Intermountain SD40-2W Canadian National Lighting Upgrade

This page was last updated on Wednesday, November 07, 2012 02:19:38 AM

This project requires MBE CNR L9a lightable ditch light castings and Richmond mini LED's.

The MBE casting first needs to be sanded down to remove imperfections in the casting. The front also should be drilled with a drill bit as large as the casting face to remove any imperfections. Once this step is complete the LED is glued to the casting and liquid electrical tape is applied to the back around the LED and casting to block any light leak. It will go on as a bulge but it shrinks and will mold to the casting and LED.

Drill out the holes were the old plastic castings sat (they just snap out) and drill with a similar size bit as the shaft of the MBE ditch light casting. Drill a small hole behind the large one to put the LED wire in. Insert the wire in the small hole and draw it in. Apply glue to the ditch light casting shaft and glue it into the hole. Make sure both castings sit at the same height!

There are instructions for both the old and new versions of the SD40-2W. This is for the old version. The instructions for the new version are below. After the glue sets cut the old ditch light wires  and desolder the wires from the board. Solder the new leads onto the board as shown with the positive wire on the inside tabs and the negative wires on the outside tabs. The positive wire is the longer of the two. Note in the photo that the metal base is painted black to prevent any shorts when the shell is put back on the base. Also, make sure you tape the wires to the cab base as shown in the photo so the wires do not sag and get tangled in the worm shaft.

Put a piece of tape over the tabs to prevent and shorts or wires breaking when reassembling the model.

There are instructions for both the old and new versions of the SD40-2W. This is for the new version. After the glue sets cut the old ditch light wires and desolder the wires from the board. Solder the new leads onto the board as shown with the positive wire on the inside tabs and the negative wires on the outside tabs. The positive wire is the longer of the two. Note in the photo that the metal base is painted black to prevent any shorts when the shell is put back on the base. Also, make sure you tape the wires to the cab base as shown in the photo so the wires do not sag and get tangled in the worm shaft.

Put a piece of tape over the tabs to prevent and shorts or wires breaking when reassembling the model.

Finally, Assemble the model and paint the ditch light casting black. Add a dab of spray adhesive glue to each casting face and put on the lens. The lens used is Detail Associates #1709.