Using miniature incandescent bulbs and reflectors, our headlights actually direct a focused beam of light straight forward as do the headlights on a prototype locomotive. Incandescent bulbs give a more realistic appearance than white LEDs that have a blue hue when lighted. Certainly a must for the serious O Scaler. 

From straight in front of the locomotive, the headlights will leave spots in your eyes. Move 20 degrees to the side and they are not as blinding – just as locomotive headlights look in real life.

The headlight reflectors make for very realistic looking headlights even when the lights are off.

The lighting system used in these models is unlike anything presently available in O Scale locomotives and can be used with DC or DCC. 

 

DCC users need only to supply the onboard circuitry with the appropriate voltage and use our handheld cordless remote to operate the system. 

 

DC users can now have constant lighting effects without having to have the DC propulsion voltage on by installing our AC injector between their DC supply and the rails. This allows the lighting system to be used independently of the DC propulsion supply without affecting the locomotive drive motor.

 

Because the lighting system is powered by AC and the drive motor by DC, and because the two currents can exist on the same circuit without interfering with each other, we can use this to power two separate and independent systems on board a locomotive. The AC and DC are separated again on board the locomotive which makes it possible to have full lighting capability when the locomotive is off and stationary.

 

There will be a minimum light package able to operate from straight DC without the AC injector, but it will be simple directional lighting of headlights and a few of the auxiliary systems only. Without DCC or the AC injector, the remote operation of all systems will not be possible.

                                                                                         

The handheld remote is cordless so you can be over 100 feet away from a locomotive and still send it lighting commands. The LED display shows on screen commands to facilitate ease of setting lighting functions on your locomotives. This single remote is capable of controlling thousands of locomotives even though it probably will never need to.

The alternating ditch light function is demonstrated here in this video clip. Magnetic sensors, mounted behind the pilot on the locomotive, detect magnets placed in the roadbed before and after a crossing and trigger the starting and stopping of the alternate flashing. This function is automatic so you never have to remember to trigger them by remote. They can also be set so they do not alternate at crossings by choosing a specific command on the remote.

We have also added a fading effect to make the operation more realistic. When the power is interrupted to a real locomotive headlight, it will dim suddenly and then slowly fade out as the filament cools. Miniature light bulbs simply blink out instantly. Notice how the ditch lights fade while alternating. Like the prototype, these lights barely fade out completely before they come back on. This effect has been implemented on all headlights.