Evans Designs offer three sizes of LEDs that come pre-wired with resistors and diodes so you can use them with DCC track power without needing to add anything. This is a link to the 5mm ones, it shows the 5mm and 3mm LEDs. There is one size that is smaller too.
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/266-U50
A lighting DCC decoder with some type of "keep alive" or "current keeper" would enable you to turn the lights on and off, dim them, have effects (Mars light, strobe light) and would eliminate flicker.
If you don't want to run a pair of wires between the two locos, install a function only decoder for direction light control. Make it easier to couple to another powered unit. Digitrax sells one for about $20.00.
Just don't forget, running a light bulb at full voltage will sometimes deform a plastic shell. That has happened to a couple of people here. Don't have the forum links though.
Most systems have 12 to 16 volt potential.
Look at the below link. I do believe some put the bulb in a brass or aluminum tube to absorb the heat.
https://tonystrains.com/using-low-voltage-lamps-with-dcc-decoders/
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
If they are non powered, I assume you are running them in a consist. You could use a Miniatronics mini plug, and just wire the headlight to the backup light out puts on the lead engine, assuming the dummy is running backwards in the consist.
I've got a couple of those old belt-drive engines. I removed the motors and added a sound-and-lights decoder from Digitrax, and wired the lights to the decoder. Then I MU the sound-dummy engine to the powered engine and I've got sound and lights everywhere.
Be a bit careful. These engines have "hot frames," powered along with one side of the trucks. Be careful that the trucks go on facing the right direction so they don't create a dead short. I'd also recommend using Kadee plastic draft gear boxes, so the couplers are electrically isolated from the frame.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Sounds like your loco has a light bulb. Try to replace with an LED.
Don't forget, the bulb will get quite hot with full voltage. On DC layoiuts, they never get to full voltage.
A 1k, 1/4 watt resistor will work ok with an LED. The NCE Power cab has that setup. I checked the PC board in the connector panel.
If you go with the bulb, put a 22 ohm, 1/2 watt resistor in series with one lead. Helps reduce current surge when power comes on. No idea about directional control.
Some say to use a diode to protect the LED but the Power cab does not use one.
If there are any gears between the wheels in the gear box, try to remove them. Not sure they would make any difference though.
Well, keep the wheel / trucks that supplied the power to the motor, take out the motor, and use those former motor connections, one from each rail, to power the lights. You may have to use resistors between the power and the lights, as I don't know the exact situation and lights you are working with.
I did this with an unpowered F40PH I turned into a lighted "cabbage" unit. The pictures shows the lighting in the reverse direction. When running forward, the headlights also light up, and the red light is out.
Mike.
My You Tube
I have some rubber band powered locomotive that the motors went bad in and. I want to put them in a train but can't figure out how to run the lighting from the dcc tracks