Replacing Model Train Incandescent Bulbs With LEDS

I recently joined a club so I could start running my dad's old American Flyer S Gauge electric trains again. Most of my collection is from the 50's. Here's a few shots of them:

Anyway, I would like to convert the incandescent bulbs that are used in the train's headlights, passenger cars, cabooses, and buildings to led. One building alone has 48 bulbs in it - a maintenance nightmare!

I am hoping there are drop in replacement for these:

GE 430 14V Passenger cars, caboose, buildings
GE 432 18V Passenger cars, caboose, buildings
GE 1447 18V accessories
GE 1449 14V headlights

These are old GE numbers, but remember these trains date back to the 40's and 50's.

Ideally, the led's should have a white or slightly orange glow to them. Greenish or bluish tints just looks wrong on these period layouts.

So, does anybody know of anything I can use as a drop in replacement? If not, any suggestions on how to do an easy conversion?

Thanks!

Very interesting project - let's move it to H&M and see if someone has an idea there.

Basically i'd just have a look for yellow or amber 3 or 5 mm leds and calculate a resistor for each operating voltage. white ones won't look good, most of the time they are not real white and headlights in the time were more yellow, as you already said.

any idea what the actual voltage supply to the lamps are?

id guess they will all have the same supply V and the lamps were just commonly avaliable one's ( maby the 18's are underdriven for a dimmer light?)

although ther are probbalby some losses, the lamps should all be fed with the rail voltage, so the output of the transformer should give us the number

I don't know S-gage, but my old HOs used DC for the train (of course), and AC for the accessories, like general lighting. Light brightness on the trains would go up and down as the voltage to the train changed to change speed. Of course, the DC would change polarity when you reversed the train. Thus, you may need to consider that.

Also, the only lamp reference I see right away is for the 1449 lamp.
G-3-1/2 form factor (screw base/round globe 7/16 inch diam), 14.0 volts, 0.2 amps, 2 MSCP, 250 hour life

I havent used it, but the Dyna-Ohm looks like it might be an easy drop-in solution
http://www.ledsupply.com/04006-025.php

a small bridge rectifier to ensure correct polarity, and use that with you 5mm LEDs.

That is if you dont intend on making bulb drop in replacements (like a bulb that fits in a socket) and just want to retrofit to LED.

I'm not seeing a voltage rating though, nor a datasheet, and its not on luxdrive's website.

You might hurt the value of the trains by switching to LED. Most collectors of vintage stuff like it as original as possible. Just something else to think about.

dosmun said:

You might hurt the value of the trains by switching to LED. Most collectors of vintage stuff like it as original as possible. Just something else to think about.

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That's why I was hoping there would be a drop in replacement for those old GE bulbs. That way, it would be as easy as unscrewing a light bulb to bring the trains back to original condition.

I still want to convert some of the less rare locomotives and rolling stock, plus the stuff I know I'll never sell.

The interesting thing about these old American Flyer trains is you can run them with DC or AC power. They actually run better on DC power. But, the accessories work better on AC power (like the walking brakeman who walks back and forth on top of a freight car).

louie said:

I don't know S-gage, but my old HOs used DC for the train (of course), and AC for the accessories, like general lighting. Light brightness on the trains would go up and down as the voltage to the train changed to change speed. Of course, the DC would change polarity when you reversed the train. Thus, you may need to consider that.

Click to expand...

thats interesting, iv never heard of that .

was there 2 separate power supplies (ac +dc) or was there some sort of commutator/generator system built into the carriage? ( the change in brightness with speed suggests a genny/commutator system)

A good idea. I have many trains and buildings from the 50's era as well and some from the 60's, and would like to convert these HO and N gauge layouts to LED, also because of the maintenance. A few of the buildings will have white or blueish and greenish lights in some places, to imitate the early florescent lighting found in some offices and stores, plus some of the early mercury vapor street lamps that were gaining popularity back then.:thumbsup: