Reducing the voltage to a Lionel Signal Bridge

[cruikshank]

We are using a mid 90's Lionel dual signal bridge to monitor track voltage for now, and later we want to wire it to operate realistically.  The propblem is with 12-14 volts at the track the bulbe burns very hot, and has already burned off most of the green bulbs color.  Should I put a resistor in line, or change the bulbs out for LEDS ?  If Resistor about what value ?

 

Also does someone make a 4 track span bridge with lights on both sides ?

 

How do you wire the bridge to actually control trains and not just change lights?

 

Thanks in advance,  Dave

[phillyreading]

What style of light bulb does it use?  Lionel made many styles of bulbs.

Have you thought about going to an 18 volt bulb or LED?  Don't know about wiring it to control trains as that should be in the instruction manual or maybe you can download it from the Lionel website.

A four track span bridge would be more of a custom made item than a mass produced item, NJI(New Jersey International) may have something like that.

Lee F.

[lionelsoni]

What do you mean by "to monitor track voltage"?  Is there some sort of voltmeter involved?

[jefelectric]

The simplest answer may be 18 volt lamps.  Town and Country has them in both screw and Bayonet bases.

http://www.towncountryhobbies.com/Light%20Bulbs%20Group%20A.htm

They also have colored LEDs in 18 volt.  I'm not sure if they will work on 14 volts, you would have to ask them.

http://www.towncountryhobbies.com/led.htm

Hope this helps.

[jefelectric]

I also did a little research on the four track signal bridge and did not come up with anything.  The NJI site lists only N and HO signal bridges.  I think the MTH bridge, I have one of these on my layout, could with some work, be made into a four track by splicing two together.  Not a 10 minute job but it looks like it could be done.  Another approach would be to use the Plasticvile bridge and splice that together.  Of course you would have to add operating signals to it since it is a non-operating accessory.

http://www.charlesro.com/store/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=CRSC&Product_Code=B45623

Other than that you could scatchbuild one from Plastistruct shapes.

[Sturgeon-Phish]

By far the easiest and cheapest is to use a higher voltage bulb.  Ihave used 18volt in most things  and I found some 24 volt screw in and use them inside passenger cars, houses and accesories where heat is an issue.  They are considerably less bright but do not run near as hot.  This is a factor in accesories with glued in windows or passengers.  A common problem with the AF 650 passenger cars is a warped body and I wonder id running 14volt lamps was a contributer to the condition.

I did change the power on lamp indicator on my 30B transformer to a led.  Bulbs kept melting the lamp cover.  The cost of the bulb has been offset by the saving in replacing the lamp cover.

Jim