Model Railroading > numberboards on athearn genesis f units

Are the numberboard on the genesis f units lite up or do I have to drill them out to put my own bulbs to lite them?

Unless something has changed, the Genesis F units DO NOT have lighted number boards and you will have to remove the clear front inserts and drill through the car body to add your own lighting.

I saw a video in which a modeler showed how he did that. He was able to pry off the clear front inserts with a pointed X-acto blade without damaging them. And then after drilling out and filling behind the number board in the car body,  He made simple housings behind the number boards  with LEDs to keep the light from leaking. 

With DCC, I would recommend you set up a separate function to light your number boards, as in most cases the number boards were not lit up during the day or didn't look lit. If you add step or truck lights, you might consider adding those to the same function.

This is on my long list.

Victor Baird

 



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 11/29/24 19:33 by wabash2800.

While you are at it, you might as well drill and light the class lights. The Detail Associates 1708 lens set is perfect for this on the Genesis Fs and GP7/9s.

The gentleman I was referring to, did that too. And he had different colored light sources in the car body to get different class light colors!

Victor Baird

M-636 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> While you are at it, you might as well drill and
> light the class lights. The Detail Associates 1708
> lens set is perfect for this on the Genesis Fs and
> GP7/9s.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/22/24 17:47 by wabash2800.

IIRC when multiple units are in a consist, only the identifying unit's number boards were illuminated.
If there was a point helper the identifying unit would be behind whatever was on the front.
So having a separate light function to the boards is the best solution.
I am too lazy or confused to bother with the seperate function, and I run out of buttons on my NCE throttle, so I run a very low current (through about a 15k resistor) to the number boards on the forward headlight circuit.
What I cannot do is take a good night photo of the unit standing without the headlight, like waiting for a meet or at the roundhouse.
Have fun!

This is why I prefer to get Intermountain F's.    They have lit number boards and markers.   And, if you have a somewhat latter made one with the better motor, they run better than GEN ones.   The only downside is the cab interior is not as nice but you can't see much of it anyway.    If you have older Stewart/Bowser F's with solid number boards;   The number board is a separate part than can be popped out and then get some of the new clear ones from Bowser and presto lit number boards.   That plus the KATO drive on the older ones and all is good, well outside of the mold part lines on the nose which are easy to sand off.   PLANO makes etched stainless grills if needed.