Anyone know if the Union Pacific's DDA40X used flashing ditch lights? As flashing when horn is sounded?
Since most were retired in the mid-1980s they did not have ditch lights. The requirement wasn't added until the 90s. An exception, of course, is 6936 which is still rostered by the UP and has ditch lights mounted below the anti-climber.
The DDA40X fleet was all retired, (except 6936), about ten years before the use of ditch lights was made mandatory. 6936 has them. But I don't recall if any others were ever so equipped.
Well that is the one that Athearn modeled. #6936 , so it does have the ditch lights. Still I don't know as to if the ditch light flashed when the loco sounded the horn. Doing an sound install on one and updating the lights to LED's. BTW if someone gets a non- sound version of this loco and wants to add sound. Takes two decoders. And a special board for the rear decoder. Board has to have a notch in the board so the board will fit into the shell due to the boss that is on the inside of the shell to hold it to the frame.
I don't remember ever looking closely, when a horn was sounded, to see if anything different happens.
In this video https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FAPiiKCgXiM , shot in 2008, 6936 is NOT flashing the ditch lights as it sounds for the crossing at camera right.
UP doesn't use flashing ditch lights anymore. I usually just see that on NS locomotives at slow speed.
I Didn't know that. I have to reprogram my DDA40X not to flash with the horn. Actually I liked the flashing ditch, but will get rid if them if that's the rule. Not sure how to do that on all MTH ones. There is absolutely no control over whatsoever functions with ProtoSound3. That sad ;[ I have the whole fleet of UP heritage units. Looks like I have to rewire the ditch to the output of front light, but then will use same function button ;[ Another question just pop up. How the ditch light are controlled ? Do they turn on with the front light? I mean at the same time or they can be turned on/off independently ? Happy Christmas and New Year !
Thanks for the fast reply. I am asking how they work in real locomotive so I can map light outputs accordingly to match the prototype. I am using dual Titan decoders by QSI. Have plenty of light ports total 20. I've made each led to use its own port, so I can make changes through the decoder if needed. Maybe I should update the other thread with some pictures.
