Skip to main content

5 replies

Lionel Celebration Fire Car 52 Light Problem

K KverdonOGR Forum Member

Hi All,

Ever since I was a kid, and saw it in an old Lionel catalog, I've always wanted a powered Lionel Fire and I recently finally purchased one.  Based upon the issues I'd read about the original car's problem with the light overheating and melting the car I purchased the re-released Celebration model that comes with a grain-of-wheat bulb.  Here is the problem, I want to run the fire car at a slower operating speed but the light dimly lights at about warp 7 and does not come fully on until the car hits about warp 9.  I'm pondering some options and am looking for suggestions.  Here is what I'm considering and would appreciate some feedback:

1. Add a diode matrix to the motor to slow it down.  It looks possible but there is not a ton of room in the shell.

2. Use a lower voltage grain-of-wheat bulb.

3. replace the grain-of-wheat bulb with a LED. (this may not be feasible without the option below).

4. replace the lighting circuit with a constant lighting /flasher circuit with an LED (would need some help  with the schematic for that).

thanks,

Kevin

Last edited by Kverdon
Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

S stan2004OGR Forum Member
Kverdon posted:

I wonder if this might be a solution.  Take out the circuit board and replace it with:
https://www.modeltrainsoftware.com/bl-213-f.html

 

I'd say it depends on if you just want to get it blinking and be done with it.  Price seems reasonable.

But if you are the tinkering type and there's a circuit board with the flashing electronics, I'd think it less expensive to swap in a, say, 6V bulb.  Or, in all likelihood the flashing circuit drives the bulb with DC so you could install your own 10-cent LED (with a 10-cent current-limiting resistor) in place of the incandescent bulb.  If this is of interest post a close-up photo of the board.

K KverdonOGR Forum Member

I went ahead and ordered an LED from the place I listed above so will see how that works out. I'll post a picture of the circuit board, it would be interesting to see if the original circuit board can be made to work with an LED. 

Command Control - Nope not mentioned in the manual, just conventional control. This is good. The Lionel Layout is conventional control ONLY.  If I want to mess with Command Control, I'll head upstairs to my NScale Layout, which is fully DCC. The Lionel is to let our friends kids run trains and or me when I just want flip the power switch, open the throttle and run old, school.

K KverdonOGR Forum Member

I ended up using a 3mm cool white, fast flash, LED to replace the Grain of wheat and circuit board. The LED fits in the old grain of wheat holder perfectly. I soldered the leads to the motor leads, where the old circuit board leads were. The 5mm would not fit unless you with filed down the LED or replaced the holder. This would be a great replacement for the old postwar model light bulb.

Kevin

Add Reply

Views: 354
Post

Membership Required

We're sorry. You must be signed in to continue. Sign In or Register
×
Are you sure you want to remove from your Block List?
×
Loading...
×
When you block a person, they can no longer invite you to a private message or post to your profile wall. Replies and comments they make will be collapsed/hidden by default. Finally, you'll never receive email notifications about content they create or likes they designate for your content.
Note: if you proceed, you will no longer be following .
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×

Access to this requires an OGR Forum Supporting Membership

OGR Forum Supporting Membership

Help support this forum with an OGR Forum Supporting Membership.
You will be able to watch the videos in the INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO FORUM!
A one-year OGR Forum Supporting Membership is only $12 per year, so sign up now!


    OR     


Access the ALL the OGR VIDEO FORUMS AND  over 300 back issues of OGR
with a DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTION!



$12.00 per 12 Months (plus tax if applicable)
×