Lighting a Lionel Aquarium Car

This is a great project idea, which could also correct the lighting for many of Lionel’s recent anemically lighted cars. These cars, if they are lighted at all, have a single, inadequate incandescent bulb, and the light can’t project anywhere because it’s blocked by the can motor and circuit board. 

That's how the car should have been sold to begin with! 
Nice job lad!

It's night time, so why do you want to light it?  Also be careful that the light doesn't burn the plastic.

Looks great. That’s what Lionel should have done to start with. 

I guess it all has to do with the price point of the car.

LEDs should not burn the plastic. 

Looks like a great fix!

-Dave

eddie g posted:

It's night time, so why do you want to light it?  Also be careful that the light doesn't burn the plastic.

To simulate the "The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow, gave a luster of mid-day to objects below."

There are aquarium cars with a motorized scrolling screen and is back lit. Cant understand why Lionel decided to be selective in which cars got the motors and lighting. I can imagen the  price would go up significantly thou.

I made an aquarium car with lighting over twenty years ago.  I also built a Chicken Dispatch car and Gold Bullion car with lighting.  I now have all three Lionel versions and sure miss them being illuminated.  At the price Lionel charges for these cars, they should be lighted.  I have not added lights to the Lionel versions yet.

An aquarium Car was made by cutting out the windows in a Lionel Scout type 8 inch box car.  A Lionel Aquarium car sea background was purchased at a train show but one can be made from parchment paper.   Plastic fish were cut out of clear plastic form old toy boxes and colored with Sharpies.  The fish were suspended from the roof with 4 lb fish reel clear leader line and glued to the fish and roof with glass clear cement.  This allows the fish to wiggle and move with the train motion.  Two 12v or 7v in series mini Christmas lights were added for lights the roof and a pickup made shown in the last picture.

A Lionel small stock car was used to make a Chicken Dispatch car.  Every other slat was cut out of the side boards and parchment paper was used to Sharpie paint the chickens on. Lights were added to the roof and a pickup made.    No chicken poop sweeping man though !

A Gold Bullion car was also built from Lionel Scout type 8 inch box car .  Windows were cut in both sides with Dremel Moto tool with saw blade and a razor saw and plastic windows were added.  Gold bars were made from kitchen match sticks painted gold.  Two 12v or 7v in series mini Christmas lights were added, a feature the Lionel version does not have.  A light pick up was made from brass shim stock.

Pickup detail.  A piece of tin can was added to improve durability of brass shim stock.

Charlie