MTH LED Lighting, Way Too Bright!

You can add a resistor to tone down the light intensity.  Without seeing the exact wiring, I can't be totally specific.  I believe it's going to end up being as simple as the resistor in the main wiring to the lighting board. The value of the resistor will likely have to be determined experimentally to achieve the desired brightness, I'm think along the lines of from around 100 ohms to maybe 250 ohms, and probably 1/2 watt will be plenty as far as size.

I have a bunch of the MTH Woodside Strasberg passenger cars, and one thing I noticed right away was no flicker resistance!  I added a cap to one to cure that, and when I get the time, I'm going to do the rest.

GRJ:

It would appear that there is a capacitor (can type) at the far right and there are lots of little resistors clustered at the far left.  As always, your expertise is greatly appreciated!

It's interesting the cap is on one end and the power connection is on the other end.  I wonder what's up with that?

What's at the power connection end, I can't tell what components are there.  Is there a regulator IC there, I'm sure there are diodes or a rectifier bridge at least.

Probably fitment.  Doesn't really matter.  G

Fitment?

Actually, depending on how it's wired, it may matter.  If you're adding a capacitor for the power, it's clearly better to have it before the regulation and voltage drop so it can be effective.  Also, if there is a regulator in the circuit, it needs the filtration before the regulator and not after.

GRJ:

Though it may not be readily apparent, there is a little somethingorother between the track feed and the board covered by the shrink tubing.  Tis a puzzlement.

That thing in heatshrink is almost surely the 22uh choke for DCS compatibility.  You can just break the red wire and add some resistance, I'd think a couple hundred ohms, but you'll have to do a little experimenting.

Many thanks!!!

Interesting thread, my guess is that black plastic piece with the spring connectors qualifies as a "fitment." 

Sadly, tests of several resistors, of varying values, didn't put much of a dent in the LEDs' brightness.  Frustrated, I removed the little resistors that fed two of the five LEDs and that didn't get close to my goal, either.  Then, it occurred to me that a defuser might help and disguise the LEDs in the by going.  Unable to find anything likely in the parts heap, I finally hit upon another, much simpler idea: spray paint the LED side of the entire lighting circuit board white!

I masked off only the large "can" capacitor and the little resistors at the track voltage feed end, gave it a good solid single coat of Krylon Fusion white and it worked!  The LEDs now generate a golden glow worthy of the now-defunct headlight company's name and I'm ready to take on the rest of the fleet.

The only remaining question was, "Is this safe?"  LEDs don't generate any heat to speak of and the Krylon fusion paint does not appear to be conductive.  Regardless, the volts and amps involved are so low that fire seemed a remote possibility.  Consultation with one of our great OGRF Electronics Luminaries confirmed that there should be no safety issues. However...

DISCLAIMER: Use this simple, effective solution at your own risk.