02-01-2013, 10:40 AM
The decoders I'm familiar with don't appear to have much beyond a dimming feature, but prototypical headlight operation seems to require several alternatives:
1. Headlight out for operation within yard limits or when in the clear on sidings
2. Headlight-only operation, either dim or full strength, without ditch lights, in particular situations, including low speed non-yard operation, grade crossings or meeting opposing trains, or rear of DPU
3. Full headlight with ditch light operation on main line
4. Flashing ditch lights on main line grade crossing approach
I'm not up on the very latest production of modern era locos, but in general, I note that even model locos with ditch lights installed, like Kato 9-44 units, AC4400s, or SD9043MACs, don't have the light bars set up to distinguish headlight-only from headlight-with-ditch lights or flashing ditch lights. I haven't had the body off my Atlas Trainman gensets to see if they have the potential for this distinction. By the same token, I don't know of decoders that will handle all these options, but as I say, I'm new to DCC.
Does anyone have knowledge of decoders or factory models that can handle all these options?
1. Headlight out for operation within yard limits or when in the clear on sidings
2. Headlight-only operation, either dim or full strength, without ditch lights, in particular situations, including low speed non-yard operation, grade crossings or meeting opposing trains, or rear of DPU
3. Full headlight with ditch light operation on main line
4. Flashing ditch lights on main line grade crossing approach
I'm not up on the very latest production of modern era locos, but in general, I note that even model locos with ditch lights installed, like Kato 9-44 units, AC4400s, or SD9043MACs, don't have the light bars set up to distinguish headlight-only from headlight-with-ditch lights or flashing ditch lights. I haven't had the body off my Atlas Trainman gensets to see if they have the potential for this distinction. By the same token, I don't know of decoders that will handle all these options, but as I say, I'm new to DCC.
Does anyone have knowledge of decoders or factory models that can handle all these options?