GG1 Number Board Lights, flashing like ditch lights

Sounds like the wrong file is loaded. Reload with a GG-1 soundset from the MTH PS-2 website.

Marker lights?  Green and Red LEDS?  Or number boards?  The model would be helpful, is this the Premier with operating pantographs?

It is possible if you went into controls and turned ditch lights on to get lights to flash that are driven off the ditch light output.  Normally that clears after a shutdown.  I would do a feature reset to see if that clears it up.  G

Most folks on this forum don't understand the difference between "Class lights", on the front, and "Marker lights" on the rear.

A GG1 on a light engine movement would have BOTH types, one at each end!

My point is there is no provision for flashing Marker Lights on a PS-2  The Marker output is an on or off for LEDs.

Depending on the sound file, the ditch light output can be used for number board lights as an example.  The Ditch light control can temporarily over ride the Sound file and the number boards could flash with a whistle/horn, but it takes operator action.

Also, Markers on premier GG-1 are bi-directional and they change color based on direction.

Hence the need for more specific information to help determine why he has ditch light action on a light system.   G

Marker lights?  Green and Red LEDS?  Or number boards?  The model would be helpful, is this the Premier with operating pantographs?

 

It is possible if you went into controls and turned ditch lights on to get lights to flash that are driven off the ditch light output.  Normally that clears after a shutdown.  I would do a feature reset to see if that clears it up.  G

 

My appoligies GGG and thanks for the correction.  It is in fact the number board lights on the 20-5548-1 Premier GG-1 with Operating pantographs.  It is very possible my son was trying different things with the DCS and may have changed some setting.  He has been experimenting with features.  I will do a feature reset first... If that does not work I will try a factory reset.  If that fails I guess I will try a new sound file.

Thanks all for the thoughts and ideas.

Ron

G,

In the menu under control, ditch light, you can turn them on, off, auto, and flashing.  In this model, MTH used the ditch light output for number board lighting. 

If the PS2 engine was, indeed, wired this way, wouldn't it be impossible to have the number board lights on when running in reverse?

Barry,  I don't understand the question.  He originally said marker, but it was number board that were flashing.  The LED Markers are functioning correctly.

If I remember correctly on the Premier GG-1, marker stay on they just reverse color when direction is changed.  This has the bi-directional LEDs and the board has special flash coding that covers operating pantographs and bi-directional LEDs.  G

George,

I meant to say "number board"lights, and I've revised my post.

So, to reiterate...

If the PS2 engine was, indeed, wired this way, wouldn't it be impossible to have the number board lights on when running in reverse? That would be because ditch lights are off in reverse on PS2 engines.

It may be.  He never stated they were on in reverse.  I will have to test it next time I am loading a sound file.  I stumbled on it with a sound file that was using all the outputs for various functions.  I can't remember if they went off in reverse.

If they are turned on, and you blow horn they flash.  Can't remember if on leaves them on despite direction.   G 

George,

Every PS2 engine I've ever seen that has ditch lights, has them off when in reverse.

PS3 are different, and support ditch lights both front and rear:

• Front ditch lights are off unless the engine is moving forward.
• Rear ditch lights are off unless the engine is moving in reverse.
• All ditch lights are off if the engine is stationary.

Regarding interior lights, they are off unless the engine is stationary.

Barry, Correct.  But an engine that doesn't have ditch lights as a feature, will still have that output influence if you go to control and use the ditch light features.

If the ditch light output is on for number boards on a steam locomotive, and you press flash, the number boards will start flashing unit you shut the engine down, or do a feature reset, or turn them off with the ditch light control.  Basically it over rides the sound file temporarily.  G

Well, I guess I never noticed, but the number board lights do go OFF in reverse.  But they still flash if the horn is sounded.  I did a feature reset...no change.  A factory reset... no change.  I put the ditch lights in the ON, OFF, AUTO and FPL? with no success.

Why would MTH plug the number board lights into a ditch light socket?  Where do they plug the number lights in on an engine that actually has ditch lights? 

I will try a sound file download next.  Just ran out of time this evening.

Thanks to all of the feedback thus far.

The sound file controls features.  The board has several light output and they have names.  If ditch were used than MARs outputs could be NB.

Interesting, some one loaded the wrong sound file.  Do the pantographs work as designed?  G

Just finished re-loading the new and proper sound file.  All works well now.  Number boards remain lit in fwd and rev and do not flash when the horn is sounded.

Thanks all for the assistance.

Ron

Interesting, what type of sound file did you have in it? Do you know?  G

Well... as they say, here is the rest of the story.

I made a mistake is was not GG1 20-5548-1 #4877.   It was in fact GG1 20-5515-1 American Freedom Train #4800.  I purchased this several years ago and swapped the shells with a PS1 GG1 #4945.

I did not know until this afternoon that a few weeks ago my son downloaded and changed the sound to another GG1 because he did not like the Freedom Trains PFA.  He does not remember which GG1... he just knows it was a Premier PS2 GG1.

I have to agree, I'm not a fan of the Freedom Train PFA either.  So maybe we'll experiment with different sound files that won't mess up the Number Boards.  But for now, we have the correct sound file loaded and all works well.

Ron

That explains it.  Have fun, sounds like your son is