Lionel Berkshire Boiler Cover & LED Repair

The tiny harness connectors must be disconnected.  If you have small hands, you can do this with your fingernails.  I typically use a small spudger or tiny pick.  One is a wide, 8-pin connector (markers and number boards) and one is a small, 2-pin connector (headlight).

Once these connectors are separated, it's time to work on the sub assembly.

The first thing you may ask yourself is HOW in the WORLD do these lamps get replaced?  After all, there is a long connector that can't possibly fit through the wiring holes provided.  These are electrical PIN connectors.  All PIN connectors can be disassembled from their harness end, whether you are working on a big Mack truck or a tiny computer.  Here is a picture of both harnesses, with one wire removed from the connector.  Each light has a gray and a black wire that MUST BE REINSTALLED IN THE SAME SPOT.  Remember, you are disassembling an electrical harness.  The main board supplies specific voltage to each PIN, and each 2 PINS (gray/black) runs a specific LED.    

  

The wires are removed from the harness connector by gently lifting the seating tab on the harness.  Here is a close up.  That large metal rod?  Yeah, that's a sewing needle.  Did I mention you will need magnifiers?  No?  LOL
See the little tabs in the second picture?  They are like little diving boards.  Slip your needle under one and gently flex it upward.  Then slide the wire out.  Make a diagram of what wire goes where, and what component it drives.  In my case, the left 4 pins were the marker lights and the right 4 pins were the number boards.  If you are simply replacing an LED, you do NOT need to disassemble ALL of the connector wires.  Simply remove the two wires from the defective LED at the harness.  

  

Note how these wires slide out of the connector.  They reinstall the same way and click into place.



You will note that the marker lights and the number boards also screw onto the boiler faceplate.  A good 00 size screwdriver will help you there.  Once the screw is removed, the entire LED simply feeds through the holes.  Now, simply reverse your steps and BOOM, you've repaired a tiny LED.  

Here's a stripped boiler front and smokebox inspection hatch.  I have marked in red where tiny screws go.  The bell screw is at the top, then the next outboard one is a number board mounting screw and the furthermost outboard is the marker light screw.  The one at the bottom is for the headlight assembly.  The other holes are where the LED wiring for each LED is routed.



I've also marked the two smoke box inspection plate screws.  These have a tendency to go in crooked and very snug, so take your time. The top one threads from the top down and the bottom one threads from the bottom up.  
After you have completed your repair, reattach the connectors to their respective harnesses... they only go on one way... watch your tabs... you can reattach the boiler front assembly and screw her back into place.  Then reinstall the body shell on the chassis, being VERY careful not to pinch any wires.  If something doesn't fit right, STOP.  Look for obstructions.  Look for dangling wires.  Make sure the body is seated fully before reinstalling the screws.  
Test your loco, and then grab a brew.  You've earned it!  

Anyway, I hope this tutorial helps someone out sometime in the future.