though. I have a SP Bay Window I would love to see that on.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I think for N-scale I'd consider using fiber and just having a single LED internally to drive the markers. I'd, of course, be wanting to power the LED from the track to avoid batteries.


----------

