Transformation: GP39-2 From Shiny Brass to Grimy Green

[rrinker]

When turning down LEDs you have to make sure not to disturb the metal leads or, if you hold it up to the light and look in, you'll see a little cat whisker wire running from one lead over the top of the other - disturb that and the LED is kaput. However, you also probably don;t have to turn the LED down - put an MV lense, they have a million of them, surely one is the proper style and size for the opening, and put the LED behind the lens. Paint the back and sides of the LED flat black to keep the light from leaking out. Class lights and ditch lights probably need surface mount LEDs.
Some decoders 'dim' LEDs better than others. NCE motor decoders handle LEDs for effects very nicely. TCS is absolutely the best, in addition to what is mentioned on the basic installation pamphlet you get witht he decoder, there are a whoel raft of other settings to configure the 'on' and 'off' times for various effects. That's how decoders dim LEDs - they turn them on and off very fast, the more 'off' the dimmer it appears. For a cab light, try 2K instead of 1K, it will still be too bright without some ability to set the function to an always 'dim' setting. You can tone it down with some paint or markers, perhaps even cover the main light emitting area so the only light would be what difuses out the sides.

--Randy