K-Line Hi-Level Light Conversions

You can do them yourself if you're not afraid to take them apart.  I've converted many cars to LED lighting, and as you observe, it makes the issue of excessive current draw disappear.

In case you haven't seen them, Henning's Trains sells my lighting kits and the separate lighting regulators for DIY installations.  The lighting regulators are all fully DCS compatible and work in any command environment.

For conventional as well as command operation, I use a buck/boost power supply that will run the lights down for 5-6 volts track voltage up through full command voltages to supply the LEDs.  In all cases, I use the 12V strip LEDs for the actual lighting.

 20100 Passenger Car LED Lighting Kit

20110 LED Lighting Regulator, 2 Pcs.

I just installed John's kits in all of my GGD El Cap cars.  John's board allows you to control the intensity of the light and the LED strip has low profile lights, not like the bulbous monstrosities in the OEM GGD light bar.  His light kit was a significant improvement over the OEM GGD lights, which in a word were pathetic.

You will not be disappointed with John's kit.

BTW, one of John's boards controls two lighting strips per car, one strip in the upper level and one strip in the lower level.

The K-Line cars are very easy to open up. I used GRJ's boards to convert a set of UP cars although they were not Hi-levels. The dome car was done with 4 different strips of LEDs cut to fit each area, just like Kevin did with his GGD cars. The strips are even small enough that I could add a strip in the dome itself, fits perfect down the center and you barely see the tiny LEDs. Huge improvement in look and current draw. It's about $10 a car, maybe a bit more, but well worth the time and money.

Mr. GUNRUNNERJOHN, Thank you for the information. If I read the Hennings Train  page correctly, these boards will also allow me to run these cars on a Legacy run. However, I was also hoping that someone out there could do the conversion for me. I figured it would be easier than me opening up one (It took me about 30-40 minutes since I was taking pictures of every step) and installing the new LED boards.

If you don't mind waiting for a few weeks at least, I can do the upgrades. 

MR. GUNRUNNERJOHN, I will make a list of the K-Line Hi-Level Passenger Cars that I have including the K-Line Model Number and length. Please respond to me personal e-mail of santafemike@optonline.net so I can forward the same to you.

Mike

If getting the cars to John for conversion is a bit much he usually goes to Trainstock in January and you can meet there. Additionally there are a few club members that can do this for you and are good with LED's if you but the LED kits from John  for D.I.Y.

OK, Steve. Call me on my cellphone and let me know who can do this. Thank you.

P.S. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

I send you an email.  I will be at TrainStock, at least unless there's a mystery snowstorm.

I have the MTH Bi Level cars. I can get about 10 on the track with engine. More than that and current overload. The problem is Grain of Wheat bulbs are all over the place inside the cars. The lighting is beautiful. Redoing the lighting with LEDS would be problematic.

That's why I'd have to see one to evaluate the effort in upgrading them.  It obviously can be done, the question is what it will take.  Also, if you replace the main lighting with LEDs, you may opt to leave a few GOW bulbs in place and still accomplish the goal of greatly reduced power draw.  Also, the K-Line cars may be totally different than the MTH cars.  FWIW, I did some MTH bi-level cars a couple years ago, I don't remember any huge issues in upgrading the lighting, perhaps those gray cells have died?