Lighted cars for Christmas

[Terry Toenges]

I added Christmas lights to my On30 flat car. I used brass nails for stanchions. I still have another flat and a gondola to do. I'll fill this one with small Christmas presents. I was able fit the battery box between the frame and the truss rods.

--------------- --------------

[Fred Klein]

That looks sharp, Terry! Are you using a 9V battery or something smaller?
Great looking car. You're giving me ideas and that's dangerous  .

[Terry Toenges]

They are flat round 3 volt batteries.

[Fred Klein]

Thanks for the info, Terry.

[Terry Toenges]

[Tom_C]

If you're inclined, you could add wheel wipers to the trucks, or add a lighted car before/after your gondola and feed your power from there... and use a simple zener diode regular to provide 3vdc.  I added this to a LED string in a gondola full of Christmas trees.

The battery works, but if you want to tinker it's not hard to pull power from the track.

[Terry Toenges]

I thought about track power but then they would be on all time unless I added switches. The switches now are in the battery holders.

[Terry Toenges]

The second car. Gondola with Lemax shimmering Christmas trees lit up. The fiber optic strands light up randomly. I'll put some greenery on it to hide the wires.

[Terry Toenges]

----------------------------------

----------------------------------

[Terry Toenges]

I remembered why I didn't do track power. The lights are 3 volts and the track is 15 volts. What size resistor would I need?

[Tom_C]

I remembered why I didn't do track power. The lights are 3 volts and the track is 15 volts. What size resistor would I need?

It's hard to tell.  If you just want to use a resistor then I'd start with 10K and go down until you get it right.  I run DCC, and I pull power out of a lighted passenger car.  I used a 3V zener diode to create a voltage regulator.  If you wanted to do that and you're running DCC then you'll want a rectifier too.

If you want a zener I'll send you one, PM your address and I'll stick one in the mail.

[Terry Toenges]

Thanks. I'm just going tog with battery power. It will be less complicated. I'm only doing three cars.
I have the tree one about finished.I have one with toys that I did today. The one with presents is close to being done.

[Terry Toenges]

The present car.

--------------
Lit up.

[Fred Klein]

That looks great, Terry! Thanks for sharing the pictures.

[Terry Toenges]

The toy car.

-------------------------