OK peeps, I am breaking into the world of DCC soon, and I plan to be getting an NCE Power Cab. I plan to use 1-4 locos at a time right now, sound is not going to be in play, but I really want to set up my GP35E and GP20 up with a fully functional Southern Pacific light package, with both types of occelating lights in the nose. If I can't get both, the gyralite will have to do, since the red light is emergency only. I know that I will need some fiber optics for the lens, some LED, but what decoder will I need? The 2 locos in question are the older style, that have the 2 led boards. One is a Kato built Atlas GP35 http://www.spookshow.net/loco/files/katogp3035mech.jpg and a Life-Like GP20 http://www.spookshow.net/files/llgp20mech.jpg (linking to Spookshow since I don't own his images). Which decoder would work the best to make these nose lights work? Thanks, John
Howdy John, For both, you can go with the TCS CN-GP. They are 4 function decoders. So you can do the head light and the oscillating lights. Front and back. These are the split decoders. Google it- to check them out. Enjoy, Wolf
It seems that it's a 3 function decoder. I have installed one of them in an Atlas GP9 but didn't do any lighting. I want to get into that next! http://tcsdcc.com/public_html/Zen/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=274
Hi Ryan, I have a few of the CN-GP's. They are definately 4 function. So- I don't know what TCS is up to. Strange, Wolf
Wolf, I'm glad to hear they have more. I remember a discussion a while back of the 3 vs 4 functions. So what do you have hooked up to each? Front head light, rear lights, nose light...maybe a beacon? I'd love to see a photo of your install. I'm getting closer to adding lighting to my 1990s SP roster.
In a nutshell, wire the lamp (or LED) to one of the function pads on the decoder. TCS has a pretty good diagram showing this. Then you program what "effect" you want that function "pad" to use when activated. They also have a variable "Mars" light feature. I used this on my IM F-7 A unit. F0 pads for the headlamp (warm white LED) and the F1 pad (if I recall) for the "Mars" light (also a LED). Very nice effect!
I know you know this, but the original post said "both types of oscillating lights in the nose" and the above loco would have only had the red oscillating light in the nose. The other light in the nose is the steady headlight and the clear oscillating lights are up between the number boards.
I’ve been lighting up the stock nose lights on my SP engines that have them. I use the pre-wired tiny LED’s. Here is a link to see an example: http://n-scale-dcc.blogspot.com/search/label/Loco: Atlas SD35 Your Atlas GP35 may be able to take the CN-GP but will need some frame modification. For the extra lighting you also might consider using the M4 that has the two extra function wires. That will also require frame modification but you can get that done very reasonably by Aztec Mfg. All of the lighting features that I’ve tried using these decoders look great. It helps if you are using Decoder Pro for programming. Brad Myers Peninsula Ntrak / AsiaNrail My Blogs: http://www.n-scale-dcc.blogspot.com/ http://www.palisadecanyonrr.blogspot.com/ http://tokyo-in-nscale.blogspot.com/
Aa small fine conical tip works great. Even me with big ape hands and terrible vision have done more then a few
Hey Brad, I tried posting to you blog but for some reason it won't let me... Anyway. I want to add a nose headlight to a TCS AMD4, ASD4 and a CN-GP. and was hoping you could point me in the right direction on where to solder the wires. Can I solder to the existing led on these boards (there are small round pads on either side of the LED) like your example? Or do I have to use the other light pads on the decoder? Thanks, John
Hi John, If you are using the board type decoder with the SMD sized LED's I would suggest connecting the nose LED to the Pads set aside for function F1 as they are larger and easier to work with. You need to have a resistor in series with the LED, at least 330 - 470 ohm.
Three screenshots from your blog... The arrows point the the pads I would use on the AMD4. ASD4 is the same I believe. I will heed your advice but I thought a resistor wasn't needed for these? How come you didn't use a resistor for the example on your blog? For the CN-GP I use the free pad down by the SMD and the blue wire? Correct? Example from your blog...
The bottom photo shows the LED connected in parallel with the stock LED on a stock board using a wired decoder. So both LED's in this case are using the same resistor. It appears that the AMD4 already has resistors built in for F1 and F2. I did not think that the CN-GP even had any optional function outputs but I'll check and get back to you on that. Sorry for any confusion.
