LEDs and Postwar Equipment

LED bulbs work on AC or DC but with AC you have to protect the LED against the reverse cycle of the AC voltage. That takes one small diode for an LED or a string of LEDs. Or you could buy the Henning's GRJ power modules that take an AC input and put out DC current. As a bonus, the power supply module (about the size of a square inch) has a storage capacitor which will not loose power. So the bulbs or LEDs will not blink over switches, etc.

You can also hook LEDs in parallel pairs, but opposite polarity and they each take a reverse cycle. You would still need some type of current limiting to match the forward voltage of the LEDs.

I don't know about the socket version of the LED bulbs, but the Christmas lights and rope lights tend to come in one or more shades of white, aka, cool white, warm white, daylight etc.  I checked some at the store and there was definitely a difference between the cool white and warm white.  The warn white had more of a yellow/tan tint to it.  The cool white, which I preferred, was a clear, bright white and definitely looked more white when next to the warm white led lights.  So if your modeling era was before LED streetlights you would want the warm white colored LED.  If you are modeling present day, then the cool white would better reflect the current LED streetlights of today. 

The multi colored LEDS I have seen are about 0.200" square with various colored LEDs bonded to the carrier with about 6 or eight contacts on the carrier.  The myriad of colors produced are a function of turning on and off the various colored LEDs just like mixing paint colors to get different colors.

How  does one replace the screw in bulbs in the Lionel 153 controller with leds ?

That should read Lionel 153 block signal.

Try autolumination web site for led bulbs and check the chart for the bulbs for the 153.  I think they took 363R and 363G from an old lionel bulb chart if its a post war accessory.

I have replaced quite a few incandescent bulbs on switches, controllers, bumpers and accessories with screw in led's.

George

These are the #153, with LED replacement bulbs.

Thanks for post. Took out the resistor and replaced with wire. Installed 18 volt bulbs and it works great. Before when track was switched for green light  to come on , red would stay on dim.

JBB,

   As the others have advised, the LED's work AC & DC with no problem, I order mine from Town & Country on the Net, and have replaced lots of my older original bulbs with either the Screw in type or the Bayonet type LED's, have not had one fail yet, that I order from Town & Country, quality LED products for sure.  Not only for the switches and controllers, but also for all the old rolling stock, and engine Head Lights also.

PCRR/Dave

I will check out Town & Country, prices are high everywhere for LEDs. I have had good luck with products from Evans. 

HD&B RR / Bob

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