# Fastrack Lighted Bumper Upgrade



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

One of the most unreliable accessories for Fastrack is their lighted bumpers. While they look pretty good, they really did a lousy job when they actually designed them! They actually depend on the diecast posts to bring power to the LED, and then to add insult to injury, they just stuff the LED leads into holes in the diecast posts and hope that'll make a good connection.

It should come as no surprise that this doesn't work all that well!

With that in mind, here's the Fastrack lighted bumper upgrade in pictures. I use #30 black wirewrap wire for my wiring, and the LED is the original, other than having a lousy connection, there's nothing wrong with it. 

Note: When you remove the rear diecast rear supports, do NOT try tapping them out from the bottom. They are brittle and will break. I ended up, after breaking a couple, using my drill press as a hand press and pushing them out from the bottom. Smooth and steady will get them out without any breakage.

*We start with the stock bumper*

















*I grab the LED and pull it straight up*









*Pull the spring loaded bumper out as well*









*Here's the result, a bare top and the spring bumper removed*









*Next, pull the two posts out of the bumper structure*









*Push the bumper front support straight out.
Not shown is where we took all the screws out from below*









*Note that the ends will surely have some breakage, not a problem*









*Solder the fine solid wire to the LED posts*









*Thread the wires through the front bumper support holes*









*Seat the LED firmly into it's previous position*









*Drill small holes in the position indicated*









*Note they are on the painted tie and not in the recess for the base*









*Here you can see the two holes with the rear supports pressed back in*









*Seat the front supports and pull the wires out the rear*









*File a bit of material if necessary for the wires*









*Reseat the supports with some glue to hold them*









*Route the wires through the previously drilled holes*









*Reverse side, screws back in, ready to connect wires*









*Wires soldered to the contacts under the base*









*Tuck wires into rear support beams and secure with glue*









*Assembled topside components, looks almost like new*

















*Jumper across the two outside rails, this helps with reliability*


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## Mark Boyce (Jul 22, 2015)

John, thank you! The step by step photos are great. I have two of these and noticed one is not reliable but hadn't taken the time to even inspect it. Now I will


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Guest (May 1, 2016)

Thanks for the explanation and pictures, John. I got my 6 bumpers to light up by fiddling with the LEDs. I guess that by twisting and pressing the LEDs I got them to make contact. When I build my new layout I will wire them as you show so they are more reliable.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I had taken these pictures a long time ago, figured I might as well use them.  One thing to note that I didn't mention, and I'll edit the first post to note it as well. When you remove the rear diecast rear supports, do NOT try tapping them out from the bottom. They are brittle and will break. I ended up, after breaking a couple, using my drill press as a hand press and pushing them out from the bottom.


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## lionel4408 (Dec 19, 2013)

Thanks Gunrunner John for such a detailed and complete repair guide to the fastrack lighted bumpers. I appreciate that you included pictures in your description. That was very professional of you. I feel confident that I can succeed in this repair now.
Your friend from Missouri, Jim Landers


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

In concept the repair is very simple. The hardest part is taking apart the delicate diecast posts without breaking them. The rest was pretty easy.


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## DennyM (Jan 3, 2016)

You should have a do-it-yourself class for small repairs and upgrades.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I can never seem to find the time for a class.


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## Yellowstone Special (Jun 23, 2015)

Excellent step by step in instructions, John! :thumbsup:

But not being a master hobbiest/repairman many of you are, I just chose not to use these. The modification to make it work seems more trouble than it's worth. I just use the non-illuminated ones with what look like sawed-off railroad ties sticking up and they work just fine. 

Also, I wonder if the vintage Lionel die cast illuminated bumpers could be attached to a Fastrack section. I used these on my layout in California back in the late 1980s and never had a problem with them. 









For a bumper, the light seems unnecessary and I've never seen a prototypical one with a light. But, that's just me.


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## DennyM (Jan 3, 2016)

Vern, I like your elevated figure 8.


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## Lee Willis (Jan 1, 2014)

Every one of those I ever had gave problems sooner or later. I threw them all out, and having replaced my Fastrak with Atlas track after the Simple green debacle, don't need them now. But this is a nice, easy to do fix. Maybe Lionel will read it.


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## Yellowstone Special (Jun 23, 2015)

DennyM said:


> Vern, I like your elevated figure 8.


Thank you, Denny. This was my first permanent layout, which ended up lasting for only a couple of years before it was sold and we moved.

gunrunnerjohn: My apologies. I'd meant to post this in the OTHER thread on Fastrack lighted bumpers. Sorry about that.


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## laz57 (Sep 19, 2015)

YOU are thee MAN, JOHN!!! Well done:appl::smilie_daumenpos:.


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## DennyM (Jan 3, 2016)

Yellowstone Special said:


> Thank you, Denny. This was my first permanent layout, which ended up lasting for only a couple of years before it was sold and we moved.
> 
> gunrunnerjohn: My apologies. I'd meant to post this in the OTHER thread on Fastrack lighted bumpers. Sorry about that.


I posted a link about Caboose Hobbies on the Lego train thread. I spaced out and thought I was making a new thread.:goofball:


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I moved it Denny, it is a new thread now.


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## chipset35 (Sep 4, 2015)

Thank You GRJ!
I will work on them this weekend!


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## DennyM (Jan 3, 2016)

Thanks GRJ.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

You're welcome folks, hope it's of some help.


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## Frankfordjunction (Dec 11, 2012)

WOW! Those support legs look a lot bigger in your pictures than they do when I pick one up and try to figure out how to do this. Those eye operations are murder. Thanks, John. None of my bumper LEDs work right now. There is hope.


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## Guest (Jan 14, 2017)

Very impressive step by step.


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## chipset35 (Sep 4, 2015)

What ever possessed Lionel to design and sell such a POS product?
Even worse, never pull it from the shelves and re-design it?
Better yet, dealers refusing to buy it due to the large amount of returns?


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

When they called them toy trains, for this product they weren't kidding.


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