how to route the wiring on PRR's pilot beam markers?

[on30gn15]

Hey Y'all;

The question is, how to route the wiring on PRR's pilot beam markers?
So here's some thinking out loud.

As well as having smokebox mounted class lamps, at some point (1920s?) PRR started mounting marker lamps on steam loco pilot beams and rear tender corners. Used to know why, don't any more.
Even though probably an earlier era loco than when PRR really did that I want to do so to Big Hauler 4-6-0.

Lamps are Aristo Pacific parts which come with incandescent bulbs: ex Christmas light 3mm LED will be substituted. 
Castings will be eventually painted green.

Also want them to be powered by sound system battery, probably hard-wired to be on when battery is present, so loco can be found in dark at opposite end of garden if (when?) track power might be lost, that has happened.

While wiring tender lamps is a breeze, getting juice from there to way up at other end is a question.

Current line of thought on getting power between tender and loco is to do so in a manner which represents water hoses from under water legs to injectors. Some kind of easily releasable hookup will be needed in order to separate loco and tender for stowing in original set box.
After that it's an open question.

[Joe Satnik]

Dear on30gn15,

Put the batteries in the boiler behind the front plate, run the wires down.  No connector needed. 

If you need the weight more over the drivers, move the batteries further back in the boiler.

Don't forget the current limiting resistors in series with the LEDs. 

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

[on30gn15]

Hi Joe;

That option was considered then decided against.
Want only one battery to keep track of
Boiler front probably isn't intended for frequent access removal.

Plus there's the entertainment value of figuring out how to get what is desired.

[Kevin Strong]

A few thoughts...

First off, if you're modeling the PRR's narrow gauge operations (a la the Waynesburg & Washington or Ohio River & Western), then this practice seems to have missed those railroads. From a prototypical standpoint, it's not something I would particularly worry about.

However, if you're doing it because it looks cool (and ain't nuttin' wrong with that), then I'd do a few things. Firstoff, give the locomotive a proper front pilot deck like you'll find on the Anniversary edition. Give it a little bit of a lip on the underside, and use that to hide the wires going to the lamps. With LEDs, you can get away with using really small wire (30-gauge) so you needn't worry too much about the bulk. What I'd do is connect the two LED wires at the center of the pilot, then run two wires back under the cylinders, then into the boiler along with the power leads that come up from the front pilot. Once the wires are inside the boiler, you can connect them to wherever you need to in order to power them, depending on how you're going to power them.

You could just run the wires up under the existing pilot frame, but a wider deck looks better and gives you more real estate to play with in terms of hiding the wires.

Later,

K

[on30gn15]

However, if you're doing it because it looks cool

Yep  

Firstoff, give the locomotive a proper front pilot deck like you'll find on the Anniversary edition.

Done deal. Just did that while this machine was unplugged for thunderstorm.

a wider deck looks better

Like that old "wider is better" Pontiac sports something ad?

In keeping with the "Anachronism Central" railroad design trend around here, Plastruct O-scale tread plate was used even though I'm pretty sure the 1880s didn't have that.
I want the visual texture.

And from this point in time on out, just because you removed the screws, that don't mean the pilot is coming off!

depending on how you're going to power them.

They are going to be hard wired to sound battery in tender to remind me to remove battery before putting loco away.


I want to get 2 sets of power across this gap
1. track power aft to back-up light - set locos don't have working one like Annies do
2. battery power forward to marker and class lamps

[Doneldon]

On30-

Adnar on ebay has screw in LEDs which should be small enough to fit inside of F-scale markers.  These haven an integrated resister.  Use a press fit for the markers themselves, to the frame or LEDs.  Then end of session means pulling markers and unscrewing or loosening LEDs.  Should look pretty good.
                                                                                             -- D

[on30gn15]

While sitting at Doctor's office had a stroke of genius, which I guess is better than a just plain stroke.

Wire the pair of LED in series which will make for only 2 wires to have to deal with then hide the wires "in plain sight" as lines to air brake & signal line hookups on the pilot.

What to do with them once they get aft of the cylinder saddle is still an open question.

[Dave]

You will probably find that LEDs will only run in parralell as they are,in effect, a Diode.

                        Cheers

                                Dave

[on30gn15]

You will probably find that LEDs will only run in parralell ...

Turns out 4 in series worked for this Milwaukee Road inspired headlight built in a Big Hauler part for a Hartland orange Sparky.

[NarrowMinded]

Hi, if you only need two wires get a peice of brass tube big enough to slip one wire into it run in from back to front like a conduit on the proto would be, solder lead wires to the brass tube so your useing the tube as one of your conductors slip the other wire inside the tube, this will allow for a clean scale looking conduit install on your loco, I solder on little brass washers so I can screw the whole thing to the loco then paint it, just watch out for contact with metal parts which could short, I use shrink wrap over the ends so it covers the solder locations but you could shrink wrap the whole tube if you like.

From the loco to tender I have made new draw bars from double sided PC board then created as many as eight conductors using a exacto knife to cut through the copper I then solder on micro connectors that are hidden under the loco and tender, paint the draw bar black and your done.

NM

[Doneldon]

On30-

You could also use resistance paint to supply power to LEDs.

                                                              -- D

[NarrowMinded]

You can pick up those pens at Frys I've used them to fix spots on circuit boards and modify them, not sure how well it would work over the frame where they come apart.

NM