Disassembly of battery lit coach

[amflyer1]

Does anyone know how to disassemble a battery lit G scale coach to replace the bulbs? I have removed all the proper screws in the undercarriage but the brass conductors seem to be holding the floorpan to the body. I don't want to force it.

[Jon D. Miller]

Let's try this.  Hope I can explain so you can follow along.

First, there are 10 Philips head screws to remove in order to release the chassis.  There are four screws along the extreme edge of chasis that attach the car body. Remove these screws.

There are six screws, three on each side, set in slightly from the edge of the chassis.  These screws attach the seat platform to the chassis.  These must be removed in order to get the body off the chassis.

At the end of the chassis are two tabs on the car body ends.  These must be drepressed to free the car body.

Once all the above has been removed, note there are small wires that attach with very small screws through a brass strip to the seat platform.  Remove these screws and note that the brass strips must be bent up to release the seat platform from the car body.  Unless these small brass strips are not bent up then the seat platform can not be removed.

Once all of this is accomplished the car body can be removed from the chassis and access is gained to the inside of the car body in order to change out the bulbs.

Note that the trucks, since they are wired from the electrical pickups on the wheels do not need to be removed.

Hope this will help you get your coaches apart in order the change the light bulbs.

"One of the Enthusiastic Children"

JD

[Sleeping Bear]

 The other style has two brass contact strips loosly attached to the inside of the roof area and two more screwed to the inside of the chassis (bottom piece,between seats and top of chassis) These four pieces, two either side, make a wiper style or pressure contact. They each have a sort of bump in them that helps hold connection. If you have all the screws out and the tabs depressed as Jon instrucked then the chassis should lift out and then the seats. My battery powered cars are like this and my track powered cars are as Jon described. hope this is some help......later all.......S.B.

[amflyer1]

Thanks to the both of you for your quick response. It helped a bunch.

[glennk28]

While you have gone to all the bother of opening up the coach to replace the bulbs--consider replacing them with 5mm diameter LED's--battery life will be longer, and you'll never have to replace them again.
gj

[TRACKER]

I dissassembled the coach but I can't get the bulbs out of the roof fixture.  How do you actually remove the bulbs without breaking something.

[glennk28]

try a piece of automotive vacuum hose as a wrench--or plastic tube--gj

[Loco Bill Canelos]

If that doesn't work try a little wd-40. VERY LITTLE inthe socket area, dry the bulb and go back the the tubes mentioned by Glenn

[NarrowMinded]

Try tightening them slightly then unscrewing them, this trick also works with all stuck fasteners.

NM

[napa15]

So those bulbs are just screwed in to a small socket in the coaches? I just had one of my coaches apart the other day for a blown out bulb but could not figure out how to get them out. This is most helpful. Also, where is the best place to get a replacement bulbs (the LEDs) locally (like Lowe's or Home Depot)?

[Sleeping Bear]

   The best place for LED's right know would be K-Mart or a Dollar store. A 50 or more count string is under $10, that is way cheaper than one at a time at Radio shack, $1-$2 each. Take the LED's out and toss the rest, or use the remains as trade in's at Home Depot if their still doing that near you. You may require a diode to limit current. Their is a post on here some where that tells about it, I'll look and add  another post with more info if someone else hasn't explained before I find it....later all......S.B.                                            O.K. found some info.....on October 7 and 21 there were posts along these lines.  If NarrowMinded reads this and could put in his two cents, or any one that knows what the deal with diodes is(as I'm still not real sure) I think it would be a big help to many of us.  again.....later all......S.B.

[napa15]

Thanks for all the information posted here. You guys are a huge help.