Does anyone make N Scale kerosene lanterns?

[mmagliaro]

Does anyone make such a thing as an N Scale oil or kerosene lantern (a railroad type, or any type you might carry by a wire handle with a
glass globe beneath it).
I have discovered that the "first class" covered coaches pulled by the Liverpool & Manchester Railway (hereafter lovingly referred to as the
L&M) had oil lamps in the car so the passengers did not have to ride in total darkness at night.  This is a touch I would like to add to my
Stephenson "Rocket" project (yes... it is progressing).  I envision a tiny coin cell with a hidden switch to activate 0201 LEDs I would insert into
said lantern... if the lantern castings even exist.  I might even be willing to cheat and use oversize HO ones (if those exist) because it isn't
anywhere specified that these were hand-carried lanterns, just that they were "oil lamps".

At present, the engine is nearly complete with valve gear and paint, just some wire details to add.  And the coaches are painted and lettered.

[dem34]

Hmmm at the size of object we're talking about. Would it be easier to just get a small bead of some clear resin/plastic or such directly onto the LED then dress up the LED driver as the top of the lamp with a small piece of material as the base, use the LED wires to represent the wire handle?

[Chris333]

Sounds like something to 3D print in clear resin so the light source doesn't need to be inside it.

[peteski]

Funny you mentioned N scale lanterns.  When I was building my Micron Art antique Knox Fire engine, I made a lantern for it.



I chucked a piece of clear red styrene runner in my Dremel then filed the lantern shape using needle files.  Then I painted the "metal" parts with brass paint. Drilled a hole for the handle. The handle is a piece of brass wire. I think it is 0.007" diameter.

[eja]

Funny you mentioned N scale lanterns.  When I was building my Micron Art antique Knox Fire engine, I made a lantern for it.



I chucked a piece of clear red styrene runner in my Dremel then filed the lantern shape using needle files.  Then I painted the "metal" parts with brass paint. Drilled a hole for the handle. The handle is a piece of brass wire. I think it is 0.007" diameter.

Wow !

[mmagliaro]

Funny you mentioned N scale lanterns.  When I was building my Micron Art antique Knox Fire engine, I made a lantern for it.



I chucked a piece of clear red styrene runner in my Dremel then filed the lantern shape using needle files.  Then I painted the "metal" parts with brass paint. Drilled a hole for the handle. The handle is a piece of brass wire. I think it is 0.007" diameter.

That is magnificent!  What diameter is the bottom of that thing?  Any idea?  It looks like it could be drilled out to allow tiny 0201 LED to be inserted in there, and if one used a clear bit of rod instead of red....
That is really really cool, man.

[peteski]

Thanks Max!
I never took any measurements except saying that for the relative size it is sitting in the "D" on a Dime.
You can see it here hanging on a hook next to the left side fire extinguisher.


I haven't 'looked at that model for quite a while.  I took it out, put it on my workbench and tried to take the measurement with my caliper without actually touching the lantern (so not to knock it off the hook).  As far as I can tell, the base is around 0.025 - 0.030".  My hands are bit shakier then they were when I made that lantern. I'm not sure if I could make another one now.

[Simon D.]

 Modelu in the UK: https://www.modelu3d.co.uk/product-category/detailing-components/loco-rolling-stock-lamps/.  Is your Rocket 1:148 or 1:160?

[bbussey]

It should be possible to 3D print one minus the handle out of transparent red or clear resin, although including a pocket for the tiny LED would take some thinking.

[CNR5529]

A little while back @craigolio1 and I tackled this same problem, to make a number of different styles of lit marker lamps. The idea was to 3d print masters, use those to make molds and then cast clear epoxy around 0201 LEDs in those molds. It turned out way better than expected.

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=47390.msg653192#msg653192

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=38361.msg653135#msg653135

[randgust]

I got some ridiculously small LED's from CMR on presoldered leads - yellow - that were about .030 diameter and I actually managed to drill and insert them into white styrene rod .055 diameter to make working rotating beacon lights.  That's the smallest thing I've ever done like that that worked.  Even inside the white styrene they were brilliant.  And didn't look like LED's.

That lantern is a thing of beauty.  And if anybody but Max was trying this.....

[Jim Starbuck]

I drilled out resin castings and made marker for an SW1.
They have warm white 0402 LEDs. The green and red lenses are tiny drops of gallery glass.
Something similar would be very doable with smaller LEDs to make lanterns.

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[Brian M]

There's also an N scale lantern offered by Model Train Technology.  I had never heard of this company before, but came across one of their install videos on YouTube.  They use a fiber optic to light the lantern, so I don't know if it would work exactly as you'd like for your passenger car, but either way, these look like a nice product.

https://modeltraintechnology.com/product/n-scale-lantern-wt-fiber-optic-led-dongle/

-Brian.

[BCR 570]

Hi Max:

Dave Mackinnon www.detailsnscale.com offers those.  Jeff Briggs 3D printed the lanterns and Dave does the lighting and electronics.  You would have to add the wire handles for carrying.






Tim

[mmagliaro]

Wow, you guys truly are as bat**** crazy, er, dedicated as I am to this!

I think I will go with the Shapeways ones posted by Simon D.    They are not quite the right shape, but at this size, 
just hung on a wall hook or placed on a table inside the coach where they will barely be seen, they will be fine.  The main thing is that through the windows, you'll be able to see some tiny fixtures with light coming out of them.  I was not planning to super detail the coach interior, but I may have to at least put some passengers in there now.

And not to take away from any of these fine efforts, but Peteski, of all of these, I think yours is positively astounding.  That thing is in scale, and just beautifully shaped and painted.