Model Railroading > Question re. IMs new CN lighting

I have a new ho CN et44 non sound unit on my dc layout with the decoder in it....the little red marker lights do not come on....and the rear ditch lights are bright in reverse....is this normal for dc? Can the rear lights be turned off, maybe in doc, and stay off for dc operation?
Brian

Didn't they furnish a CV listing with the engine?

To get all the lighting functions you need to have a sound decoder on a DCC track.

A DCC ready locomotive does not have a decoder of any sort with CV values you can change. The motherboard provides model lights but it has directional capabilities but no dimming. The red marker lights are not likely connected since prototype railroads do not use them for backing moves.

FBE, that's not 100% correct. To get sound, you need a sound decoder. All non sound decoders (OP states his locomotive has a decoder) have light outputs, some more than others and have since their inception, as having the light on at a constant brightness was one of the main selling features of DCC, after independent control of each locomotive anywhere on the layout. On a DC layout the lights do go out when the throttle is reduced to 0, but still work through the decoder, but you're right, perhaps only the headlight and back up light, depending on the decoder.

As to the OP's original question, you will need to check the programming of your decoder somehow. If you have a friend who has DCC ask him to do it for you. That's one of the problems with using DCC on a DC layout, you need DCC to read what the decoder is set for and make changes if the decoder will allow it.

Peter



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/15/17 05:57 by herronpeter.