First of all lets get one thing straight I can read. Second I can read and understand, however the walthers lighting kit installation intructions suck!!! it’s not explained clearly, and there isn’t even an illustration to instruct on how to do so. Is there any source out there that has an illustration on how to install the lighting kits? I understand that roofs has to be removed with an X-Acto #17 chisel blade but how exactly. The question is do you open the roofs from the inside? Do you have to uncrew the undercarriage first and reach the roof via inside?
Click here for a good thread about roof removal. Once you get the roof off, you will see two copper tabs at each end of the car that need to make contact with the contacts on the lighting board. You may need to do a little bending adjustment of the tabs in order for them to make a good connection to the board.
Speaking of Walther lighting kits, I just got a few Walthers Amtrak Superliner II cars, with the Walthers lighting kits, and boy I’m having real problems installing these things. I already ruined 2 of them.
When I install get the connectors on, and when I’m trying to put the shell back on, which is a pain, then the contacts are getting disconnected.
Today I’m gonna try and solder the connections on.
What a pain in the rear!! Oh and the directions are like yours, basically worthless.
I have installed 8 of them. Soldering will help. Another thing, place some electrical tape on the top where you see little pieces of metal coming through the black part. These are the leads to the LEDs. The plated finish on the inside of the shell does act as a slight conductor and will short out the LEDs if you don’t tape over the leads.
Good Luck.
Damn these things are poorly designed. Soldering helped, but every time I put the shell back on, which is crazy hard, then the lights don’t work.
Yes I finally figured out about the leads touching the top, but only after I fried 2 more of them.
At $10 a piece, they are pieces of crap! I am royally P.O.'d right now. [:(!]
Guys,
Consider using the new Miniatronics passenger car interior lighting bars that will work with the Walthers cars. Uses LEDs and to versions are availabe, one resembling incandescent lighting, the other fluoresent (yes, for streamliners!). “Appears” promising, though I have yet to purchase one. Will do it after I put the finishing touches on the cars I just metalized.
Here’s the write up from Tony’s Trains: http://www.tonystrains.com/technews/miniatronics_car_light.htm
I wonder how you install these in the Amtrak Superliner II cars? Looks like you have to install the pickups on the trucks?
I have installed 2 of them, one of each type. They work great, but may be too bright for some. The second one I bought had some resistors in the package that could be installed to dim the lights, which are surface mount LEDs. The light bar is long enough for an 80’ car, but sections can be broken off so it will fit a shorter car. It installs with double sided foam tape (included). The only problem I have had is with the power pickup which is a wire that installs on the car’s truck axles. It can be too tight which will result in friction that greatly increases drag. The positive thing is that the electronics will work with low voltage DC or AC and DCC. There is a capacitor on the board that stores power to run the lights when the power is off for station stops or momentary breaks in connectivity, so no flickering lights. The lights will run for 3 or 4 minutes after you remove the car from the track. Miniatronics also make versions for caboose lighting and building lighting.
This is the fluroescent version in a lightweight car
and a comparison of the fluroescent and incandescent versions
Wow! Talk about a lighting effect. Thank you very much GPaine. A picture is worth 1,000 words. The two photos are great examples that can be used as reference material.
Quick comment: I like the fluorescent’s white appearance very much as it’s excellent for lightweight streamliners.
It is a bit bright but as mentioned it can be toned down with resistors. I’m looking forward to installing these in my metalized varnish [8D][tup]