After observing my caller ID light feature constantly flashing a red signal I came up with an easy suggestion to build a FRED/EOT. Radio shack parts. 1)Blinking red led, 2.8 volt single clear bulb, part # 276-308-$1.80 2)Flush mounted slider switch,SPDT mini,(SPST not available) pkg of two, part # 275-409A-$2.00 3)Aaa battery harness clip enclosed in case, part # 270-414-$1.20 4)Two Aaa batteries 5)Doubled sided tape to mount battery case on box car floor 6)Two screws/nuts to mount slider switch(can be #2-56's) which can be installed in roof-side or front of box car Drill a hole just above the rear coupler to house the bulb Can be expanded to Aa operation providing you can find(available elsewhere) a double Aa battery clip holder exclusive of the case(too large) plus a connecting snap cap part # 270-325- $1.50 Adds approx 2 to 2.50 oz. to the car 1)______Black negative battery lead to shortest bulb lead Battery leads 2)______Red postive battery lead to either 1st or 3rd eye-let terminal post on slider switch Then add wire from middle eye-let terminal post to remaining light bulb lead.
Two AAA batteries might not last for very long because of the battery voltage dropping as they get used. You should hopefully be ok without a current limiting resistor but I'm not certain. Might be easyer to put some wipers on the wheels (if they're metal) wlthough this would work best only with DCC
You could get as fancy as you like with this. Doesn't somebody make a casting of the FRED? You could mount the LED in that. A regulator to charge the battery, and a circuit to turn the thing off twenty minutes after the track power goes away. Maybe a touch switch to turn it on. But as is, it shouldn't use up the batteries very fast, and the switch makes it easy to make the batteries last. I would mount it (the switch) undeneath though, out of sight.
I have used the double A battery clip with two double A's mounted in the radio shack plastic case in a high cube freight car taped on it's side. The problem with this install is it will not fit in the standard box car. Choices, find a double A clip not mounted in a case or use radio shack's triple A mount.
i saw where some people are putting the square led's in a kd #5 coupler box.might have to try that someday.th inkansas.....
