Adding extra LEDs to locos?

[gavino200]

I installed an NGDCC decoder into an EF-65 today. Two observations:

1. The EF-65 has a light guide for red reverse lights - blue circle

2. The NGDCC has a place to solder on reverse light LEDs - red circle.

 

I remember some time back user @inobu told me he was working on a project, installing ditch lights in an n gauge loco for someone. So I know this sort of thing can be done. An LED could be soldered in at the brass pads in the picture, or a wired LED could be soldered. I know I have a piece of light conduction tubing somewhere, that I got from my local Hobby Store guy, but I can't find it right now. I'm pretty sure it's plastic, not glass. I wonder if that could be used for this purpose. 

 

Anyone know how such a thing can be done?

 

Also, anyone know where to buy a roll of the teeny tiny LEDs that Kato and others used on their lightboards? Or what these tiny LEDs are called?

 

[Kiha66]

That corner of the decoder is actually the track power pickup, which should slide into the slot in the frame.  The other end has two smaller pads on each end that are the (-) side of each corner's tail lights while the (+) side of the LEDs are all common and should be wired to the headlight pad.  Its a neat design that lets you do operation where the locomotive is running light and will only have a single tail light showing.  I would use a pre-wired SMD LED for each tail light, use a dremel to make a small slot in the locomotive frame to fit the leds behind the locations of tail lights.  
 

[gavino200]

I was thinking a bit more about the cab construction. I didn't notice it at the time but there are two light green plastic pieces that form the underside of the cab (seats and such). They slip out surprisingly easy when everything else is in place. Well, they're positioned perfectly to insulate light shine from an LED placed right below it. And right below these pieces is exactly where the red light guide for the rear lights is. 

 

I think Kato has set this up to make it fairly easy to wire in LEDs for the rear lights. I have some tiny red LEDs that I can use. But I'll wait until I can find small smd white LEDs  to replace the suboptimal white LED I placed today. Better to just do it all at once.