Josh’s fibre optic Ditch & Marker Light installations - NR & 81.

By Josh Beveridge. See his fantastic continually updating web site NSW Rolling Stock for details of all our NSW rolling stock.

In the Ghan NR with the “White” LEDs. These LEDs have a “blue tinge” that some modellers prefer for later model diesels. Others prefer the “Prototype White” LEDs that are shown in the 81.

The 81 with “Prototype White” LEDs. These LEDs don’t have the “blue tinge” and are suitable for incandescent headlights for steam locomotives and earlier diesels.

The NR Ditch Lights installation using Fibre Optic cable.

• Using a 3mm Golden White or Prototype White LED – your choice, file the LED tip slightly flat.
• Drill two 0.75mm holes into the LED. Be careful not to drill too far into the lens and damage the LED.
• Superglue in two 25mm lengths of 0.75mm fibre optic cable.
• Remove the body (that's the hardest bit done!), and blu-tak the LED on the cab floor.
• Drill a 2mm hole in the cab floor and feed the optic cables thru.
• Drill a 0.75mm hole into the centre of each ditch/fog light grill from the outside and pass the optic thru the hole from the inside. Cut the cable a couple mm longer than flush with the grill.
• Heat the end of the cable with a soldering iron to form a nice domed mushroom head that prevents the fibre optic cable from falling through the hole and push the “mushroom” into the hole.
• Hook up the LED to the headlight or function output via a dropping resistor.
• LED's are diodes, so if the light doesn't work, reverse the wires to it.
• I have my fog lights hooked up with the headlight, as I always turn both on at the same time in the real world.