Lionel Modern FT Dummy Interior and Lighting

Fits the 2434239 Texas Special FT Dummy and similar FT Dummy Engines

 The Modern FT dummy came with no interior, lighting or pickups.  

To add pickups and lighting you need the following,  Lionel part numbers shown.

• 2  collector insulators for F-3 / FT - 6002367093
• 2 Center rail pickups, they come with wires  6108100145
• 2 screws 3 mm x 6.0 mm x .5 thd - 6208241673
• 2 insulator washers fiber .125"ID x .260"OD x .030"thk - 6108154038
• 2 ground wire mounting screws / 2 mm x 4.0 mm x .4 thd
• Interior and side marker lights  cs-6801365300-p
• Optional, headlight  cs-6801365320-p
• Buck convertor set to 5v DC output.  The one I used is “AC/DC to DC Step Down Buck Converter Voltage Regulator Power Supply Board 2A LM2596HV Converter Module”
• Buck convertor holder.  Optional,
• 2 2mm x 6 mm thread bolts or 2 .08" diam x .25" bolts.

Interior pieces

• 3D printed Interior  FT-interior-stl.  .step file provided.    Supports needed at the base only because of the feet.   Free for personal use.  Commercial use rights reserved.
• 1 or 2 Engineer figures.
• Paint as desired

Fitting the interior

The FT dummy shell with the interior light mounted.

Test fitting the interior, All the way forward.

The back with the notch for the light board

The feet make the interior clear the truck mount.

The interior fits inside the frame.

Wiring of the frame

Pickup insulators and pickups have been added to front and rear trucks. The red-yellow arrow shows the collector insulator that goes in first.  Then the collector.  The blue-yellow arrow shows the bolt with the fiber insulating washer under it.

The yellow wires are from the pickups.

The ground wires are attached to the truck mounts for good electrical conductivity.    The frame and trucks are painted and the frame does not ground well.

The Buck Convertor was tested on the track and set to 5v DC output  using the Varistor adjusment.   The pig tail has red positive. 

The Holder I made for the Buck-convertor.  The holes in the buck convertor at 21mm x 46mm pattern.   You can bolt it or use double back tape to keep it on the frame.  I used bolts.  This can be scaled to fit your Buck convertor.   Holes are for 2mm or .08 diameter bolts, 6mm/1/4" thread max.  Buck-convertor-holder .stl/.stp files. The strings from FBM printing clean up easily.  

Wiring the shell

The interior light is separated from the marker lights.  The lead isn't long enough if left connected.   Then the interior light and marker lights are wired into the pigtail.   Gray wire is positive.   The interior light board is held with a 2mm screw. If you add the headlight, it would also be wired in here.

After soldering and shrink wrap.

Assembly

The interior painted with engineers installed.  Ready for installation.  Don't get too carried away on the detail.  Small details really aren't visible.

Interior installed with some hot glue used to hold the marker lights in place. Headlight is optional, it is not installed here.  Similar to the side markers, it would be held with Hot Glue.   Lionel has used hard industrial grade hot glue to assemble the rear top piece to the shell. 

A little Hot Glue used to hold the interior from moving around during assembly and to hold it from sliding back.

A little tape to hold the marker wires to prevent rubbing on the truck mount.    Then plug in the pigtails and attach the cab. 

A few views of the lighted cab.  The light color back wall helps reflect the light. 

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Last Update Nov. 11, 2024