A Feast for the Senses...

Strummer posted:

...During all this this I was picking up a strangely familiar smell, although I couldn't place where it was coming from, or exactly what it reminded me of...

 ...when I received the 15B, both bulbs were burned out, and the light "covers" were missing. Rather than replacing the clear bulbs and buying covers, I opted to buy colored (painted) bulbs, and that's when it hit me: as the "power on" bulb (painted green) heats up, it gives off the same smell as those old C6 Christmas lights we had when I was very young. Perhaps you remember: the kind that when one bulb went out, the whole string went dead as well. Those were painted, got pretty hot, and gave off that same smell.

So I guess that every time I run my trains, it's almost literally like Christmas...Who'd a thunk?

Mark in (wet) Oregon

Hi Mark,

Personally, I like the covers on the transformers, but they will be affected by heat.  So I replaced them with LEDs from Town and Country  Hobbies.  I've also used higher voltage bulbs which don't heat up as much.  But the LEDs work the best.  Here's a link to their site.  Pay no attention to the Lionel only bulbs.  They work fine in Flyer applications too. 

http://stores.towncountryhobbies.com/  I've also seen them, or similar bulbs, at York and other larger train shows.  I replaced the bulbs in Flyer switch controllers with LEDs simply to avoid the incandescent bulbs from melting the plastic housings!

But if you prefer the smell of the painted bulbs, that's OK too!  Just have fun!

Jerry

(in thawing out Michigan)

Jerry,

I've also replaced the bulbs on my 19B and 17B transformers with LED's to reduce heat and distortion of the plastic covers.  However, I've had trouble with the LED's burning out prematurely in this and other model railroad applications (I also installed one in a 596 water tower).  I think they are being damaged by transient voltage spikes in the AC circuits caused by operation of Gilbert-era accessories.  For example, I have 710 and 708 whistle and horn controls connected to my transformers, and I noticed one of the green indicator LED's burned out when operating the 710 whistle control.  I also found that lowering the spout of the 596 water tower would burn out the LED I had installed in the aircraft warning light.  This was disappointing considering how expensive the LED bulbs were.

Have you had any trouble with the LED installations in your layout equipment?

Scott Griggs

Louisville, KY

sgriggs posted:

Jerry,

I've also replaced the bulbs on my 19B and 17B transformers with LED's to reduce heat and distortion of the plastic covers.  However, I've had trouble with the LED's burning out prematurely in this and other model railroad applications (I also installed one in a 596 water tower).  I think they are being damaged by transient voltage spikes in the AC circuits caused by operation of Gilbert-era accessories.  For example, I have 710 and 708 whistle and horn controls connected to my transformers, and I noticed one of the green indicator LED's burned out when operating the 710 whistle control.  I also found that lowering the spout of the 596 water tower would burn out the LED I had installed in the aircraft warning light.  This was disappointing considering how expensive the LED bulbs were.

Have you had any trouble with the LED installations in your layout equipment?

Scott Griggs

Louisville, KY

Scott,

I've had the LED bulbs in for at least 10 years in switch controllers, and they REALLY are subject to transient voltage.  They've been giving great service all that time.  Maybe there was a bad batch, but mine have are doing just fine.

BTW, look for my 1937 Ford with Mullins trailer this Summer in L'ville...

You guys do know that LEDs are really best on DC current right?  There are some for ac, but you need to see that label. They are designed with light in mind more so than reverse blockers or carrying power thru to other components.

   I'm guessing they don't like the frequencies of AF accessories, etc.. Filtering before for the bulbs might help, tvs, filter caps, etc. (I know little other than AF used frequency changes for activation)

I use an 18b with my Lionels, but only those with no sound. Even old whistle relays will try to trigger randomly, new age sound will whistle almost non-stop. Something about the deadman handle throws out a dc offset on the ac wave. I've never been concerned with figuring it out, just hoping mentiinime it might help something "click" for you  folk more familiar with the AF systems as a whole.. or maybe you know why I get an offset..?

Woodward &/or Telegraph Jerry? I used to run my trains off car batteries in my VWs & pickup beds at 14m and the old Handy Andy lot on Graph. Taylor Big Boy on weekends?

Adriatic posted:

You guys do know that LEDs are really best on DC current right?  There are some for ac, but you need to see that label. They are designed with light in mind more so than reverse blockers or carrying power thru to other components.

I would assume that the bulbs for our applications are set up for AC, but you know what it means to assume...

   I'm guessing they don't like the frequencies of AF accessories, etc.. Filtering before for the bulbs might help, tvs, filter caps, etc. (I know little other than AF used frequency changes for activation)

Again, mine are in a transformer indicator and switch controllers.  In the controllers, they're on constantly when the switch is thrown to either straight or curve.  But they're parallel to the switch motor when the switch is thrown.  So maybe they're not subject to constant power sharing like in an accessory.

I use an 18b with my Lionels, but only those with no sound. Even old whistle relays will try to trigger randomly, new age sound will whistle almost non-stop. Something about the deadman handle throws out a dc offset on the ac wave. I've never been concerned with figuring it out, just hoping mentiinime it might help something "click" for you  folk more familiar with the AF systems as a whole.. or maybe you know why I get an offset..?

Interesting what happens to you.  But I can't tell you why it's happening.  Sorry.

Woodward &/or Telegraph Jerry? I used to run my trains off car batteries in my VWs & pickup beds at 14m and the old Handy Andy lot on Graph. Taylor Big Boy on weekends?

Woodward and Ted's.  East Side all the way.  Now a West Sider.

Mark,

I hope you don't mind our little "side track" of your thread.  I've painted bulbs before too, and use them in highway flashers which aren't continually on, so I don't get the Christmas Smell....  I rely on cedar smoke fluid instead.

poniaj posted:

Mark,

I hope you don't mind our little "side track" of your thread.  I've painted bulbs before too, and use them in highway flashers which aren't continually on, so I don't get the Christmas Smell....  I rely on cedar smoke fluid instead.

Not at all; any and all comments are welcome, as far as I'm concerned. 

In fact, to take this drift a little further: I just picked up another #630 Reading caboose. This one is identical to the one I got last year, in like new condition with the brass weights, etc. except: my earlier example is a rich, deep red, whereas the body color of this newest arrival has just a bit of orange to it. Is this a variation, or just red that perhaps has faded a bit?

Mark in Oregon

Strummer posted:

In fact, to take this drift a little further: I just picked up another #630 Reading caboose. This one is identical to the one I got last year, in like new condition with the brass weights, etc. except: my earlier example is a rich, deep red, whereas the body color of this newest arrival has just a bit of orange to it. Is this a variation, or just red that perhaps has faded a bit?

Mark in Oregon

Mark,

The 630 caboose came in all sorts of variations.  Remember they were just toys made from 1946 until 1953.  Red painted or red plastic.  Their couplers were link type with thin shank, or thick shank.  The thick shank ones had no weight, brass weight or black weight.  Plus there were slight variations in red paint with some fading more than others, as well as red plastic which fades in sunlight and UV exposure to a more orange-y red.  Personally, I like the red 650 New Haven passenger cars, and have a hard time finding matching ones from different sources.  So when at a train show, I bring one of them along to match the color.  Not easy.  Of course, being that the NH cars were also made at least 66 years ago (1946-53) might have something to do with it.