Hi, I purchased a few running lights for tenders recently, looks like a snow flake with 8 little lamps on each. What prep if any do they require before painting? Also does anyone know where tiny colored or clear glass beads a la BLI M1 can be found to use on them?
Those would be "marker" lamps if the engine is running by itself (no cars) in the forward direction with the rear of the tender being the end-of-train. Colors for end-of-train lighting would be red-towards-the-rear (if on the mainline) with green to the sides (with green lenses facing outward only. If the train is stopped on a siding and is clear of the mainline, the rear facing lens is green-towards-the-rear, with red lens to the side.
If the engine is running in reverse on the mainline with the rear of the tender being the "front" of the train, the lamps revert to being "classification" lamps, with a white lens facing forward and a white lens facing to the side on each lamp if the train is an "extra"...also designated with the numberboard having an X then the engine number on them. If the train is a regularly scheduled train with its own unique number (not the engine number) and there is only one section running, then the lamps are dark, with the train number displayed on the number boards. If the train is broken down to several sections, each section runs with green classification lamps and the train number on display on the numberboards....EXCEPT the last section, which runs with dark classification lamps but with the train number on display on the numberboards.
White and green flags were also used during daylight hours instead of the classification lamps being lit, but I've seen photos with both lit lamps and flags flying simultaneously.
As for colored lenses for marker and classification lamps in N-scale, I use M.V. Products Lenses, which work very well even without any actual lighting inside N-scale lamp housings. These are fairly difficult to find either at your LHS or at online stores. I have good luck finding them for sale on eBay, but you need to know what size you're looking for. M.V. Products Lenses come in at least four colors and combinations of colors, including red, green, amber, clear and blue. The ones I use for my caboose (end of train) marker lamps are in the LS-700 series...specifically LS-701 (4ea. 1.1mm red lenses) and LS-704 (4ea. 1.1mm green lenses), or the 300 series...specifically LS-301 (4ea. 1.3mm red lenses) and LS-302 (4ea. 1.3mm green lenses). For clear lenses I bought a shirt-load of NV of Nevada clear MV lenses, which I believe are 1.1mm in diameter. I don't know what the M.V. P/N is for them, but with a little research I'm sure you can find it.
Photo (1) - M.V. Lenses in Caboose Marker Lamps and as Classification Lamps:
Obviously, when the lighting is right, these look as if they are illuminated. At shows, I get asked frequently how I've lit my caboose marker lamps.
Photo (2) - M.V. Lenses in Caboose Marker Lamps - Close Up:
I don't have any close-up photos of M.V. Products used as Classification Lamps as most of my engines are running during daylight hours with flags out and lamps dark.
Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore
