Trains.com

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Broadway Limited F3 with blinking top headlight

2393 views
8 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    January 2014
  • 197 posts
Posted by ChrisVA on Thursday, October 1, 2020 2:21 PM

Thanks for the info, much appreciated!

  • Member since
    October 2008
  • From: Canada
  • 1,820 posts
Posted by cv_acr on Thursday, October 1, 2020 2:08 PM

ChrisVA

I think you are correct that this is a Mars light or gyralite. Manual says F7 for Mars light on/off. Light goes off when I press F7. Does not seem to be a way that I've discovered yet for it to be on constantly.

It's not meant to be.

When F-units had dual headlights like that, the top one was a gyralight. The regular headlight went in the door because the gyralight mechanicals were a lot heavier. 

So the bottom light is the headlight, the top light is a oscilliating gyralight, meanth for better warning visibility to others of the approaching train. It would not be a solid-on headlight.

The engine/decoder is set up correctly and deliberately.

  • Member since
    January 2014
  • 197 posts
Posted by ChrisVA on Thursday, October 1, 2020 1:59 PM

I may just be ignorant of how the prototype operated for these locos. This may be prototypical operation.

 

  • Member since
    January 2014
  • 197 posts
Posted by ChrisVA on Thursday, October 1, 2020 1:58 PM

I think you are correct that this is a Mars light or gyralite. Manual says F7 for Mars light on/off. Light goes off when I press F7. Does not seem to be a way that I've discovered yet for it to be on constantly.

 

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 21,669 posts
Posted by Overmod on Thursday, October 1, 2020 1:37 PM

From what I see on line, F7 is the toggle for a Mars light on the F3 model.

  • Member since
    January 2014
  • 197 posts
Posted by ChrisVA on Thursday, October 1, 2020 1:34 PM

I have the manual and looked throught it. I didnt see anything about blinking headlight, just F0 for on/off

 

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 21,669 posts
Posted by Overmod on Thursday, October 1, 2020 1:33 PM

Suspect this is a prototype that had a Mars light or Gyralite in the upper housing.  There are usually selectable 'patterns' for the effect in definable CVs -- I don't know these for BLI but there are people here who will.  We in fact have had a couple of recent threads about simulating different types of these lights.

  • Member since
    April 2004
  • From: Ontario Canada
  • 3,574 posts
Posted by Mark R. on Thursday, October 1, 2020 1:29 PM

Did you not get a manual with the model ?  Things like that are usually explained there.

Mark.

¡ uʍop ǝpısdn sı ǝɹnʇɐuƃıs ʎɯ 'dlǝɥ

  • Member since
    January 2014
  • 197 posts
Broadway Limited F3 with blinking top headlight
Posted by ChrisVA on Thursday, October 1, 2020 1:14 PM

I just got a BLI F3 locomotive on eBay. I'm noticing that the top headlight blinks when direction is set to forward. Lower headlight goes on/off when I press F0 as expected. I'm suspecting that this the blinking headlight is not a feature controlled by a CV? Does this sound like a problem that needs repair?
Thanks!

 

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Users Online

There are no community member online

Search the Community

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!