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RailPro Specific Help & Discussion / Re: Powering LED's off Track Power (Lighted Car)
« Last post by gregeusa on January 20, 2026, 10:31:10 AM »
you can buy the entire full wave bridge in a single small package to save space... it will have the ~ and + and - markings

the cap might help flicker, if it's big enough (mfd capacity)

but remember you need to calculate a current limiting resistor since the LEDs by each run at about 3.6 volts and 20 ma max...

Since you say it works at least in one direction, you may have that done already.

So the full wave bridge in this case is used to provide a continuous output polarity, regardless of track polarity.
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Use the "ditchlight" button.  It is programmed to allow function like you are looking for.  When set up correctly, pushing the ditchlight button will turn them on solid, sounding the horn will cause them to flash, they will go back to solid on when done flashing (if that is the file loaded), and will turn off when the ditchlight button is pushed for off.  Button needs to be set to continuous.
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RailPro Specific Help & Discussion / Re: Powering LED's off Track Power (Lighted Car)
« Last post by G8B4Life on January 20, 2026, 07:13:26 AM »
Without a sketch or something of how you've wired things up it's hard to say but I'm going to go out on a limb and say from your description your fighting polarity, vis the lights only work when the car is facing one direction but not that other. Not knowing what you've done I'm going to assume what you haven't done. To make the LEDs work regardless of which direction the car is facing along with the LEDs and dropping resistors you'll need a bridge rectifier and a small capacitor would be good too (to help with flickering). It's quite late so I'm not going to look for circuits to show you right now... However even though I said that this is essentially what you need to do:

https://www.coursehero.com/qa/attachment/3974530/

The AC side (the wavy bit on the left side) is the track pickup on your car. The polarity changes changes depending on which way the car is facing. D1 to D4 is the bridge rectifier. Load is your LED's and resistors. C is a capacitor to help smooth things out (will reduce flicker). Depending on how many LED's are in the car you could make the bridge rectifier out of LEDS (they are diodes after all). I could draw that one out later if you wanted but right now it's the day after I stared typing this post and I'm out of here.

- Tim
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RailPro Specific Help & Discussion / Powering LED's off Track Power (Lighted Car)
« Last post by KB02 on January 20, 2026, 06:20:00 AM »
I building a lighted caboose (shoving platform, actually) and would like to power the lights off track power. Testing the LED's directly seems to work fine, but when I put them in the car, they only seem to work if the car is facing one direction. Is this a polarity issue or is my set up flawed? It still needs a great deal of refinement as the power going to the LED's is not great or constant, so it could be that, but before I scratch my head too hard, I figured it would be good to know if I'm fighting polarity and not just my janky wiring, you know?
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After posting this yesterday, I did some fiddling and configuring and found a work around. Not exactly a perfect solution, but it achieves the end goal.

I have one button programed for Ditch Finish On and programed as a momentary button. Then a second button programed with the regular Ditch light effect, also as monetary, which finished with the lights off. I also have the Auto Ditch Lights on Horn function enabled. Pressing and holding either button flashes the ditch lights, as will the blasting the horn, but the finish on button will end with the lights on solid and full and the other will turn them off.

Like I said, not perfect, but achieves the goal. Any other suggestions?

We were posting at the same time.  ;D  I'll check out your guide and adjust my setup from there. Thanks!!
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After posting this yesterday, I did some fiddling and configuring and found a work around. Not exactly a perfect solution, but it achieves the end goal.

I have one button programed for Ditch Finish On and programed as a momentary button. Then a second button programed with the regular Ditch light effect, also as monetary, which finished with the lights off. Pressing and holding either button flashes the ditch lights, as will the blasting the horn, but the finish on button will end with the lights on solid and full and the other will turn them off.

Like I said, not perfect, but achieves the goal. Any other suggestions?
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There's no trick, you need a button to turn the ditchlightts on in the first place (which you will use to turn them off again), a button to flash them manually if you wish, or alternately setup the ditchlights on horn function (not as useful if you don't have a sound version of an LM I suppose) and the correct light effect, which you have..

It's all in the either the HC manual or the LM manual (I forget which), or alternately in my flashing ditchlights guide from 2021 here at RPUG: https://rpug.pdc.ca/index.php/topic,1204.0.html.

- Tim
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RailPro Specific Help & Discussion / Re: Where to buy RailPro
« Last post by KB02 on January 20, 2026, 05:50:36 AM »
...ah... The great pumpkin strikes again.  :'(
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General Discussion / Re: Not quite there but a notice of big sale coming up..
« Last post by darryl.trains on January 19, 2026, 08:27:35 PM »
After  a few inquires about selling new items first and then maybe lump up the used in another listing, I will do that right now.  Here are the brand new items in their plastic containers,  3 LM-3S, 1 LM-3 , 4 PBM-2 ..List according to RailPro is near $630 for all of these but they are offered for $380 plus something for the ride. Please let me know if I am asking too low ?  [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]    I can take PayPal .   Shipping only with in the 48 States.
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RailPro Specific Help & Discussion / Re: Where to buy RailPro
« Last post by William Brillinger on January 18, 2026, 04:11:24 PM »
Been gone from Model RR'ing for the summer and getting back into it now that winter is here.

Bill - I see that back in August you listed Precision Design Co. on the Dead list for Railpro Retailers?

I can do special orders only at this time.
The border issues last year killed my ability to keep a US warehouse.
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