Installing Lights in a PIKO Passenger Car

[@Sparky0566]

Thanks Jonathan for showing us how to do this, now I know what my next project is.

[@PIKOAmerica]

We are happy to help.

[@kessedk]

Great video. I'm completely new to model trains, but considering them for a diy project. How much power is it possible to get from the track into the car? - would be possible to have it run other things like a home made crane? - PIKO has some options for projects like that?

[@PIKOAmerica]

Hi Kesse, In general you can pull power from the track for accessories and other items - just know that they take from the overall available power your power supply/throttle is sending. Plenty of folks do all kinds of customization projects like what you are mentioning... they key is to make sure you have fun!

[@PaulRanky]

Thanks Jonathan for your advice on how to take the roof off... with a LOT of trouble it worked... BUT still it is a TERRIBLE, PRIMITIVE design... designed for PIKO to sell more ULTRA expensive add ons, versus for engineering focused hobbyists to create their own custom add ons and design extensions... and enjoy the ride... because this could be a lot of fun... do it yourselves... this is a HUGE problem with the ENTIRE model railway toy industry, including PIKO! Folks, you should make it more OPEN and MORE accessible for us... by closing your designs with primitive plastic latches etc. as it is today, you turn away millions of young customers... yes, millions... and you still don't see this... AMAZING!

[@GG1man]

I have followed your instructions on removing the roof. So far I cannot get the roof to separate from the body. I managed to press the sides of the car in and partially lift the roof, but it is not coming off. The ends of the roof are being held in place in some fashion. Please help.

[@PIKOAmerica]

Hi Daniel, the video shows how the roof is mounted. We have talked with many folks who felt that they would break it, but as long as pressure is applied in the correct place - we have not heard of one breaking. Please give is a good press at the correct places and let us know.

[@GG1man]

@@PIKOAmerica Well, with much caution I pressed the areas indicated by you and others I've spoken with. However, it still required insertion of a putty knife to get the sides released. But when i tried pulling the roof off completely, it was still being held on at each end where the roof overhangs the open platforms. In the end I was able to get the roof off without any damage to the car. Thank you for responding to my message.

[@paulfinne4156]

@@PIKOAmerica there is a screw on both ends above the exit doors that hold the roof on. (older LGB coachs)

[@jenandyblake7478]

Hi, I am trying to install lights in my Piko caboose. I can not locate any tabs. Is there a different way of taking off the roof? thanks

[@PIKOAmerica]

If you need assistance, please contact [e-mail]. That is the best place to get information. The tabs are shown in the video at roughly 2:30. Jonathan is correct, that you will need a lot of pressure and will likely feel like you will break the model. To date, we have never had anyone contact us because the model is broken. (It just takes a lot of pressure to bend the tabs.) The positioning of where you put pressure is key, so please use that section of the video to help you apply pressure at the right spots.

[@martinb.4431]

Hello, I have few questions regarding this kit. What is the minimum voltage (analog) at which the lights will turn on? Is there a capacitor to maintain the voltage when a car rolls over switches or not perfectly clean rails? Will it still work if polarity of tracks changes and a loco goes in the opposite direction? Or is there a diode bridge needed to be installed separately to have always same polarity for the LED light? Thank you.

[@PIKOAmerica]

The lights should be on fully by about 5 volts. There is no capacitor in the circuit, but having the pickup points at each end of the car helps greatly. The lights work regardless of the track polarity, even on DCC-powered track.

[@martinb.4431]

Thank you, So it's really plug'n'play.

[@hisatsinom]

Do you think that an other economic way will work like this : one ball bearing wheels on front and rear side and leave the others original plastic wheels ?

[@danpikoamerica7314]

Hisatsinom, you could do that if you wanted... however the hardened plastic wheels are black and and ball-bearing wheels are a silver-colored metal. It might look strange. That is why we recommend one regular metal wheel and one ball-bearing wheel on each truck for the economy method.

[@hisatsinom]

Thank you Dan

[@zmorganz1]

I installed this kit but the lights flicker. Is there a capacitor recommended to add?

[@PIKOAmerica]

There may be some aftermarket capacitor or battery add-ons, but nothing from PIKO. When using one ball-bearing wheelset on each truck, we really haven't heard many reports of flickering lights. Those give two pickup points on each rail, spread out quite a distance. It's not too terribly difficult to add some short jumper wires and a second ball-bearing wheelset on each truck, if you want all wheels picking up power. If you have a multi-meter or other tester, I'd suggest first making sure that power is actually reliably getting up to the circuit board from each wheel.

[@zmorganz1]

Can this kit and method be used on a caboose (PIKO)?

[@danpikoamerica7314]

Light installation for other cars is a very similar process, though not exactly the same. If you feel you can handle what is in the video, then you can do light installation on another PIKO car. You can find the parts diagrams on the German site, or you can email [e-mail] and one of us will send the diagrams to the models you are looking for.