LEDs are great for use on the model railroad and have some great features that make them an ideal alternative to incandesent bulbs. Below is a list of Features Advantages and Benefits of using Bakatronics LEDs on your Railroad Layout or other models.

1. Long lasting. LEDs last an average of 100,000 hours when used properly compared to small bulbs with a 100-300 average life.

2. Inexpensive. Even though white or blue LEDs cost a little more than some bulbs, they last hundreds of times longer and should not need to be replaced. Replacing a bulb on the layout can also be a real chore!

3. Colors, LEDs come in a wide variety of colors.

4. Low Power consumption, LEDs consume very little power where bulbs can consume 80 to 150 ma per bulb. Put 10 of the 150 ma bulb on your layout and wow! 1.5 amps of power just to run the bulb. You can run about 100 LEDs with that much power.

5. Heat, LEDs give almost no heat when properly wired. Bulbs can get very hot and you need to be careful using them inside of buildings, models or near scenery materials like styrofoam. LEDs can be mounted just about anywhere without heat being a factor.

6. LEDs come in many varieties and styles. The most popular sizes are 3mm (.12") and 5 mm (.20") diameters. 2mm and 10mm are also available.

7. Flashing LEDs, Some LEDs come with small electronic circuits built into the LED to make the flash. These are useful as warning lights on buildings, police cars, traffic intersections, contruction vehicles, etc. Bakatronics supplies both 3mm and 5mm Flashing LEDs in Red, Blue, Yellow, and Green.

8. BiPolar LEDs. These are great LEDs that change color when you reverse the polarity of the circuit. Uses include Track direction indicator, train signals, airport runways, etc. The most popular style is the Red / Green LED.

9. Brightness control. LEDs are easily dimmed by using simple resisitors. They use so little current that a small potentiometer can used as a dimmer.

10. Easy to install and wire. All Bakatronics LEDs come with the proper resistors for use with the 12-14 volts DC normally found on model railroad power packs.

I hope this was a helpful primer on the use of LEDs on a model railroad. Please feel free to send me suggestions for other uses or comments using the contact us feature on the site.

Typical Hook Up

Bi Color 3 leg LEDs

Bi Polar 2 leg LEDs

Have Fun, Baka