Classification lights... suggestion. Plus questions

[modelmaker51]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dehusman

Is the engine running light a train or is it just moving around in the yard?

The classification lights tell what type of train it is. If the engines are a power move and running by them selves as an extra, then they would be white. If the engines are running as a scheduled train, then they would be dark. If they are a leading section, then they would be green. If they are just engines moving around in a yard, before or after they are put on a train, then they would be dark.

Dave H.

dehusman has it right. "If they are a leading section, then they would be green."....this pertains to a train that is too long to run as one single train and is devided into 2 sections (trains). The lead section shows green class lights, the trailing section would be dark. Trains are sometimes broken up to get over mountains or if they're too long for the passing sidings on that line.

All extras, including light engine moves, show white. An extra can run ahead or behind a regular. The class lights do not denote priority. That's done with train orders.

So:

Dark = Regular Schedule Train
White= Extras
Green= Lead Engine/Section of multiple section train

[Anonymous]

So an Extra runs ahead of the scheduled train not behind it? What happens...
1. if there is more than one extra... say holiday time traffic or troop movements
2. where all moves of a type (e.g. freight) are extras?

Locos running light... as an extra... would run WHITE class lights NOT green?... UM... I've got lost.. no lights are the scheduled section... White lights are the extra (I think) what's green??? It's so much easier to use 4 character headcodes or position light headcodes!

Can extras run behind the scheduled section? Do the tail lights change position on cabooses...is that a different issue?

[dehusman]

Is the engine running light a train or is it just moving around in the yard?

The classification lights tell what type of train it is. If the engines are a power move and running by them selves as an extra, then they would be white. If the engines are running as a scheduled train, then they would be dark. If they are a leading section, then they would be green. If they are just engines moving around in a yard, before or after they are put on a train, then they would be dark.

Dave H.

[Anonymous]

You can have a seperately controlled lighting output alongside the directional lights very easily - I just reprogrammed a CV to have F1 control that function output. The directional lighting is unchanged. However, if you wanted more than two extra individually-controlled bulbs as well as your directional headlights you'd need another function-only decoder (unless someone makes a decoder with more than 4 functions - not aware of such a thing but it may exist). Hope this is of use!

[tsasala]

I remember tri-color LEDs from years ago. R/G/B LEDs where highly sought after back in the 90's (RGB=White when all on).

http://www.home.agilent.com/cgi-bin/pub/agilent/editorial/cp_MiscEditorial.jsp?NAV_ID=-536884607.0.02&LANGUAGE_CODE=eng&ID=709910&COUNTRY_CODE=US

-Tom

[Don Gibson]

Classification light's were generally white or green, and red when on the tail end sustituting for the caboose's marker light's.

Problem is not green or red (bi-colored LED) but white, which is a special LED or incandecent bulb. Fibre optic's gives you size but it's source light is the above.CHOICE is white, red and green, or yellow (combining r & g).

The only exception I can think of is a fibre optic box with two selectable bulbs - and by selectable I mean controlling them separately. One can get white light by adding blue to red and green (like your TV), but I don't know of any packages of white with separate Anodes, or whether they would even be affordable. Last time I looked, Blue's were selling for $5.each.

I would settle for using 1.4v incandescent's, not LED's. It's tricky to get a +/- 2.2 volts.
Better to buy Stewart's FT (comes with bi-directional classification light's.

[jimrice4449]

Like some prototypes, all my frts are extras and all psgr regularly scheduled (really got to get working on those psgr schedules one of these days) so I run a fiber optic strand from my frt headlight casings to serve as class lights. Heat the ends a bit and they'll soften up to make acceptable lenses. Works good.

[Anonymous]

Powering and controlling them would be easy enough under DCC - if you use a 4-function decoder you'd be able to map a spare function output to control class lights with F1. I've done this using a Lenz 1014 in the Bachmann doodlebug below - the headlight is F0 as usual, the interior light is F1 (Output D mapped to F1). Hope this is of help!

[Anonymous]

I can't find the thread I saw asking about classification lights...

I was going to suggest using tri-colour LEDs... red, green and white (or yellow) yellow would be okay from what was said if the lights were dim/covered with dirt.,

Hope this helps

Anyone help on the wiring/DCC control?

After 1st answer...

Q 1. If a loco is running light (on it's own) would it show class lights as well as tail lights... Wouldn't this mean a loco would need DCC to manage white front (or Green???) and red rear... can this be done.

Q2. would it be easier to use a combination of LED and fibre optic at each end... how easy are fibre optics for class lights??