Head lamp for 4-4-0

[Tom Gray]

OK I did it I burned out the head lamp....Now how hard is it to replace and how do I do it?

Tom

[Yampa Bob]

Hi Tom
Can you please advise us of the locomotive stock number?

Thanks

[Tim]

Tom

The headlight in your 4-4-0 is an LED, I find it hard to believe
that it burned out.  Check that the connections between loco
and tender are fully inserted in their sockets.  The headlight
power is supplied by the decoder in the tender.

Also remove the smokebox front and check that the connectors
have not come off the lamp leads. 

Are you running DC or DCC ?

If in fact the LED is bad, it is possible to replace it, but I have not found
a direct replacement.  The new LED will have to be modified to fit.

I can help with that, as I have done it many times on my own loco's.

Tim Anders
Souderton, PA

[BaltoOhioRRfan]

Tom

The headlight in your 4-4-0 is an LED, I find it hard to believe
that it burned out.  Check that the connections between loco
and tender are fully inserted in their sockets.  The headlight
power is supplied by the decoder in the tender.

Also remove the smokebox front and check that the connectors
have not come off the lamp leads. 

Are you running DC or DCC ?

If in fact the LED is bad, it is possible to replace it, but I have not found
a direct replacement.  The new LED will have to be modified to fit.

I can help with that, as I have done it many times on my own loco's.

Tim Anders
Souderton, PA

Only the Richmonds have the LED in them, the Older Timers in the standard line still have the grain of wheat bulbs, atleast the new Royal Blue i have still has it.


Are you using the Spectrum "Modern" 4-4-0's or the Standard Old Time 4-4-0 Tom? I personally have atleast 6 of each, just picked up two of the three Ma & Pa 4-4-0's, gonna get #6 when my LHS gets it back in.

[Tom Gray]

Sorry did not get back sooner...I am not sure how to tell the model number..  The circuit board in the tender has some lans burned out.  I think that one of the tender trucks got shorted.  When I went to test the led I forgot to use a resistor.  So noe I am going to replace the circuit board and decoder with a sound decoder...and a new led of course....

[Tom Gray]

I am running DCC.... how is the best way to remove the smoke box

[richG]

I hard wired my Spectrum 4-4-0 with a Micro-Tsunami. I used a 1k resistor which allows about 10ma current which is just fine.
The smoke box front was very difficult to remove.  The flange portion of the front is very thin and it is easy to break off. I used a combination of #11 Xacto blade and small jewelers flat screwdriver as I recall. I pried from the bottom in case I might have broken off some of the smoke box cover. Take your time.
Inside the smoke box are the wires with a little "clip" on each wire that the LED wire sticks into. The "clips" are loose inside so you cannot poke new LED wires in and expect to connect. I was able to easily pry the headlight off the smoke box and the leads came out of the smoke box. I think I used a 1.6mm white LED that has stiff leads with a thin dab of railbox yellow on it.
Here is a photo of the finished product.



Rich

[CNE Runner]

Rich: I love that oil lamp conversion you did on your Richmond 4-4-0. I model the later 1880's and have to "bend the rules" by living with the Bachmann supplied electric headlight. Did you also remove the steam powered electrical generator in front of the cab? This is another anomaly I have to live with. Super pictures and kudos on the completion of a very difficult installation.

I only wish Bachmann would upgrade some of their Old Timer 4-4-0s to (at least) DCC. The motor unit would still have to be in the tender - with the familiar tender-to-cab shaft drive. After closely looking at one of my Old Timers; it became readily apparent that a sound system is out of the question in such a small engine...of course it could be installed in a following piece of rolling stock.

Oh, the Old Timers sported a grain-of-wheat bulb and not an LED as do the Richmond variants.

Ray

[richG]

I did not remove the generator when I made the conversion. I am a poor planner at times.
I realized I could have used a white LED with no paint coating for a "White" headlight. Around 1900 carbon arc lamps where being installed and the arc light is Very bright. So bright, that engineers had to turn them off when approaching another loco or entering a station on some railroads according to some research I made concerning carbon arc lamps on locomotives. Some railroads had a low wattage incandescent lamp inside the headlight as incandescent filaments where not very rugged at the time. Incandescent headlights started to appear a coupe years later. You have to remember, railroads were continually evolving. I guess I could have said the company was experimenting with carbon arc lamps using a oil lamp housing.

Rich

[CNE Runner]

Rich - you do make a good point about the change in lighting. I just finished reading a book entitled Set Up Running by John W. Orr which details the railroading career of his father (from his hiring on as a fireman in 1909 to his retirement in 1949). This is a wonderful resource that portrays railroading, on the Pennsylvania Railroad, in the early to mid 20th century. In the book, the lead character, O.P. Orr, makes a point about proper headlamp maintenance. He always cleaned the lens and reflector as well as carefully triming the wick before any night run...including yard switching. When first running a locomotive with electric lighting, he was amazed at how far it projected the beam. And you are right again: he shut off the headlight when meeting another train.

Set Up Running ranks along with the Frank Spearman novels as being essential parts of any railroad library. Thanks for showing us your American.

Ray

[richG]

Hi Ray

Thanks for the reference to the book. I found a new paper back version for $19.11.

\Here is a link to a carbon arc setup, though the engine is a little post 1900, but the lamp setup is typical for carbon arc lamps with the small incandescnet lamp.

http://www.trainweb.org/gyra/misc/turbo.htm

Rich