MTH passenger car bulbs / led conversion

I just converted a set of older MTH passenger cars as lighting was not great.  I ordered the  JW&A - 20100 Passenger Car LED Lighting Kit from Hennings trains.

There are many products out there but I tried these as I have they seemed easy to do and I had not done this before. 

Very easy directions to follow for install and lighting level can be adjusted very easily.  

The MTH cars I did this on did not include full or partial vista domes so probably as simple as it could get.

Plain coaches are really pretty easy to convert, when you get into dome and multi-level cars, it's a bit more work.  There are many threads on LED conversions here.  Here's a few of my threads.

LED Lighting Upgrade for MTH Full Dome Car

Passenger car LED lighting (Again)

Passenger Car Lighting Experiment

MTH Amtrak Superliner LED Upgrade in Pictures

What led strip did you use? Like non waterproof 3528s?  It looks like you got away with the 3 led groupings on the full dome car.  I like the set you did with a warmer white. Gives them a more rustic look, instead of a spotlight white color.

I use the non-waterproof strips, if my cars get wet, the LED's are the least of my worries.

I have done cars with bright white, warm white, amber, and yellow.  The yellow would be appropriate for something like the Woodside passenger cars, amber I'd consider for heavyweights, and warm white for most others.  However, newer cars that would have florescent lighting can use bright white for a prototypical look.

GR-John:

What intensity of LED lights are in the JW&A conversion kits:

bright white, warm white, amber, yellow, or something else ?

Thanks in advance !!!

I use warm white in the kits, it's the best balance between bright and yellow/amber.  If you are looking for something more yellow or for modern cars the bright white, I suggest the lighting modules and roll-your-own strips.  Truthfully, for anyone that can solder a few connections, I recommend the modules and obtain your own strips anyway.  You'll end up with a neater install, by nature a one-size-fits-all kit can't perfectly fit all situations.

GR-John:

Thanks for the update.  

Warm white will meet my needs.  I like the no-solder option.

 I have several 15" (60' scale) plated aluminum Zephyr cars from Williams, Weaver, Lionel, & MTH with frosted window inserts.  Several domes & flat tops.  I plan to eventually add LED lighting, dome interiors, & window tinting.  

I am probably a year away from initiation of this project.  Are their any YouTube videos with your LED conversions in plated aluminum cars ?

Currently working on modular benchwork in the garage while weather is warm.  Hope to finish module benchwork by late fall so that temporary wood shop can be put away so that cars can go back into garage before winter.

After that, my focus will be to declutter basement and paint the walls & floors to create train room.  

Thanks in advance !!!

I haven't done any videos, but converting aluminum cars isn't really much different than with plastic shell cars.  The only thing I can think of is, of course, you have to take a bit more care with the wiring to not short to the aluminum shell.

GR-John:

Have you or any of your customers posted any YouTube videos of their installation in plastic passenger cars ?

Thanks in advance !!!

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

I use the non-waterproof strips, if my cars get wet, the LED's are the least of my worries.

I have done cars with bright white, warm white, amber, and yellow.  The yellow would be appropriate for something like the Woodside passenger cars, amber I'd consider for heavyweights, and warm white for most others.  However, newer cars that would have florescent lighting can use bright white for a prototypical look.

Hi John,

What color LED's would work best for Weaver passenger cars with green window strips?

@CBQ_Bill posted:

GR-John:

Have you or any of your customers posted any YouTube videos of their installation in plastic passenger cars ?

No, but I've posted a number of threads here with lots of pictures of various installations.

@Chas posted:

What color LED's would work best for Weaver passenger cars with green window strips?

I'd use either the warm white or bright white for the green windows.

I have used John’s kits and his regulators separately with the LED role in the photo. I would say for your first install especially if your not comfortable with soldering go for John’s kit.  You can also regulate the intensity with the adjustable knob with a jewelers screwdriver.  

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Plain coaches are really pretty easy to convert, when you get into dome and multi-level cars, it's a bit more work.  There are many threads on LED conversions here.  Here's a few of my threads.

LED Lighting Upgrade for MTH Full Dome Car

Passenger car LED lighting (Again)

Passenger Car Lighting Experiment

MTH Amtrak Superliner LED Upgrade in Pictures

Tugboat ,

GRJs threads are excellent.  I used the first one for my Railking vista dome car . Worked well.👌

If you want to use the regulator and strip LEDs in your passenger cars that are aluminum or chrome plated use an insulation tape where the small round + and - soldering dots are located along the strip.

Have fun .....be safe. 😷

Grj, do you have installation threads with pictures for installing LED light strips with your regulators for the fabulously detailed MTH woodside coaches and also MTH's Aerotrain coaches?

Well, I've done a dozen Aerotrain cars, but I don't recall if I posted any pictures.  I've done hundreds of passenger cars, and once in a while I do post a series of pictures.  Obviously, it's difficult to take pictures of every job I do.