Strange Light Behavior

[MtRR75]

This refers to a Rivarossi 4-6-2 with an LM-3S and a keep-alive installed in it.

(1) When I turn on the headlight, then turn it off, SOMETIMES it stays on.  Once this happens, repeated attempts to turn it off using the headlight button are futile. The only ways to turn off the headlight are (a) cut the power to the track, or (b) change the loco direction (see #2).

(2) When I turn on the front light, then switch the loco direction to Reverse, the headlight goes off and the back-up light on the tender goes on.  This is as expected but....

(3) When I switch the loco direction back to Forward, (a) the headlight comes back on, as expected, but (2) the back-up light SOMETIMES stays on (and sometimes goes off, as expected).

(4) If the back-up light stays on (in #3), repeated attempts to turn it off using the back-up light button are futile.

Any idea what is going on here?

[Michael Larson]

I experienced a similar problem with some LM-2s's of mine back in May.  Headlight and backup light not responding to button pushes as they should.  I contacted Tim Ring about it then, but only as a secondary problem.  He solved my primary problem and I told him that I would pursue this lighting issue when I returned from the NTS in Kansas City.  I broke my ankle the day before my scheduled departure for KC, and as you can imagine not only missed KC but pretty much all hobby activity since.  I have yet to get back to him on this issue.  I mention this here because the issue is not limited to just LM-3's.

BTW, the issue started immediately after updating my LM-2s's to the latest firmware.  I did so to take advantage of the new DCC capabilities.  It should be noted that the issue was present under both RP and DCC control.

I will try to follow up with Tim this week.

--Michael

[KPack]

Sounds like your light effect versions are wrong.  With the new HC and LM software, you need to be running Rev 2 versions of all lighting effects.  Without the Rev 2 versions you will get odd behavior like you've seen....lights mot turning off and such.

-Kevin

[MtRR75]

Software update and Rev 2 light files fixed the problem.

Thanks for the help.

[Nick]

Today I noticed that my Ditch Lights don't flash when I press the horn.  I know in the past it used to. I checked to see if the setting had been turned off by mistake, but it hadn't. This particular locomotive uses a LM-3S. Any help is appreciated.

    -Nick

[KPack]

Make sure that the following are correct:

1. Ditch light button must be used (the one that has the ditch light picture)
2. Ditch light button (w/ ditch light flash function activated on it) must be placed before the button that turns the lights on
3. Confirm that correct function wires are selected for the ditch lights.

This is explained further in the HC manual.  The ditch light function button has code built into it that controls the ditch lights, and it must be placed before the ditch light on/off buttons to correctly be controlled.

Also be sure your software is fully up to date.

-Kevin

[TwinStar]

(2) When I turn on the front light, then switch the loco direction to Reverse, the headlight goes off and the back-up light on the tender goes on.  This is as expected but....

(3) When I switch the loco direction back to Forward, (a) the headlight comes back on, as expected, but (2) the back-up light SOMETIMES stays on (and sometimes goes off, as expected).

Note that this is NOT how locomotives behave. This is a DC/DCC electrical issue and is not how the locomotive should ever operate. The headlights don't ping pong back and forth with a change of the reverser (diesel). The headlights are set with the running order typically on the back wall above the knife switch when a consist is being built.