Hi All,
I picked up a couple Proto 2000 steel center cupola cabooses. They did not include manuals, and I am left with a question. Is the illumination in these a factory job? If so, is there a manual with the max voltage specification? I'll be running them on DCC, so I will likely need to put in a rectifier and regulator. I just need to the rating on the bulbs. (I do miss the customer service on P2K stuff from before Walther's bought the line!).
Thanks,
John
I did some searching for this item and I see run on DC and DCC which is usually 12 to 14 volts. I see this caboose for sale with lighting.
Probably 1.5 volts bulbs as some say constant lighting which I remember from years ago. A some diodes are used to obtain 1.5 volt regardless of the track voltage which for DC would have to be over 1.5 volts. Do a Google search for locomotive constant lighting.
But still a guess. I would contact the seller.
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
They work on DCC. Sort of. I couldn;t take the flickerign and I didn;t feel like building a flicker free circuit, plus the lighting is not prototypical - also too bright on DCC and it shines through the walls. SO I bend the contacts out of the way and actually repalced the wheels with regualr P2K wheels. The electrical pickups are NOT the cause of poor rolling - the added detail of the brake shoes is what drags and make the caboose act liek the brakes are always on. The brake shoe details pop right out, they aren't glued or molded on. My one witht he P2K repalcement wheels and no brake shoes rolls as nice as any other car. Lights, don't need it. A very dim flickering effect at one end for a pre-moderized one would be right to duplicate the kerosene lamp they had in them.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Car lighting circuits
[url]http://www.awrr.com/lighting.html[url]
You might look at Flicker Free products by DCC Concepts.
I bought a couple of the below circuits that uses a Super Capacitor.
Randy,
Thanks.
So it sounds like 14 V will not pop these bulbs. Now that I know that I can experiment to see what voltage gives the correct brightness. I do plan to use a flicker free circuit. It's so distracting when the caboose of pass. car lights flicker a lot.
Glad to see I,m not the only one who is modeling the L&N
L&N.....Gone but not forgotten
tro105462Glad to see I,m not the only one who is modeling the L&N
I'm in California, surrounded by SP modelers! None of them understand Appalachian hills or coal
I grew up just 25 miles south of Louisville.The main line ran about a 1000 feet from my home.There was a small siding just a half mile from me and I would go and watch them shift cars around.A local grocery store in town was a favorite stopping place where the train crew would go in, and the store owner had ready made sandwiches and cold pop for them.I hug out there alot.
E=town, or Bardstown? I visited St. Mathews often as a kid, sometimes arriving on the L&N, and eventually lived in St. Mathews while attending U of L.
I grew up in Lebanon Jct Kentucky.
I just bought 1 of these cabooses in CNJ with the lightbulb. So you are saying I can just stick the car on my layout that is DCC and the bulb will not burn out on contact?
Greg
Yes, but it's way too bright and shines through the sides. Plus it's a single bulb in the middle which is where those cabooses generally didn;t have any lamps.
It's the brake shoe detail that makes them roll like the brakes are on, it rubs the wheels. I've pulled the electrical pickups on the ones I use (I have 4 more undec ones waiting for paint and decals), but I'm planning on redoing one with Tomar markers and nicer LED lighting.