I just finished lowering and lighting my Streamliners. The lowered cars look [and ride] much better. It takes about 30min/car to lower them. Comparison: Notice the space above the trucks. USA diaphrams were also installed.
Lighting was converted from track power [still in place, but unhooked] to battery power using 2-AAs or 2-Cs, to run either LEDs or MAGlite bulbs [or both in the dome cars]. Pictures of family and friends were mounted on the white cardboard reflectors inside. [There is a car with attendees from Marty Cozad's last year], and can be seen when lighted in the dark.
Battery power
Dome lighting
Wiring under dome
Night picture on layout [may have been previously posted in other thread]. This car only has one dome light instead of two, above.JimC.
These are the older Aristo Streamliners.
BTW, I hope your rails are high and dry. You guys have gotten hammered by rain.
Jim.c.
Well shoot! Think they changed the mold to make the new ones? And I could get away with doing this.... Credit to you!
I used the upper slot on the frame to lower the cars. I also needed to trim [round] the corners of the trucks and notch the front of the truck coupler attachment area, so the trucks would freely traverse track down to 5ft diameter.
JimC.
Lighting and figures are installed in the endcap of the Observation car.
So far, I am pleased with the modifications. Remaining work on the Observation is putting the battery pack [3v, 2-C cells], the SPST switch [pos. side] in the baggage compartment[generator/fuel tank?],and sliding the chasis back into the car in the lowered position.
Note of interest? I replaced the brass bushings in the truck of this car with Aristo's BB journals. If I had known it would be this easy, I would have replaced the worn bushings long ago.
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