Athearn Genesis DCC headlights

[rrinker]

You just need to set the CVs for Mars light effect, same as the strobe. NCE decoders run LEDs fine, but they do have a setting for that - if it’s set for LEDs and you have an incandescent bulb hooked up, the effect will be poor. Depending on which output it’s CV120 through CV123 (white, yellow, green, violet in that order). A value of 8 is a none-directional mars light for incandescent bulbs. For LEDs you add 128 to the value.

–Randy

[richhotrain]

Ok, I am using the NCE D13SRJ decoder going through a Athearn Genesis adapter board. The NCE decoder does have a variable setting for different light effects.

I don’t have, yet, any LED’s to install, but would love to know what I might be running into when I do install some LED’s.

Do I need to get a Mars light module to get the right effect?

This is the first F unit I am trying to get the Mars light working in. This one is sort of a guinea pig. The others will be done in a similar fashion.

So far all I have done for lighting effects have been to install a strobe light device into some Athearn Ready to Roll units. All I had to do with that was to set up that CV for on/off.

The only decoders I have worked with so far has been NCE DASR, D13SRJ, P2SKR, and some preinstalled Atlas decoders.

I use the DA-SR decoder in my Athearn Genesis F7A locos, but all three of the NCE decoders that you mentioned provide the desired Mars light effect.

The Mars light on NCE decoders uses Output 3. The factory default setting is CV35-4. To replicate the rotating beacon, program CV122=9.

Rich