Corrugated Passenger cars - simple question!

You'll have to know what prototype you are modeling. There was NO standardization of such things. The red light could be steady (common), flashing, or some form of "Mars" or "Gyrolight". Many such cars also included white 'back up' lights for reverse operation, and all or most would also have conventional 'markers' in addition to the larger center light. "Name" trains would likely have a lighted 'drumhead' as well.

Dan Mitchell ============

Thanks Dan, I'm modelling a CB&Q rake. The model I have has a single light, not the white over red I've seen in the pictures. I was thinking of using fibre-optics for the Marker lights. I assume the "drumhead" is the name panel below the window at the very rear of the car?

Thanks again.

Correct for the 'drumhead' ... so named because many were round, and mounted in a can structure much like the musical instrument. They could be any shape, however. Many were translucent, and back lighted at night. Tomar makes lighted HO drumheads for many popular trains. They look nice.

Fiber optics will work fine for the markers. There are nice little markers commercially made for cabooses and older heavyweight cars, using tiny light bulbs. These look great, but are unsuited to most 'streamlined' applications, and the lamps don't last long. With fiber optics one can use a single, larger, longer lived, and much cheaper lamp to drive the system.

I'd also suggest trying the truly mini LED's that are now available. They're considerably smaller than a 'grain of rice' lamp, last almost forever, and look great. You do have to cobble up a small housing for them. You can build body or epoxy putty right on the LED to get the desired shape. They're much brighter than most fiber optics installations. I've used both fiber optics and LED's and like the LED's for rear-direction-only applications. One could clump several for multi directional effects, but they'd be a little large I fear.

I'm not a CB&Q expert by any means, so I'll defer their specific lighting practice to others more knowledgeable.

Dan Mitchell ============

"Daniel A. Mitchell" wrote > Correct for the 'drumhead' ... so named because many were round, and

That's great Dan, thanks. I can get the mini LEDs through work and I've got an idea for the drumhead. Thanks again.

I'm also no expert on CB&Q lighting, but wasn't the center red light only used in emergencies (like when the brakes were dumped)? Normally, only the small red marker lights on the sides of the car should be illuminanted red.

Peteski

California Zephyrs rear red light was always lit and oscillating

Sometimes the single red light was used as the rear end marker. As such, it would be lit all of the time.

-- Why isn't there an Ozone Hole at the NORTH Pole?

A big thanks to all who responded on and off list. The job can now proceed.