Pre War 2 position reverse units

[jpstrainyard]

JP of Acton MA, USA writes:

I rewired my loco this morning, and it runs forward and reverse as it should. A big thank you goes out to Len for his very helpful wiring instructions

Right now there are no lights on the loco, because the tabs that hold the socket assemblies to the shell broke, so I will have to get replacement ones. Any good parts dealers that would sell these parts ?

is there any way directional lighting can be done without an additional switch ? Could the wires from the socket assemblies be connected directly to the direction controller, so that when the controller is in the forward position, the forward light is on, and the same for the reverse light ?

Sincerely: JP

[Len]

Olsen's Toy Train Parts http://pictures.olsenstoy.com//search_lionel.htm has repro headlight parts for prewar 'electrics'. There are two basic headlight shell types for the 252, the "SH" style and the "NH" style, depending on when in the production cycle it was made. The other parts are pretty much interchangable.

If you type "NH-", without the quotes, in the Search by Part Number box you'll get a list of the NH bits and pieces they carry. This includes an NH-11KIT with an NH shell and everything else needed to replace a missing headlight assembly. For the SH style they only have the cast headlight shell, and an SH-2KIT with an SH shell and the other parts included in the NH-11KIT.

If these units ran on DC, you could just wire the lamp 'hot' connections to the brushes with a diode in line. That doesn't work so great with AC power. You might be able to adapt the Constant Light PCB from the Lionel RS-11 for directional lighting. the part number is 620-8553-805. Cost is $12.50 plus S&H from Lionel. You can order on line from Lionel's web page. Go to customer service, order replacement parts. Change the search box to "Part name or number" and enter the PN without the dashes.

If you click on the picture icon next to the 'add to cart' quantity you can see a picture. The two 2-pin connectors are for the front and rear lamps. The 3-pin is for the power and return connections. If you search for 2-pin/3-pin harnesses you can find connectors that work. Or you can pull the white plastic pieces off the PCB and connect directly to the pins using wire wrap or soldering.

Len

[Joe Satnik]

JP,

Go back and carefully re-read my last 2 posts, which address just that subject. 

If any part of what I wrote is unclear, let me know. 

To paraphrase my second to the last post, which covers the simplest, (which seems to be what you want) but not the best, modification:

Connecting one lamp wire to one brush wire (or brush wire post on the controller), and the other lamp wire to the other brush wire (post) might work,

but the dimmed (opposite direction) lamp might rob enough field current from the motor that it might lose power and speed.

If you want to experiment.....its your loco.

The way this loco's universal motor, controller and lamps are wired, you can have the simplest mod, which will affect the motor, 

or you can add or fashion an SPDT switch, which will not.  Your choice.   

Joe Satnik

[jpstrainyard]

JP of Acton MA, USA writes,

Mr. Satnik,

I did read your last 2 posts about directional lighting, and I had a thought.....what if I used LED lights instead of incandescent lights ? LED lights use a lot less power that incandescent lights, and probably won't rob power from the motor. There is a company (I don't know what that company is though) that makes screw-in or bayonet base LED lights compatible for use in train headlight sockets. Basically the LED bulbs look like an LED encased in a conventional clear glass globe (either large or small) and a conventional base (either screw-in or bayonet) My prewar loco uses screw-in type bulbs.

Sincerely: JP

[Joe Satnik]

Len,

http://towncountryhobbies.com/Lionel%20Lamp%20Guide.htm

No locos on this chart call out red AND green colored lamps, which were used on accessories. 

I suspect they might have been subbed in when a LHS ran out of clear bulbs or someone wanted to get fancy. 

A standard gauge loco on the chart did spec clear and red (or painted red):

1835E
STEAM ENGINE STANDARD GAUGE
PREWAR
432 & 432R OR 432RP

JP,

A smaller globe lamp with less current draw (= less effect on the motor) and an e10 base is the #1447 bulb.

An LED replacement would work, (close to zero current draw) but would have a dramatically different look and color than "antique".

http://www.ledlight.com/e10-screw-base-tall-round-led-light.aspx

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik