Lighting a caboose, brass or plastic.

ACL1504 · March 20, 2016, 04:34:11 PM

I've started the process of lighting my cabeese. I guess cabeese is plural for caboose.

Tomar Industries now offers LEDs instead of the old 1.5 v mini lamp. Kadee also has a set of trucks with axle pick ups.

Here is what comes with the Tomar lighting kit. You get two marker lights with nano LEDs, wire, two resistors and a bridge rectifier. A bridge rectifier acts as a constant lighting unit.

NOTE: If you are using DCC, don't use the bridge rectifier. The track power on a DCC system is AC power and a non DCC, or DC layout is DC power. I just put the rectifier in the electronics part bin.

The wire is to stiff so I put the wire in file 13.

Continued in a few.

ACL1504 · March 20, 2016, 04:41:32 PM

The Kadee trucks are prewired for the lighting. There is a red dot on each to let you know which side is the electrical pick up side.

I installed the trucks on the bottom of my brass caboose.

If you want to install an interior light, here is what I used. A 12v lamp and 150 Ohm resistor. You can use a 100 Ohm resistor as well. The resistor makes the lamp look a little less bright.

Continued in a few.

tct855 · March 20, 2016, 04:42:52 PM

Tom,
Kewl idear... I wish they had this when I was doing some back in the future. Here's what I did so solve my cabeese challenges. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEZq-gNoJb4 Thanx Thom...

ACL1504 · March 20, 2016, 04:45:02 PM

I drilled a #42 hole in the side of the brass caboose. The little notch you see next to the hole is where I removed the brass marker light.

I had to drill a little to the right for the Tomar marker to clear the end wall. Don't worry as the lip on the Tomar marker will cover the notch.

Continued in a few.

ACL1504 · March 20, 2016, 05:13:12 PM

Quote from: tct855 on March 20, 2016, 04:42:52 PM
Tom,
Kewl idear... I wish they had this when I was doing some back in the future. Here's what I did so solve my cabeese challenges.
Thanx Thom...

Thom,

The caboose lighting is really nice. As you say, "Kewl" video.

Tom

ACL1504 · March 20, 2016, 05:20:09 PM

If you are lighting the caboose using DC, then wire it per the instructions.

If you are wiring it for use on a DCC layout, wire it as per my instructions below.

The marker light LEDs come with a blue and red wire. I used the blue wires to wire the resistors.

The red wire is used on the other truck and the other interior lamp wire.

Continued in a few.

ACL1504 · March 20, 2016, 05:23:36 PM

In the photo below, I have the interior light wired to the 150 Ohm resistor. The other two resistors are wired one each to the blue wire.

Bundle the three wires and solder them to the wire from the left truck.

As I mentioned, wire the other interior light wire and the two red wires to the wire on the right truck.

Continued in a few.

ACL1504 · March 20, 2016, 05:24:58 PM

Easy Peazy!

jimmillho · March 20, 2016, 05:29:05 PM

So easy, it's amazing.

Jim

ACL1504 · March 20, 2016, 05:33:55 PM

Quote from: jimmillho on March 20, 2016, 05:29:05 PM
So easy, it's amazing.

Jim

Jim,

Thanks for stopping by and yes, it is easy. Truly amazing how it changes the look of the trains when the loco and caboose are animated with lights.

Tom

S&S RR · March 20, 2016, 06:29:57 PM

Very nice - thanks for sharing. I don't think you can ever run out of projects on a model railroad.

jbvb · March 20, 2016, 08:26:20 PM

Partly because I need cabooses which activate my signals, I have the same parts you show sitting on my bench. The way you did this hints that Kadee's truck frames and bolsters don't conduct electricity. Do they insulate? I could check resistance, but I wouldn't be completely confident in the result because it might be some coating that would wear through in the middle of an op session...

ACL1504 · March 21, 2016, 08:58:33 AM

Quote from: S&S RR on March 20, 2016, 06:29:57 PM
Very nice - thanks for sharing. I don't think you can ever run out of projects on a model railroad.

John,

Thanks for stopping by. I agree, there is something that can be done at all times.

Tom

ACL1504 · March 21, 2016, 09:04:06 AM

Quote from: jbvb on March 20, 2016, 08:26:20 PM
Partly because I need cabooses which activate my signals, I have the same parts you show sitting on my bench. The way you did this hints that Kadee's truck frames and bolsters don't conduct electricity. Do they insulate? I could check resistance, but I wouldn't be completely confident in the result because it might be some coating that would wear through in the middle of an op session...

James,

The Kadee trucks are Delrin/hard plastic. The wire is soldered directly to the brass contacts on the truck and it appears the contacts are super glued to the truck. The contacts only touch the axles for electrical pickup. The wire goes up through the bottom of the car to the lights. The trucks don't conduct electricity.

Hope this helps.

Tom

Not sure what resistance you may get but it may be worth a try.

Slim Jerkins · March 21, 2016, 10:18:51 AM

Nice Tom!

-slim