FlashingLights in North Pole Express 2-Pack?

This thread features a video showing the HP Dementors car having the flashing lights.  Is this something new that Lionel is experimenting with?  I bought the cars directly from them and am contemplating sending them back.  Its extremely annoying.

 

https://ogrforum.com/t...ly=38737271695027993

Here's another video of the Dementors car:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWvYFZBSQvE  I have seen reviews and some descriptions of this "feature" but there was NOTHING in the Lionel catalog or other source about this being included in the NPC 2-pack.  I am not amused.  Lionel was undercutting most dealers with this web special and now I am really curious if all of these cars were made with this "feature" or if it was a manufacturing foul up by the supplier who had left over Dementor electronics/lighting boards. In either case its inexcusable.  Others have been burned by faulty catalog descriptions and now I feel victimized as well. 

Repeated searches of the forum turned up this thread...  https://ogrforum.com/t...r-car-lights-blink-1

 

Sounds like its OK to bypass the circuit boards.  Any other opinions?

Yes, I would say Lionel was clearing out old inventory of defective product.  Anyone have these cars that DON'T blink?

Can I interest anyone in the boards? LOL!

In your original post you say the interior lights are LEDs.  I would not wire AC track voltage directly to LEDs.  Post a close-up photo(s) of the circuit board and I'm sure we can collectively figure out some options.

If you stop the flashing lights then you are just going to ruin the elves' party.......at least that is what I tell onlookers when they see them running.

Stan, someone in 2012 said they had done just that, but we can't reply to an old thread so we don't know the long term effect.  If anyone has a standard Harry Potter car it might show what kind of wiring it has.  I've attached a photo of the flasher board.

Are the bulbs definitely LED? I cannot determine if they are from the photo. Lionel does not have a parts break down for them.

5

Ok, I  looked at the Hogwart's Dementor car. The bulbs are incandescent 12v\120ma that Lionel uses.

 

Since you will be running conventionally, you can cut the board out and wire the collector hots and bulb hots together and do the same for the commons.

 

If you think the cars may end up on a command track, an 5 watt 75ohm resistor between the collector hots and light hots would protect the bulbs.

 

Typical conventional lights then that brighten and dim with the transformer voltage.

Are we talking about the Harry potter cars just the Christmas version? I have those two and they never flashed.  I had the demertor car and the flashing was incredibly annoying!

The only other place I have see this is the HP car.  These are the NP express two pack for the NPC Santas Flyer loco.  http://www.ebay.com/itm/LIONEL...;hash=item19f67a2c96 but please note, I did not buy from this seller, but rather from Lionel direct on ebay... their price was $70. Maybe a warehouse clearance sale to get rid of product.

 

Looks like a manufacturing snafu.   I may run these on a TMCC track at some point so I appreciate the resistor pointer.  

OK. I have the ones from last year. Still can't imagine why they would have those cars blink like that?

Chris,

the Hogwarts dementor cars has the same board and lamps. the parts view for the North Pole Express 2-pack is not available at Lionel. We are are talking about the NP cars, with the Dementor as a point of reference.

That looks like what happens when you have very dirty track or pickup rollers.  Very annoying.

 

Art

Tommy's trains,

I think it's more of a marketing oversight as they don't list the flashing light feature. Otherwise, they wouldn't need the board for standard illumination. The elves can be a troublesome bunch if left to their own ways.

At $70 for the two I can't complain, although I agree with others that Lionel should not be undercutting its dealers like that.  I don't mind the small inconvience of having to rewire a bit and am happy that this board works with incandescent lights.  I may use it on some MPC car like toxic waste disposal to add a bit of drama.  Just going to toss in my electrical kit for now.  

 

Soon, I will have a Santa's Flyer #1 locomotive courtesy of Grzyboski's and will deploy my NPC North Pole Express on a secret last minute mission for Santa.  This is a crack crew that carries its own tools in the combo car and works round the clock to satisfy unexpected overflow requests from good children.  Standing by, the elves are now on alert status.  Hmmmm maybe those boards will come in handy in their bunk house to alert them when they need to scramble!  Red Alert!

This is a user modification to mimick the movie scene.

Actually Art, as one who runs Super O in the off season, I have grown accustomed to having flickering lights. No,this is an electronic rapid flashing phenomena that only varies slightly with track voltage (slowing a bit with marginal voltage.) As one who used to ride the Electric powered Penn Central Commuter lines between Philly and New Brunswick NJ going back to College, I Can Tell you intermittent lighting is pleasant phenomena with a tinge of nostalgia for me.  No this flashing was downright annoying! 

Carl,  That thread made it sound like a user mod, but the Dementor car actually shipped with this flashing light board thingy.  There are other videos showing it on you tube.  My guess is there was a mixup at the factory when they built the NP Express cars.