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How to light a Branchline Pullman car

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  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 4, 2015 9:25 PM

My plan, in its entirety, is to install a Rapido Easy-Peasy Shorty Passenger Car Lighting set in each one.  Part No 102013. Comes with 2 batteries, reed switch and LEDs all wired up.  Inset batteries, scotch tape inside of roof.  Cost $13.95 plus tax for the lighting kit at my LHS, Plus one time purchase one roll of scotch tape.

Edit: gives slight greenish tint to the lights.  Don't know if this is prototypical, but it appears all rapido cars look like this.  I will probably swap the LEDs, so add $1.50 or so for 3mm leds in golden white.  Still less hastle than trying to add pickups.

  • Member since
    September 2015
  • 34 posts
Posted by Pukka on Tuesday, December 1, 2015 12:32 PM

DigitalGriffin
 
BroadwayLion

Why would you want to light a Pullman car? They turn the lights off at night so people can sleep. Actually the same is for all AMTK cars.

 

ROAR

 

 

 

 

It's only dark when you sleep.  But given how lions sleep a lot I can see where you would get confused. ;-)

 

 

Rode an AMTK recently from Chicago to Austin, TX and back. They turned of the main lights in the Coach at around 10 pm and turned them back on at 7 am. People had to see enough at night to visit the bathroom or the Observation car. Breakfast was served at 6 in the Dining car.

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Pa.
  • 3,361 posts
Posted by DigitalGriffin on Wednesday, November 25, 2015 5:22 PM

BroadwayLion

Why would you want to light a Pullman car? They turn the lights off at night so people can sleep. Actually the same is for all AMTK cars.

 

ROAR

 

 

It's only dark when you sleep.  But given how lions sleep a lot I can see where you would get confused. ;-)

Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions

Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: North Dakota
  • 9,592 posts
Posted by BroadwayLion on Wednesday, November 25, 2015 4:03 PM

Why would you want to light a Pullman car? They turn the lights off at night so people can sleep. Actually the same is for all AMTK cars.

 

ROAR

The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.

Here there be cats.                                LIONS with CAMERAS

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Bradford, Ontario
  • 15,797 posts
Posted by hon30critter on Wednesday, November 25, 2015 12:24 AM

Omaha53:

If you don't want to fabricate your own power pick ups Streamlined Backshop sells power pick up kits. They have both axle wiper styles and wheel wiper styles. I used a bunch of the wheel wiper style on my caboose fleet and they work quite well:

http://www.sbs4dcc.com/hoscalewheelwipers.html

The website is a little fouled up right now. Part of the text is not visible. I e-mailed Bryan about it but apparently the problem persists.

The advantage to the wheel wiper style is that you are picking up power from all wheels. The axle wipers only pick up power from one side of the truck.

Dave

I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Pa.
  • 3,361 posts
Posted by DigitalGriffin on Tuesday, November 24, 2015 4:32 PM
I replaced mine with walthers trucks which are more reliable and have two contact screws on top. Solder some wires to them or wrap them around the screw and tighten

Option b is use kadee copper coupler pockets and bend out the centering arms to wipe the back of the wheels. Then glue the coupler backet to the truck cross beam

Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions

Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!

  • Member since
    June 2008
  • 162 posts
Posted by Omaha53 on Tuesday, November 24, 2015 2:57 PM

Thank you. I am planning to use LEDs with some extra circutry to avoid flickering. My main question however, is what is the best way to it power from the Branchline trucks?

Moderator
  • Member since
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  • From: Northeast OH
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Posted by tstage on Tuesday, November 24, 2015 2:19 PM

Omaha,

You might want to look into the method that Charles (Trainman440) used to light his Walthers passenger car:

http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/252113.aspx

Tom

https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling

Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.

  • Member since
    June 2008
  • 162 posts
How to light a Branchline Pullman car
Posted by Omaha53 on Tuesday, November 24, 2015 2:04 PM

I am in the process of assembling some kits of Pullman sleepers made by Branchline. Has anyone installed electrical pickups and lights on Branchline kits? If so, how did you do it?

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