Figures may be one of the last places you would think to add lights on a model railroad. Look closely however and you'll see lots of opportunities. From a switchman's lantern to a coal miner's helmet lamp, a little bit of light can make a big impact.
This is espescially true in darker spaces like night scenes or building interiors. A switchman holding a lantern for example can be a good marker for an uncoupling magnet or the clearance point at the end of a siding.
Once you figure out what you want to light, the next question is how to do it. Like anything else, the steps to installing fiber optics are straight forward.
- Drill holes. Drill holes in the appropriate locations on the figure. There are different sizes of fiber optics, but a No. 80 bit will work for most. You should not have to force the strands through the hole. Try to secure and conceil the fiber optic as much as posible within the figure casting. Drill another hole through the scenic base to route the strand back to the light source.
- Paint the strand. Any part of the fiber optic strand that can't be hidden inside the casting can be well-hidden simply by painting in flat black. This is even more effective inside buildings or anywhere that the back of the figure can't be seen. Not only does the black paint hide the strand, it prevents light escape as well.
