Lionel 151 bulb

[srguy]

Can anyone suugest an alternate bulb for a Lionel 151 that will run cooler than the standard #53?

[lionelsoni]

Consider putting a 1N4001-1N4007 in series with the lamp terminal to reduce the voltage by 29 percent and the power by 42 percent.

[Banks]

lionelsoni

Consider putting a 1N4001-1N4007 in series with the lamp terminal to reduce the voltage by 29 percent and the power by 42 percent.

A 1N4001-1N4007is a diode. Go to Radio Shack and get a diode rated at least  50 PIV (peak inverse voltage) and 0.5 amps (500 milli amps)  Wire it in series as lionelsoni said. The bulbs will last indefinitely and produce less heat at a trade off of slightly less light.

[lionelsoni]

Anyone doing more than one of these should reverse the diode in half the cases.  Too many all in the same direction can be hard on the transformer.

[RRaddict]

I replaced mine with LED. They have both screw in and bayonet types.  They stick out a little to far but you can sand them down with a dremel than polish with brasso or dremel buffing wheel. These are much brighter and will last a long time.  You can buy these on Ebay for very cheap.

[srguy]

Radio Shack shows a 1N4004 Micro 1-Amp Rectifier Diode in a 3 pack.  How many do I use and in any particular direction???

[srguy]

Which LED bulb do you use? I've got some 1445s

[lionelsoni]

You need only one (per semaphore).  Except for reversing the direction among multiple accessories to avoid stressing the transformer, the direction doesn't matter.

The 53 and the 1445 are both G3.5 bayonet-base miniature incandescent lamps.  The 53 is rated at 14.4 volts and the 1445 at 14.4 and 18 volts.  Giving either of those numbers to an LED replacement is only a suggestion that the LED device might be a suitable replacement as far as size and voltage are concerned, but shouldn't be taken to imply anything about current, efficacy, lifetime, color temperature, CRI, suitability for AC operation, etc.  It probably draws less current and lasts much longer.

[srguy]

I took the easy way .... swapped a std 1445 for an LED 1445. The book says it should have been a 53. In any event the 151 now runs cool and jumps only occaisionally but not with post war cars.  Probably the weight difference.

Thanks all