Operations 101: Class Lights (Episode 9)

[@rfpHOscaleLayout]

RF&P would always turn on the red classification lights on the rear of units and between all units in a locomotive consists. The idea was for more lights to be on for safety at grade crossings.

[@eXtremeFX2010]

George, your best educational video yet. I also use decoder buddy as a workaround to get full usage of class lights. Appreciate your visual and demonstration, too. Best informative video on class lights with model railroading.

[@SoundtraxxDCC]

Glad you found it helpful, thanks for the feedback!

[@nicksanto882]

Superb video on the use of lights! It's also good to have an work around to get them! Thanks for the Decoder Buddy shout out!!! 😁

[@SoundtraxxDCC]

Thanks for watching!

[@BNGreen1970]

Nick, Thanks for making a great product deserves the shout out.

[@sixpackmrttomskinner8792]

Thanks for the info on the lights ,have a better understanding

[@SoundtraxxDCC]

Glad to help

[@SoundtraxxDCC]

Glad to help

[@MetroRailProductions]

I actually use the TSU-KN1 for my N scale E units and have been able to add truck lights and marker lights where the class lights are. Love these decoders.

[@SoundtraxxDCC]

Glad to hear you're having success with the decoders!

[@BNGreen1970]

George, great explanation of class lights. One of the best I have seen. I also model mid-70s and I admit I don't remember ever seeing from my early rail fanning or even pictures of BN using anything but white . FYI Decoder Buddy with TSU2 21 is my install of choice in Scale Trains locos.Tsunami 2 with JT's Scale Sound System speakers can't be beat in my opinion. Another great video. Thanks. Mike

[@SoundtraxxDCC]

Thanks Mike! Glad you found it helpful!

[@ironwolfusa]

The facts on the Class lights is amazing, I didn't know they were used for different things and not just show red for rear or green for other.

[@SoundtraxxDCC]

Always great to learn something new!

[@christopherbrown5338]

Do you end up using 3 functions to operate 3 different coloed lights?

[@advantagemooney]

My question also, how do you get three colors. I an S-Helper f7 which has A FACTORY INSTALLED TSUNAMI BUT THE CLASS LIGHTS ARE GREEN WHEN IT'S GOING FORWARD ADD RED WHEN IT'S IN REVERSE.

[@AndrewJohnson-ur3lw]

@@advantagemooney there will be a separate wire for each colour. These will be on a DCC function so that they change with the direction. In the UK we often have white head lights on and at the other end red tail lights. Some locos I have amended so that the tail lights can be switched on if running as a light engine as the red should only be shewn on the rearmost vehicle. I even have one loco programmed so that when parked and engine not running can display red on both ends. Like George says in the video it's often a case of fathoming out how the maker has wired them up.

[@goaliegeorge]

3 separate outputs.

[@goaliegeorge]

@@advantagemooneythis may have been done by S-Helper because they either didn’t know what the colors meant, and wanted to make the loco look pretty, or they saw another loco doing it and assumed that was proper display.. all I can do is guess, but this is why I did this video is so we share more accurate class light operations. Atlas did this on an older high-hood switcher in HO as well, so we have helped many modelers connect those to Tsunami decoders so they get the same behavior…. I hope this helps. Thanks.

[@goaliegeorge]

@@AndrewJohnson-ur3lwhave you wired up individual “head code” lights for proper display on your UK models? Would be very similar to this purpose. Thanks for watching!

[@DirtyDan490-t2v]

Great video. I also heard that the red class lights were used if you are running the engine by itself without a consist behind it. Not sure if that's true or not

[@goaliegeorge]

Could be. Red was used at the rear of a train.. but I’d bet that a single loco would have displayed a dimmed rearward facing headlight, saving the time and need to add the red lens to the class lights. A red flag could also be displayed. But be sure to check out your RRs rules. Thanks.

[@SoundtraxxDCC]

Thanks George for the response.

[@PennCentral99]

What? Wait! You have friends? hahahahahaha, just kidding brother! Although I model modern times, I was aware of the class lights and had a basic understanding, your video provided a clearer explanation. Thanks, Terry

[@SoundtraxxDCC]

One or two hahaha...more when they need install help! :D

[@goaliegeorge]

Well.. I think I have friends.. but it seems many of them won’t admit it in public.. hahaha!! Just kidding. Glad you found this helpful. See ya in July!

[@PennCentral99]

@@goaliegeorge with friends like you, i'd probably ask for install help too. see you there!

[@agraham9356]

Was this locomotive used a DCC ready locomotive?

[@goaliegeorge]

DCC ready with a Decoder Buddy Installed. That way I can get around the scale trains proprietary electronics designed to block out all other brands of decoders. Contact us at SoundTraxx for more details, or search on our YT channel for videos showing this conversion on other scale trains models for guidance. Thanks.

[@SoundtraxxDCC]

Yes, thanks George for the response.