I never installed cab lights in any of my locos, but running more and more often at nights, the crews were starting to complain about not being able to see the controls. So, after a brainstorm at Lowe’s today, and a whopping $4 out of pocket, I now have a “portable” light I can put in the cab of whatever loco I’m running at night. I thought I had a G-scale lantern somewhere in my parts box, but it’s so far eluded me. Once I find it, I’ll drill it out and place it over the end. It’s an LED key fob. I removed the LED, and wired in its place a “warm white” LED that I got on a card with replacement LEDs from the Christmas aisle. (These are the same LEDs I use in my loco headlights, and give off a very nice, almost incandescent glow.) The card has 10 LEDs for less than $2, and the key fob was also under $2.
It looks a lot brighter in this photo than it is in reality. I did paint the LED with some brown paint to tone it down a bit. I wanted a very dim light; enough to show the interior, but not so bright as to illuminate the surrounding landscape in its own right. Later, K
