Model Power Lighted Figure Won't Light

I have this very same figure and I also have a carpet central. I mounted this guy on my 156 Lionel station platform and used one of the existing holes already on the platform to run the thin wires through the bottom.  As soon as I could I connected much more durable wires for the rest of the way to the power supply. First I feel that this figure needs to be mounted to a solid fixed surface, so that once placed the wires will not move and cause damage to the wires. The problem I find with this figure besides the delicate wires, is that unless you are at the same level of sight that this figure is at, you may hardly or not even notice altogether the glowing cigar. At best the cigar is not highly visible and in my opinion is not worth the trouble of having this guy. I have him smoking his cigar all the time, but unless my face is almost on the carpet, I do not clearly see the lit cigar.

Keep in mind my camera is 1" off the floor in order to see the lit cigar. If you view it much higher, it looks like it is not lit!

N5CJonny,

Thanks for the reply and for your comment about the importance of the viewing angle for seeing the fiber optic end of the cigar.  I kinda wondered about that, but was so worried about not breaking those wires in my testing that I couldn't tell.  Your observation may be why all these figures were at clearance sale prices when I got mine.

So, just to be 100% sure: are you saying that you hooked your figure up directly to track power?  What gauge wire did you solder to the tiny leads or did you use some sort of clip to connect the wire ends?  And, did you use some resistors or other power-draining accessories to lower the power or was it full strength?

Very nice looking "carpet central",  by the way!

Tomlinson Run Railroad

It has been a long time since I placed that figure on the station platform. From what I remember, I used 20 gauge wire and soldered it to the leads of the figure. I do not recall using any resistor with the setup. From there I hooked up to a separate Postwar Lionel 1033 transformer that I use just for accessories. All my accessories are run using that transformers track power terminals. I believe the maximum voltage that transformer puts out is 18 volts, although with the controller you can reduce the voltage as desired.

A strip of two sided tape, like the stuff for winter window plastic, will hold the wire leads down where they are exposed, so a sudden spastic movement nearby wont take them out.

For removal, lift the tape and take the wires with it. For reuse, put the old tape ontop new tape, it will stick well.

(I use two sided tape on one rail, at the apex of a 5% grade for traction due to wheelslip there. Once every year or two, it needs a freshening due to dust on the tape stick-um. The new tape sticks great to the barely sticky/ very dusty, old tape. I de-tack the new slightly with my fingers, and the wheels grab like they got sand.) 

  You can also tape them to a heavier wire or string/thread and anchor its ends with tiny screws. Leave slight slack on the delicates, when the heavy one is taunt, so it will get tight before they ever do.

Avoiding the current vs voltage points for l.e.d.s,  "over voltage" on an led is easy and you should never use an led with ac unless it is specified you can. Normally they dont really use anywhere near 18v or ac volts; more like 1.5v to 4v dc at the actual part, depending on the part. So how they regulate, and/or/if they turn the AC into the DC voltage that every  l.e.d. actually uses, will determine what you MAY have "cooked". (E.g., The 12v ac/dc l.e.d. "bulbs" are not really 12v ac/dc l.e.d.. They are just normal led that are internally regulated and rectified with micro electronics, right in the bulb base.( There may be 12v led, but I havent actually ever noticed one in catalogs, or in anything either.

Heat from a soldering iron is the best way to "strip" the tips of fine wire without a special tool. (But Ive seen wire that was so fine it melted too. I wonder if it was even metal? It might have been some kind of graphite embedded thread. I never found out because it was from Radio Shack; on a grain of wheat bulb. [Even fingernails cut that wire])

  I figure, that this figure, was meant for an alley, or bar district where the lights are very low. Hide him in a dark corner, and/or kill the room lights, and I bet he is far more impressive, and bet it can be seen from higher angles then too.

  If you have cooked it, and can get at the led to replace it, a brighter one could likely be had (use a narrow beam) The fiber optics wont mind.

  As long as you aim the beam into the fiber optic tip fairly straight, it will show well.

 I actually thought Model Power had moved away from trains, or gone out of business totally. I had a heck of time trying to find any info on those folks about ten years ago when a pal was exploring model railroading in smaller gauges, and some new Model Power cars came up for sale locally.

  My end impression was they mainly did professional models for "big jobs" today. Big, like port authority big. And in the production of those infrastructire models, some retail opportunities happen, but it didn't seem to be a goal to sell lots of them. No gauge was on the pakage, and the owner thought they were static till I asked him about checking) 

  Heck, though what I saw was some nicely detailed cars, I never found a reference for a single retail product on the actual site, so your comment on no instructions being included does not surprise me a bit. 

 If all else fails, dot the stogie tip with glue and add few flakes of the finest red glitter you can find. Or hit the tip with bright red or orange paint, I think it was skipped to heighten the lights effect.

I have been meaning to get one of these figures if I can find one. My plan is to eliminate the stock light for the cigar and go with one of Evan Designs micro chip LED's.  

http://www.modeltrainsoftware.com/ledlights1.html

Chris Lonero posted:

I have been meaning to get one of these figures if I can find one. My plan is to eliminate the stock light for the cigar and go with one of Evan Designs micro chip LED's.  

http://www.modeltrainsoftware.com/ledlights1.html

Chris, Hobbyspeed on Ebay is selling one right now.

N5CJonny,  thanks for your recollection of wire gauge and etc.  Based on what you wrote, I've got an old Marx HO transformer that I may try if it can output the minimum volts.

Adriatic, two-side tape is my new "go to" tool for setting up things in my layout vignettes.  (But I'd be concerned using it around wires; at least my brand.)  Thanks for your other suggestions for protecting the thin wire and ideas on what microelectronic might be involved for possible replacement.

Interesting backgound information on Model Power, too.  The packaging said that they have over 400 figures with new ones being added all the time.  I found that hard to believe but your explanation makes sense in that context.  I don't know how the DC/AC is handled, but the LEDs on an MTC caboose I have seem to do just fine.  I don't think there were any extra electronics involved, but it's been a while since I had it apart and I am probably misrembering.

Chris, I got my figure at ModelTrains.com (MBKlein).  They had several different figures in stock about a month ago for $1.99, plus they had a discount that week for buying figures that included the Model Power ones.  Thanks for the link.  I want to browse that website when I have more time.

I'll try some of your various suggestions, and if I still have no luck, there's a great local electronics store in my town.  The owner has helped me more than once on some RR projects.

Thanks again, everyone.

Tomlinson Run Railroad