I would like to have the headlight give a soft yellow glow. Is it done with the reflector or by a special bulb? Where can I find out more about this? Thanks
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depending how your engine is powered, you have several options
An incandescent bulb run at a lower voltage than its rating will give you a more mellow glow. An example is 10-12 volts through a 16 volt bulb, or 2 volts for a 3 volt bulb. Using resistors to lower voltage
Next is the use of 'yellow glow' LEDS, which emit a more yellow color than the bluish-white light of a 'white' LED. LEDs are usually a 3 volt variety though there are other, less common voltage options out there. In most cases a limiting resistor is needed inline with the LED to lower volts to it.
Your headlight reflector should be as bright a silver color you can make it. Hopefully it already has a parabolic shape.
If you run straight DC, you'll need some sort of constant voltage circuit to illuminate your bulbs or LEDs at your desired voltage.
If you run DCC, determine the voltage output of your lighting functions, then add bulbs/LEDs appropriate to that voltage. You can also use a constant voltage circuit inline with a DCC function output if that output's voltage is too high.
Here is how I circuit LED headlamps. Shown is warm white but you can get 3mm in yellow I think. The LEDs shown have a narrow view angle so no reflector is needed.
www.jcstudiosinc.com/BlogShowT...=619&categoryId=
Here are some yellow LEDs,personally I like the warm white
www.ebay.com/itm/New-50X-3MM-S...;hash=item43a74c5530
www.ebay.com/itm/20pcs-3mm-Ora...;hash=item19d84d95e1
www.ebay.com/itm/14V-25pc-3mm-...;hash=item45fbfccff8
Dale H
Thanks for the help - really appreciated. I'm scratch building an Alton Heavy Pacific and electronics is not my bag. I'll leave that to someone else.
