This is an update in two parts… first the positive.
With some suggestions from the Canadian Model Trains Facebook group, my ditchlight problem is solved.
The C-424 has pilot mounted ditch lights that straddle the coupler lift bar. No problem. I got the Juneco C114 ditch lights, which are great for this. The problem was how to light it. My past modern ditch light experience used fibre optics. This is old skool, pre sound, DC power pack stuff, apparently. Now we are new skool.
Enter the Surface Mount LED. Holy hell these are small. I got the warm white 0402 SMD, which have leads already attached. My eyes couldn’t handle trying to solder that. My eyes can barely handle ditch lights and grab irons.
Before attaching everything, a proof of concept was in order.
This will work quite nicely.
One thing I have thought of when working on model projects, is I get in my own way. Overthinking a project, a detail, or how to do something. The analysis paralysis kicks in, and fear of making a mistake. Dealing with micro LEDs was over thinking it… until I just went and did it.
Speaking of mistakes… paint.
“OH I don’t have to get the paint right. I’ll get it with the weathering and no one will know.”
Famous words by yours truly. <insert fail buzzer>
Yup. Atlas CP red is not the same as my 15 yr old bottle of Badger Modelflex CP Red with a little dab of black added. !@#$%
The sheen is not helping, and once I add the grills, most of this will be covered. Hopefully, weathering covers the rest. Oh well. Back to work!