Proper operation of headlights when locos are in consist ?

[Anonymous]

I was under the impression that when locos are in DCC consist then only lead engine will have its headlight on and the tail engine will have its red marker lights on. But on my NCE system they all turn the headlights on and all turn the tail marker lights.
Is my assumption wrong or am I programming something wrong ?

[dehusman]

In consist, attached to a train, the lead engine should have its headlight on and all the other headlights and ALL the marker lights should be off.

If you had the headlights on on the engines when you consisted them, then they will stay on afterwards. If you had the headlights off when you consisted them then the headlights should stay off.

What type of consistsing did you use?

If you gave all the engines in the consist the same number, then when you turn on the headlight on the lead unit all the headlights will come on.

Dave H.

[Anonymous]

Check your decoder manuals; most of the 'advanced' decoders out there have special CVs for controlling the lights when the train is in a consist. The NMRA DCC standards say the decoder should use CV21 & CV22 as an override to set how the lights should work in a consist.

Of course, that only works if you're using 'advanced consisting' by setting the consist address in CV19. If you're using 'universal consisting' by building the consist in the command station, then you can control the lights in the individual locomotives through their DCC address, even though the 'top' locomotive/consist address controls the whole consist.

[Anonymous]

Yep, I am using advanced consisting and my decoders are NCE as well as my system.
The thing is, when I first tried to play with consists I noticed that headligh on lead was on and marker on tail was on and I thought it is pretty cool (and prototypical) And then I could never reproduce it. So either my memory was playing tricks or I setup my consist differently the first time only.

So just to reitarate - in the prototype only lead has its headlight on ? And the tail DOES NOT have its marker lights on ?

[Anonymous]

On the prototype only the lead unit should have its headlight lit. When backing at night, a white (head)light should also be lit on the end of the rearmost unit, shining in the direction of travel.

A red marker should not be displayed on the rear of any unit, unless it is the last item of equipment on a train. By definition, a "train" is "an engine, or more than one engine coupled, with or without cars, displaying a marker or markers."

[Anonymous]

Makes sense, thanks !

[Anonymous]

You need to watch what era you are modeling and which railroad. It wasn't until the late '50s until some railroads began using the headlights in the daytime. Quite a few railroads didn't use turn the headlights on during the day until the '60s.

Another thing to watch is if you are running a switcher or a way freight in the "headlights lit era" you need both lights on continuously as you will be changing direction frequently.