Is there a way to install lights in Athearn Passenger Cars?
Are there interiors that can be installed in Same?
Lights in Athearn would be difficult because they don’t have electrical pickup wipers on their trucks, so you would have to change trucks or figure out how to add electrical pickup.
Interiors are available for IHC (Rivarossi) passenger cars as add-ons, and Bachmann Spectrum passenger cars have them already installed. I have seen interiors in the Walthers catalog for other brands, so you would need to check there and see if anyone has them to fit into Athearns.
If I were going to attempt adding lights to an Athearn passenger car, I would use super bright white LEDs and batteries, with a small on/off switch concealed somewhere. One AAA battery should last for months, since you probably won’t use the interior lights that much.
Athearn has a passenger car lighting kit, one for 4 wheel and one for 6 wheel. I have the 6 wheel version and the part number is 90201.I think it lists for $3.00.
You can light the Athearn cars if they have the proper wheel sets. My lightweight cars came with wheels for electrical pickup. Metal wheels on one side and plastic on the other, on each truck.
I made my own wipers from thin brass/copper wire. I wrapped it lightly around the axles three times. Then I secured it the center with the truck mounting screw. On the other end of the screw, inside the car, I added a short jumper wire to the weight plates hold down screw and the other end secured to the truck mounting screw with a nut and washer (or double nutted). Then insert a bulb in the Pre-punched hole in the upper weight plate.
My cars don’t have interiors so I usually place a translucent screen or shade over the window to diffuse the light from the bulb and block the view inside of the car. This system works quite well. As well as most of the car lighting trucks I have seen. If you install interiors, all bets are off as wiring to a remote light source would be tough.
Hope this helps.
Allan
Palace Car Co. makes interiors for Athearn. Contact info is 308-238-5099. Address is Box 973, Kearney, NE, 68848-0973. Kits run about $16. Other things to add such as restroom appointments come from Red Cap, End gates from Train Station, Diaphragms from American Limited.