Is there a difference in appearance?
Has anyone used either or both for this purpose?
Thanks in advance
I don't have any oscillating headlights, so I can't comment on appearance. But, LEDs will last longer than bulbs, particularly in an application where they're going on and off constantly. This kind of cycle will wear out the filament on a bulb faster than just leaving it on, because there is some thermal stress every time you turn a bulb on and off. That doesn't happen with a LED.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
It depends on the decoder. Some decoders handle LEDs better than others - TCS tends to work very well with LEDs (they have sufficient adjustment to handle the different characteristics of an LED) as well as bulbs, while Digitrax decoders work much betetr with bulbs than they do with LEDs (when it comes to effects like oscillating lights - for simple on/dim/off lights it doesn't matter much), My preference is towards LEDs, especially if it's difficult to get to the bulb - with LEDs I don;t have to worry about them burning out, at least in my lifetime.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
wabash,
I really like and prefer LEDs for headlights because of the reasons already given. They are also more directional than incandescents, which tend to cast a more even light. (Hence, why I prefer incandescents to LEDs for interior and exterior lighting on the layout.)
With that said, I do have an PCM F3 that has an LED for a Mars lights. It does a pretty decent job at it. However, whereas an incandescent bulb will dim down to nothing then come up to full strength, an LED only dims to a certain point before it blacks out completely.
It's a trade off either way. I think a incandescent looks more realistic with the oscillating headlight effect. However, you'll have to change an incandescent out more than you would if you used an LED. How often would that be? That would depend on the life rating of the incandescent bulb.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
I use Tsunami decoders and LEDs.
The Tsunami's have a setting for LEDs but you still have to add the dropping resistors. My layout is set in the early 1960's, so I have the headlights set for mars oscillating lights. They look very good to me and I think the decoder does a good job of simulating it. I also have a rotary roof light (LED) for a maintenance van. That looks good as well.
Elmer.
The above is my opinion, from an active and experienced Model Railroader in N scale and HO since 1961.
(Modeling Freelance, Eastern US, HO scale, in 1962, with NCE DCC for locomotive control and a stand alone LocoNet for block detection and signals.) http://waynes-trains.com/ at home, and N scale at the Club.
I was messing around one day with a Bowser/Stewart Baldwin RS12 with sunny white LEDs for head lights and a TCS decoder. Even though the led shines into a light pipe I was amazed at how good the oscillation worked. You could actually see it figure 8. How they do that is beyond me but it did look cool.
Except for ditch lights I believe TCS has the best lighting effects for LEDs. NCE seems to have the better ditch lights for LEDs. I lost a prize super detailed RS1 shell because of a bulb so I went whole hog and swapped bulbs for sunny white and golden white LEDs in all my locos.
Pete
I pray every day I break even, Cause I can really use the money!
I started with nothing and still have most of it left!
Here's a question: What is used in the Proto-2k F7's that Walthers sells with their 'name' passenger trains? I've seen some GN units with Mars lights that are absolutely stunning - very bright flashes. I would assume this cannot readily be achieved with LED's - ...
I'm asking specifically - does anyone know what is used in these Walthers units? - thanks
The have a more complex circuit and use bulbs with double filaments. Most DCC decoders coupled with a standard bulb actually make a better looking Mars light.