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Rapido Passenger Cars Lighting Question

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  • Member since
    November 2006
  • From: NW Pa Snow-belt.
  • 2,216 posts
Rapido Passenger Cars Lighting Question
Posted by ricktrains4824 on Sunday, May 19, 2019 5:43 PM

I'm hoping someone can be of assistance, as I recently acquired a Rapido 10-5 sleeper, and the lighting system is not working at all. 

I know it's battery operated, and am thinking the batteries are drained, but as there is not a manual with mine, I am not sure where to look for the batteries.

Can anyone assist with battery location, and tips on getting to it?

Thanks to all in advance for their help.

Ricky W.

HO scale Proto-freelancer.

My Railroad rules:

1: It's my railroad, my rules.

2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.

3: Any objections, consult above rules.

  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Collinwood, Ohio, USA
  • 16,367 posts
Posted by gmpullman on Sunday, May 19, 2019 7:24 PM

Is this one of the "vintage" Contenintal Line cars? I have instructions for the coaches and I did have the eezy-peesy lighting in them at one time (the LEDs were green Ick!) The cars ran very poorly and even Mr. Shron says he has regrets about how they were built at the time.

If it will help I can scan the coach diagram, shouldn't be much different than the 10-5, which I owned for a few minutes a few years back but I wanted a specific car name and the seller sent me the wrong name and didn't have the one I wanted (Cascade Basin).

Rapido now has trucks with power pickups. I replaced the original trucks on my E-L coaches and glued the sides on more securely and cut away most of the conduit and steam lines from around the trucks. They run very well now Yes.

https://www.rapidotrains.com/products/ho-scale/accessories/ho-scale-41-bno-11-outside-swinghanger-passenger-trucks

The roof is very lightly clipped in place, unlike the Walther's counterpart. The roof should slip off fairly easily.

There are two batteries on the PC board along with the reed switch. They take a little finesse to get out of the holders, use a wood skewer to push them out in the right direction. Quality of those little batteries varies. I have a couple packages of the "Rapido" brand name batteries and they held up very well, others not so much. If yours are old, dead batteries they may have leaked acid goo all over the board Sad

The cars came without the EEzy-PEEcy lighting. Are you sure your car even has the lighting kit? I have a couple I could spare if you'd like. send me a PM.

A six-year old thread here:

http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/744/p/214510/2436741.aspx

 

Cheers, Ed

  • Member since
    November 2006
  • From: NW Pa Snow-belt.
  • 2,216 posts
Posted by ricktrains4824 on Sunday, May 19, 2019 8:22 PM

If the "Vintage Continental" line is the same as the Super Continental line, then yes. 

It did come with a extra pair of batteries and a magnetic wand, so I think the lighting is already installed...

Looking at the model, it does seem like the roof is seperate, but is still attached somewhere... Would we still both be referring to the same model?

Ricky W.

HO scale Proto-freelancer.

My Railroad rules:

1: It's my railroad, my rules.

2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.

3: Any objections, consult above rules.

  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Collinwood, Ohio, USA
  • 16,367 posts
Posted by gmpullman on Sunday, May 19, 2019 10:36 PM

ricktrains4824
If the "Vintage Continental" line is the same as the Super Continental line, then yes.

Sorry to have confused the issue. By "Vintage" I mean these things are from what? The late 1990s? I forgot they were called Super Continental.

 Rapido_0003 by Edmund, on Flickr

 Rapido_0004 by Edmund, on Flickr

 Rapido_0005 by Edmund, on Flickr

 Rapido_0006 by Edmund, on Flickr

 Rapido_0007 by Edmund, on Flickr

 Rapido_0008 by Edmund, on Flickr

Back cover omitted for space constraints.

Here is what the "Simple comme Bonjour" Lighting set looks like (note the leaking batteries, still in the packageIndifferent

 Rapido_EP by Edmund, on Flickr

Photo shortened for quality assurance reasons.

 Rapido by Edmund, on Flickr

Hope that helps,

Good Luck, Ed

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Chamberlain, ME
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Posted by G Paine on Sunday, May 19, 2019 10:50 PM

gmpullman
There are two batteries on the PC board along with the reed switch.

The reed switch turns the lights on and off, controlled by a bar magnet. If you have the original box, it might be there; otherwise any bar magnet will work. It default position of the switch is off.

At Boothbay Railway Village, we recently received a donation of 2 Rapido passenger cars with this lighting set. It was never used, and had been in storage for some years; the batteries had not been installed and were corroded and leaking. I checked an on line source and found these small batteries cost $8 each. I am thinking of changing it to track power with currrent keeper capacitors.

George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch 

  • Member since
    November 2006
  • From: NW Pa Snow-belt.
  • 2,216 posts
Posted by ricktrains4824 on Sunday, May 19, 2019 10:52 PM

Ed,

That was exactly what I needed!

Thanks!

Ricky W.

HO scale Proto-freelancer.

My Railroad rules:

1: It's my railroad, my rules.

2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.

3: Any objections, consult above rules.

  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Collinwood, Ohio, USA
  • 16,367 posts
Posted by gmpullman on Sunday, May 19, 2019 11:38 PM

 

ricktrains4824
That was exactly what I needed! Thanks!

I seem to recall that the 10-5 came along a year or two after the cars shown in the booklet. Still, the basics should be the same. Glad to help Yes

G Paine
I am thinking of changing it to track power with currrent keeper capacitors.

George, see the link to the newer Rapido passenger trucks I posted above. They have the bronze contact strips and a place to solder a wire for pickup. I havent put lights into the four E-L coaches I have (yet) but the new trucks have much better rolling qualities.

Regards, Ed

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Bakersfield, CA 93308
  • 6,526 posts
Posted by RR_Mel on Monday, May 20, 2019 9:25 AM

The battery used in the Easy Peasy is an SR41.
 
 
 
 
 
Mel
 
 
My Model Railroad   
 
Bakersfield, California
 
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
 
  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Chamberlain, ME
  • 5,084 posts
Posted by G Paine on Monday, May 20, 2019 10:36 PM

gmpullman
see the link to the newer Rapido passenger trucks I posted above. They have the bronze contact strips and a place to solder a wire for pickup.

I have not had time to sit down and pole around the light strip with my meter. Do the batteries seem to be set up in series or parallel? 

George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch 

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Bakersfield, CA 93308
  • 6,526 posts
Posted by RR_Mel on Monday, May 20, 2019 10:45 PM
The SR-41 battery is 1.55 volts so they would be in series to operate 3 volt LEDs.
 
 
Mel
 
 
My Model Railroad   
 
Bakersfield, California
 
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
 

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