USAT Car LED Lighting

[Screwy Nick]

    Some years ago I purchased the USAT smooth side passenger cars and the RPO.  I  removed all of the track pick ups, added BB inserts to the wheels and joined all the cars with electrical connectors so the 12V Gel Cell i put in the RPO would power all of the factory provided lighting.  At that time I also purchased enough strip LED's for the 'someday' project of converting the lighting to LED.  Now that 'someday' has arrived, and the only thing that has changed is the price of the LED strips.

    Removing the end the car is easy, but should be done carefully so as not to damage the finish on the roof or the top of the end assembly.  The two screws on the bottom must be removed along with the most rear screw on the coupler pocket.  The car end will pry off slowly and only a little at a time as the top is friction fit with a channel on the inside crown of the roof.  The lighting board will disconnect from the car wiring with a common electrical connector found on many assemblies and the strip will simply slide out.  If you don't see that remove the other end of the car, it's there.

   I found two different types of adhesives used to attach the lamps to the board.  On one the lamps can easily be pried off with just a finger nail and the wire connections to the board clipped off. The other has a more permanent adhesive.  On those I just cut all the wires connecting the lamps to the board and moved the slide connectors to the opposite  of the board.   There is enough room between the board and the roof to allow the strip with the bulbs to slide right back in.  The LED strips have a very good contact adhesive that will hold very securely to the lighting board.  Wires are then soldered to the LED strips and to the lighting board.  Making sure all of the polarity is the same on all cars and the plugs connecting the cars so any car can be be put anywhere in the consist.

    As you can see from the pics,  even in 2PM afternoon, weather reports said Partly Cloudy, the cars illumination is clearly visible.    LG   

     MODERATOR,   THANK YOU.      Screwy Nick

[cowman]

Nick, could you post a picture of the electrical connector you used between the cars?  I just installed my own brand of led lighting in Piko passanger coaches and used Deans micro plug(2NB) for the electrical connections between cars.

 

Bill

[Jerry B44]

Looks good!

[Screwy Nick]

Bill, don't know what they are called, also bought them some years ago.   I used ones that don't lock because if the cars came uncoupled I didn't want them pulled by the wires causing a strain and possible opens or shorts later on.   JMHO

     Jerry, thank you.       

[cowman]

Jerry, thanks for the response.  Lighting looks good in your cars.

    

Bill

[Screwy Nick]

  For those interested,  while looking for Rope on Amazon I stumbled on the LED strips I used at the price I remember paying for them some years ago.   Search:  LEDMO SMD 5630 Light Strip 300LED's 5M, on sale for $ 12.99.  They can be cut to almost any size you want and wires soldered to the connections to fit any situation right down to 3 LED's.   LG

[Screwy Nick]

   I presently have them all linked together to test the longivity of the battery and durability of the circuit.  I know I can get 1+ hours of lighting time on the battery.

     I have snow predicted in my area and I'd love a pic of them head ended with one of my K4's or that beautiful USAT GG1.  Don't know if I'm period correct with either set up, but I know what I  like and think would make a beautiful personalized Christmas Card.