Scale Sound Systems is pleased to announce a new lighting detail for your HO locomotives!
Differing in prototype variation from the Details West deck-mount ditch-lights, these deck-mounted ditch-lights are available in two variations;
• Short (as on AC44s and others)
• Tall (as on some SD70ACes and others)
Designed using prototype measurements, these are quite possibly the most detailed ditch-lights available in HO scale. While my photos do not do them justice, much of the detail shown in the 3D rendering is visible to the naked eye (provided your eye-sight is good enough). This includes two-part hinge detail on one side, the bolted-clasp on the other and three counter-sunk screws around the lens-casing.
The ditch-lights feature an internal bevel that the lenses rest on, ensuring your lenses drop-in and seat perfectly every time! The Short variation allows you to insert the forward-facing pre-wired 0402 LED through the bottom hole. The Tall version will have the LED wires threaded through the lens hole, then the LED will seat within the housing.
The ditch-lights come in a light gray color ready to paint. I find using a silver Sharpie marker provides a fast, easy and nice looking finish to the light housings. Paint the interior of the lights using chrome paint with a micro brush to help prevent “glow” when lit-up. Paint the housing to match your prototype’s color, then use the silver Sharpie to blot around the top, coloring the lens-casing silver. Of course, some prototypes painted them all one color to match the pilot.
The castings will snap right from the sprue and require no, or very little, clean up! If you do decide to sand the backside a bit, use a fine-grit paper and only a couple strokes (so as not to thin the back wall too much).
Use a bit of CA, Kristal Kleer, canopy glue or clear tacky-glue to secure the LEDs and lenses.
Each kit includes one pair of your chosen ditch-light type and three lenses. Kits may be ordered with or without pre-wired warm-white 0402 LEDs. I do not guarantee that other brands of LEDs will fit. To keep these ditch-lights as close to scale as possible, the holes are just big enough to facilitate the pre-wired 0402 LEDs that I supply.
Download the assembly guide from the "Guides" page or here: https://f5479436-5972-4fe2-a17a-b4fbd2ea046e.filesusr.com/ugd/7e84c8_dbb16d1e0cdc42ba8cfbe1efeab7df03.pdf