Okay quick question, what number light bulb is used in the 6357 lighted caboose? Thanks in advance for any help. Sincerely Brian
Lionel specified the “L431”, which for all practical purposes is the same as a number 57.
Thanks Bob!!!
I like to use 16volt bulbs or higher. They will not be as bright but will last much much longer.
A 16 volt bulb would be good but make sure your transformer can handle that bulb as well, needs to be more than a 30 watt transformer. Also a 14.4 volt bulb from Radio Shack may work as well, screw-in base or bayonette style.
Lee F.
If you want a higher-voltage lamp, the number 1445 is a good choice at 18 volts.
Radio Shack doesn’t sell the number 57; but they do have the number 53 (which they call 272-1117), a 14.4-volt lamp that draws half the current (120 milliamperes).
The load on the transformer is the voltage multiplied by the current. So simply using a higher-voltage lamp does not mean that you are loading the transformer more. In fact, the 1445 consumes only 2.7 watts at 18 volts, compared to the number 57, which consumes 3.36 watts at 14 volts. The number 53 takes only 1.728 watts at 14.4 volts and is bright enough to satisfy me. These are all miniature bayonet-base lamps, which will fit your 6357’s socket.