The Home Machinist!

I fitted a white LED in the back corners of the cab and a string of LEDs behind the waterglass and that seems to work well.

I never did come up with a suitable 2.5" LED light for the headlight but the LED flashlight reflector & light (which looked like hell) went up in smoke so I had to find something else.

I found automotive T10 bulbs are readily available in either incandescent or LED at a very reasonable price and I had a T10 incandescent in the shop so I tested the original headlamp reflector with a T10 bulb. The reflector isn't true parabolic but the pattern wasn't bad so I drilled the reflector and mounted the T10 bulb. After making a new glass lens (at EXACTLY the right size) which took a couple of hours (I HATE making small round glass LOL!) it worked pretty good. T10 LED bulbs are in the mail.

I use an MR16 bulb in my headlight. MR16s are available in a number of wattages and have built-in reflectors. The reflector styles range from wide flood to narrow spot. I also have a PWM dimmer in the circuit so I can dim it when needed. The dimmer is set up with a toggle switch for high and low beam but I can also vary the brightness of the low beam with the dimmer. Dimming it down also warms up the color of the light.

Greg_Lewis wrote: ↑Mon Mar 18, 2019 1:35 pm I use an MR16 bulb in my headlight....

Sounds like a nice arrangement!

Try www.modeltrainsoftware.com U will be impressed.

I second NP317 for the flashlight idea..

Here's an LED supplier with great prices ! Lots of variations too.

https://www.oznium.com/led-bolts-prewir ... mcTXt50xBE

I agree with tsp6500 and the consideration of others coming at you down the track and possibly blinding them. I have experienced this also. I believe educating ourselves in the understanding of lumens and Kelvin Color temperature will aid in striking a compromise in seeing adequately, some realism and not blinding others. Around the house I prefer 2700K (K for Kelvin). It's more like the old incandescent bulbs. The higher the number the whiter and bluer the light.

Steve Kuhn

Steven E. Kuhn wrote: ↑Thu Apr 18, 2019 3:34 pm I agree with tsp6500 and the consideration of others coming at you down the track and possibly blinding them. I have experienced this also. I believe educating ourselves in the understanding of lumens and Kelvin Color temperature will aid in striking a compromise in seeing adequately, some realism and not blinding others. Around the house I prefer 2700K (K for Kelvin). It's more like the old incandescent bulbs. The higher the number the whiter and bluer the light.

Steve Kuhn

As I mentioned above, get a PWM dimmer off Ebay for about $5 and dim the light when approaching oncoming traffic.

Or we can......

Greg_Lewis wrote: ↑Fri Apr 19, 2019 9:19 pm

Steven E. Kuhn wrote: ↑Thu Apr 18, 2019 3:34 pm

.........educate ourselves in the understanding of lumens and Kelvin Color temperature.......

Steve Kuhn

As I mentioned above, get a PWM dimmer off Ebay for about $5 and dim the light when approaching oncoming traffic.

Do a Google search for 12v Landscape lights. They come LED in either flood or spot configuration. The housings are OK to use on Critter engines, but you'll have to gut them to use on your American.

Greg_Lewis wrote: ↑Fri Apr 19, 2019 9:19 pmAs I mentioned above, get a PWM dimmer off Ebay for about $5 and dim the light when approaching oncoming traffic.

LOL! You haven't had a close look at a Little Engine's American - there isn't enough space in there to hide a sugar cube!

I have a T10 LED bulb in the headlight, the kind used for auto signal lamps, and they aren't very bright. We also are a single loop unidirectional so I don't think anybody will find it too bright. If it is "too bright" there will be enough light to see by anyway.

Thanks for all the thoughts guys.