As I’m starting the build of my dream layout, I’ve been looking at a wide range of things I will need down the road. Ive got a lot of things decided on, but streetlights have been something I’m having trouble with. I’ve looked on all my favorite online sites, Walters catalog etc and cannot find an affordable, attractive streetlight. Now I know affordable and attractive are subjective, but I need a lot of streetlights that would be of a type seen in a small town in the USA in the 1950’s. The streetlights in my small(pop.1200) hometown today are the same type that have been here since I can remember 1972ish. There also the same type that are in all the little towns around here, but this type is not available in model form.Also, with LED’s being dirt cheap, why is model street lights so expensive? I’ve tried building my own, but anything that looks scale, is too small to fit wires in???Any ideas?Suggestions? Comments? Thanks.
Look on e-Bay. There are some companies in China that sell pre-fab LED streetlights in various designs from those found in the 1940’s up to the present day types. Sometimes they are priced at only a few dollars for a bulk pack.
Could you reference the Walthers catalog or a mnufacturers number so we could identify what particular light it is your looking for.
I see that many of the Walthers streetlights are marked discontinued when sold out
They still have the single “acorn” type streetlight that I remember as a kid, and it is on sale
https://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-2313
Dave Nelson
For the '50s youd be better off and happier with building your own.
These were made as yard lights, but street lights are the same kettle of fish. The lamp is an LED, the brackets are the leads from the LED, the resistor is made up to look like a transformer, and little seed beads held in place with a sewing pin holds the wires. Indeed the little wires are the actual conductors for the LEDs. I took a regular lenght of lamp cord, removed the insulation and recovered a single strand to carry the power. It leads sown to the ground at one end and is disguisded at a guy wire. 9The other conductor leads down at the other end of the string of poles.
These particular poles allow the LPP to have light to uncouple cars, or the big 1:1 oaf know where the magnet is.
Ithe lamp shade is made of a washer with a child’s modeling clay for the shade, and was painted in the enameled green that was common in those days.
ROAR
Yea, a posted picture would be helpful in determining what you are looking for exactly. FWIW, here’s a page that has a diagram and tutorial for some streetlights that I scratchbuilt for my early 40s layout.
When I priced it out several years ago, the total cost for a single was <$2 and a little over $3 for a double. I used incandescent bulbs but you may be able to use SMT LEDs inside the shades instead. (Hmmmm [^o)]…I may have to experiment with that myself.)
Tom
Lion, sounds great, but your image isn’t showing up on my phone??? Tstage, that is exactly what I needed!! Even though I have the Minitronics bulbs, I may try to use LED’s… Thanks!
OK Lion, I figured out how to view your image, thanks
Just a word of caution on the Chinese street lights. Some of them have warnings that if you leave the lights on for too long you will melt the hood covering the bulb. Those are the ones that are listed as 6 volt and they use an incandescent lamp. The light also shines through the lamp cover.
There are lots available from China that use LEDs but I have yet to find one that looks right for the 1950’s.
I am experimenting with making my own using brass tube, and I have made some progress on figuring out how to mount them, but I still haven’t settled on a way to make the lenses. This is what I am trying to duplicate:
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-1096
Dave
Hon30critter, that light is similar to the one I’d like to make, except I’d use a wood pole and the lenses is slightly different. For the lenses, maybe some acrylic tubing?
That image of mine is not on my server, but on a free hosted website that I built long before I developed our computer system into what it is today. That may have something to do with how it shows.
ROAR
Santa Fe all the way!
I really like the idea of a wood pole but I have decided to use brass to simplify the wiring. If the pole is all brass then it can serve as one side of the power circuit.
I have also acquired some acrylic rods 1/4" and 3/16" in diameter to try and turn the lenses. It can be done but it is not a quick process. I just ordered some 5mm warm white diffused LEDs to experiment with. The size of the LED lense is pretty good but I still have to figure out how to model the top of the lamp head.
Here is my basic lamp post assembled from four different diameters of brass/copper tubing and a straight brass strip 1/32" x 1/64". It will sit in a hole in the scenery the same size as the largest tube which is 5/32nds. The 5/32nds tube will only project a little bit above the scenery so it will look like a base. To connect the streetlights I am using 2mm x .6mm power jacks. They fit together very solidly. The male jack fits into the 5/32" tube with a little bit of grinding to reduce the outside diameter of the jack base. To reduce the size of the jack base I chuck the jack small end first into a drill and then use my Dremel with a fibre grinding disc with both tools turning on low speed to gently reduce the outside diameter until it is a tight fit into the 5/32" tube.
The female jack will be clipped onto the male jack once the light pole has been inserted through the scenery.
Thanks for your interest.
Dave
Dave, so far your streetlight looks great. As for the top of the light fixture, I’ve been thinking , how about a small brass bell. I’m sure there made, probably for Christmas ornaments? ??or a small upside down tiny flower pot??? Not sure what scale the dollhouses are, but maybe they would make some that would work? I’LL be watching your progress with great interest.
I found “Rice Light” LED light strings at Hobby Lobby a couple of days ago.
They’re in a battery-powered string, but can easily be cut-apart. Not quite SMD-size, they are really small and would work well if you’re into building your own lamps.
At $8 for a string of 20, they’re 40 cents each and even cheaper if you use the usual 40% off coupon.
I wrote my install of one into a Tomar drumhead here:
Santa Fe all the way:
Thanks for your comments and suggestions!
I just ordered some 5mm warm white LEDs which I think will be about right for the size of the lenses. The trick will be hiding the leads and your suggestions bear investigating. One lead will be soldered directly to the arm with as little length as I can manage so it won’t be too obvious. The other lead will be fed by magnet wire running through the inside of the post and glued to the top of the arm but I have to come up with something to hide the second lead.That’s where your flower pot might just work.
Time for a trip to Micheals to do some exploring!
Dave
Mike:
Those LEDs look like they have a nice warm tone to them. They are certainly more convenient than soldering your own leads to the SMD LEDs.
I will keep them in mind if the 5mm LEDs don’t work out.
Dave
I got my brass ‘hat’ lampshades from Microminiatures. Once enamelled inside with gloss white & on top with a Hunter Green, I had my lights.
Dave,
Good you noticed that as I forgot to. yes, they are Warm White, which is desireable for many lighting effects and often hard to find.