Coach Lighting

[bulleidboy]

I've been looking at some coach lighting by Layouts4you - this involves putting the usual LED strip stuck inside on the roof, together with a latching reed switch - connected to a button battery. When re-assembled you pass a magnet over the coach and the lights come on and vice versa to turn them off. I was discussing this with a lady exhibitor at the Southampton show on Sunday, and she said the easiest way of operating them, especially with a fiddle yard - was to have tunnel/bridge at the entrance/exit to the fiddle yard, and stick a magnet on the underside of the bridge/tunnel, as the train exits the fiddle yard the lights go on, and when it returns there turned off. Why didn't I think of that?

[footplate1947]

Thanks for the info about the lighting kit and the link to Layout4you, have saved that. The kits seem cheap. I just paid a lot more than that for a similar kit from another firm. Thank you BB

[mijj]

Can I ask a question on coach lighting that seems relevant to this thread? Well two questions really. Having bought a couple of restaurant couches, do they get their volts from the rails for the lamps? Also would a photo electric cell switch on the lights at tunnels and when the main lights are switched off at night? A third has just come to mind - would lamps be lit in a restaurant car anyway ?
Jim.

[Steve M]

Looking at their bestie you have a choice of battery power or adding pickups to the coaches.
With the battery option you really do need a switch of some sort but as I have recently done with an AEC Railcar, I just wired to the existing pickups on the rail side of the decoder plug.
I already had a roll of those LEDs (£5 for 5metres) and didn’t bother with a switch but would consider latching relays if I could find an inexpensive supply.

[dynax]

Can I ask a question on coach lighting that seems relevant to this thread? Well two questions really. Having bought a couple of restaurant couches, do they get their volts from the rails for the lamps? Also would a photo electric cell switch on the lights at tunnels and when the main lights are switched off at night? A third has just come to mind - would lamps be lit in a restaurant car anyway ?
Jim.

one i made sometime ago,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gk1uVg3dBws

there is also an updated video i did a couple of years ago,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apPCT1ZchQY

[mijj]

Thanks for those. I will have to save their addies as I am not quite ready. I can get the parts though, I seem to be getting everything ahead of time .
Jim.

[shroomy]

If you are talking adding coach lighting on dcc
This is the way to go in my eyes fitted quite a few of these now
https://www.digitrains.co.uk/shop-by-pr ... 50709.html

[dynax]

Dave, they're fine if you have deep pockets, but for £18.00 i can do 60 coaches just priced up what i have paid for the components for mine, and for 1 coach works out at under 30 pence, although i did source them from China and had to wait for delivery, but as i bought in bulk that is not an issue, eg, full 1500 reel of smd bridge rectifiers £8, 20 reels of led's £40, ldr's less than a penny each, 2200uf 25v caps from 5p each, but as they say each to their own ,

[shroomy]

Dave, they're fine if you have deep pockets, but for £18.00 i can do 60 coaches just priced up what i have paid for the components for mine, and for 1 coach works out at under 30 pence, although i did source them from China and had to wait for delivery, but as i bought in bulk that is not an issue, eg, full 1500 reel of smd bridge rectifiers £8, 20 reels of led's £40, ldr's less than a penny each, 2200uf 25v caps from 5p each, but as they say each to their own ,

Totally agree on cost
But I liked the idea of all the extras with the benefit of decoder and what you can do with that
Just gives the added interest for me
Have seen they also work on dc
I like gimmicks which is what they
But if you got whole fleets to do your right

[footplate1947]

Morning Dave ,,,,,,,,You must have come up on the lottery I thought it was ridiculous price for what is included in the pack. Certainly not good value for money. If I used them to convert all my coaches I would have to get another mortgage. John