caboose red "tail lights"?

[Albert in N]

Does anyone have suggestions for a source of N scale red tail lights?  Rock Island and many other prototype modern cabooses had a single red flashing light near the roof line end centered over the doors.  Santa Fe and others had a similar red light that did not flash.  My N scale Athearn SP bay window caboose has a nice ornamental (not lighted) roof mounted red light set.  Without scratch building, I want to add red "tail lights" to my cupola (non bay window) caboose collection.  Ornamental ones are OK, but actual lighted ones are better.  I have seen a few lighted ones at train shows, but the red LEDs are too bright (over powering) and use expensive hearing aid batteries instead of common AAA batteries or track power (with conductive wheel sets).  The red light intensity should be scale similar to those on Kato N scale office cars or RDCs.    Yes, I still have an old caboose from the early 1970s when I added a red painted shirt pin head for a tail light.  Hey, it still looks better than no light at all!

[skipgear]

Check out either Ngineering.com or Richmond Controls for lighting accessories. Ngineering has LED driver boards for Strobe, flicker, mars, beacon and other effects, micro and nano size LED's, and quite a few other goodies. Richmond controls is working with capacitor driven lighting systems I believe. 

[Desertdweller]

There is a good alternative to using a powered light, if this is acceptable to you.  While actual scale red lenses are available ( I use some, but cannot remember the name of the supplier), a cheap but good-looking alternative is available at Ben Franklin stores for around $2.

A company named Kaiser Scrapbook makes red glass rhinestones with self-adhesive backing.  A card contains 100 in graduating sizes.  The smallest 24 are suitable for N-scale.

With a price like that, I make good use of them.  The make good markers for cabooses, or for passenger cars.  For streamlined cars, they can be applied directly to the rear door.  For heavyweight cars, they can be mounted on the folding endgate, or alongside the door on the outside of the body.  Markers attached to the rear door or endgate will not be seen when the cars are coupled together.

Pick them off the card and apply them with the tip of an X-acto knife.

Les

[Albert in N]

Tony, thanks for the  Ngineering.com and Richmond Controls info.  That looks a lot better than trying to adapt over sized components from an electronics store. 
Les, thanks for the info on scrapbooking stick on markers.  Years ago, I used some MV Products model RR lens, but the backs are pointed ice cream cone shape, metal, and hard to attach.  Those flat-based stick-on markers look like the way to go on cabooses that do not come apart easily for changing LED lighted component batteries.  Just a thought, if scrapbooking stick on markers come in clear or white, those would be perfect for back up lights on diesel F units!!

[Desertdweller]

Oh, they do!

They come in all colors: clear, blue, green, amber, even purple!

The adhesive is such that you can take them off without lifting the paint, and reapply them if you want to.

I also use them on my layout for road sign reflectors.

Les