Lighting Effects

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Summary: The various lights used on a locomotive, such as headlights and ditch lights

CN diesels with ditch lights in operation
F7A with Mars Light below the headlight

This article deals with the use of lighting effects available with a multifunction decoder.

Locomotive Lighting

These effects include headlights, ditch lights, class and other lighting a locomotive would have.

Types of Lighting

There are a number of different types of lights and lighting effects used.

Effects can include:

Multifunction Decoder Features

The features available depend on the decoder in use. Some have more auxiliary outputs that can be used for lighting than others.

Digitrax calls theirs FX Lighting. Soundtraxx uses the term Hyperlight.

Soundtraxx Hyperlight Effects

SoundTraxx’s Tsunami features 14 different Hyperlight lighting effects.

  • On-Off headlight
  • Dimmable headlight,
  • Mars light and
  • Firebox flicker. It can also be used for exhaust flicker in a diesel.

The “Dyno-Light” simulates the ramping up of the dynamo, so brightness gradually increases. Another Hyperlight feature is LED Brightness Correction. LEDs don't work like a filament lamp; they are on or off instantly. The Tsunami decoder can be set to make LED lighting look more realistic. It also provides directional or Rule 17 lighting control, grade crossing timers and an adjustable flash rate.