Model Railroading > Kato (with LokSound) SD80MAC Ditch Light Question

I recently purchased a Kato SD80MAC (Kobo Shops with ESU LokSound DCC/Sound decoder) and noticed the ditch lights do not flash.  I e-mailed Kato and was told they are not capable of flashing.  This doesn't seem to make sense since other ESU LokSound equipped untis that I have all have flashing ditch lights.  Has anyone else run into this and does anyone know of a possible CV setting that could solve the issue? (I tried changing CV 112 which controls the flash rate on my Intermoutain ESU-equipped units, but that didn't work)

Thanks in advance!

If you open the shell, are the headlights and ditch lights light bars with one LED lighting up both light bars. I f not email Matt Herman at ESU/Lok Sound. He might be able to help you out with the CV problem.

Thanks Steve Tuff
Burlington Junction

Hello,

Most likely it is because the same led is used for the headlight and ditch lights. You will have to install separate leds in each ditch light housing and wire them to separate function outputs on the decoder.

Troy

Posted from Android

Thanks all, appreciate the advice!

If you want the ditch lights to flash you will need one led on EACH ditchlight. These must be separate from the headlight led. This also means you will need an aux (function)for each of these leds. Then the decoder needs to be programmed to allow the flashing when the horn button is depressed.

The first question to ask is if the crossing lights flash when the horn is blown or are they just on steady? Flashing crossing lights are not as popular as when they were first installed.

There is post on the second page of this post which states the UP does not use flashing crossing lights.

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,3697903,page=1

Posted from Windows Phone OS 7



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/18/15 17:27 by fbe.

fbe Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
>
> The first question to ask is if the crossing
> lights when the horn is blown or are they just on
> steady? Flashing crossing lights are not as
> popular as when they were first installed.
>

Unfortunately, the former Conrail - CSX units (now traded to NS) do flash with the horn.   Mine is a CSX engine.

I have a couple of the Kato SD9043 models. There are two light tubes going to the front of the units and are lit by one led. One tube is for the headlight while the other splits into two routes to the ditchlights.

I did not want flashing ditch lights so I just lifted one of the tubes above the other. I left the headlight tube in front of the headlight led. I placed a metal piece between the light tubes to prevent light leaks between the two. I then lined up a new led with the ditch light tube and connected that to a function on the decoder.

If I wanted flashing ditch lights I would have cut the light tube behind the wye split and lined up an led on each path. That would require two functions on the decoder.

It takes a bit of time but it is straight forward once you take the shell off.

Posted from Windows Phone OS 7