What is the red light bulb for in the Athearn Genesis F3? It’s mounted just below the white bulb in the Gyralight.
I am not sure of your prototype.
On some roads it is used in case of an emergency stop on the main or as a warning light on rear unit running as a helper or light (without caboose).
Hope this helps.
It just may be a simulation of somethng - correct or not.
Some RR’s (ATSF) used the RED on helpers tacked onto the rear to show 'End of Train. When Santa Fe used ABBA as helpers only the rear light was on.
REAL ‘Gyralights’ pulsed. Does yours? Adding realistic simulation is $25 - $45. Too expensive for OEM sales.
In this Santa Fe F3 the there are two bulbs mounted vertically in the top set. The top bulb is white and it flashes like a mars light. The bottom bulb is red and never turns on.
The bottom set of lights has two bulbs mounted horizontally and they both light continuosly when the headlights are turned on.
Could the red bulb be a back up light that should come on when the loco is in reverse? However it never does come on. This came with an MRC decoder and there are no instructions about any CVs that might control this. I’m in the process of replacing the MRC decoder as it is causing some other problems. I’m just not sure what to do with the red light bulb with the new decoder.
If you have the proper decoder, and if you have the lights wired correctly and the CVs properly adjusted, the red light comes on when the unit is running backwards in an A-A set.
I don’t know what the Santa Fe’s operating policies were, but think this red light would have been used only if the engine was running at the rear of a train; otherwise, what purpose would it serve?
Thanks for the reply.
When this Genesis F3 was new out of the box the red light never came on in reverse. Athearn doesn’t list any CVs in their instructions that relate to lights, other than just disabling them. I couldn’t fine any further info on the MRC website.
At this point, since I’m going to install a new decoder anyway, I’ll just rig the red bulb to come on as a “rear” light and see what happens. Maybe the bulb was just bad from the start.
I’m not too concerned about it as I don’t see much need for the red. I run this as a single A unit on a very short passenger train. I did recently buy another Genesis F3 freight (Rio Grande) and it doesn’t have a red bulb. Just two flashing white bulbs for the Mars light. At some point I will no doubt change out this decoder also as I don’t like the MRCs.
It’s not prototypicly correct. It was in MR in DCC Corner, and they stated that it wasn’t prototypicly correct.
Well, I’m a little embarrased. I should have noticed this sooner because the red bulb wires were never connected to the decoder. So I guess Athearn knew what was prototypically correct. I just wish that they had used two white bulbs like they did on the Rio Grande as it’s a much brighter mars light.
So I think I will leave the red unhooked on the new decoder also.
It should. Ah, Quality Control.
YOU have 3 choices: WIRE it up so it comes on backwards (w.2 diodes).
RETURN it to your DEALERfor exchange (and probably have the same problen).
CALL ATHEARN and get an R.A. to ship it to them to correct; (you pay one way).
The NON SOUND F3s did not have this problem, hoever the White light didn’t flash.
If it were mine, I’d wire up the red in reverse, and intall a Richmond Controls Gyralite (single pulse), to simulate the ATSF .
For the curious:
Atlantic Coast Line (ACL) used combination clear/red MARS/GYRA lights extensively on EVERY road diesel including road switchers. The red lamp was used either for end-of-train use or for emergency warning; in some locos it would come on automatically when a mechanical failure cause the loco to grind to a halt. It is possible other roads followed a similar practice.
TRUE.
What your prototype did, and simulating it, is a different thing. Different roads had different rules.
Sometimes the RED lamp would be turned on by hand and automatically engaged by the Emergency Brake. That way the Engineer could activate it for RR Crossings. The rotation was a motor sometimes turned on separately.
Santa Fe’s F-3 passenger fleet had both white and red bulbs turning in a circular pattern, but were was seldom on - except in the above case.
How do you simulate that? A. Fix the red to go on in the reverse mode (2 diodes), or on all the time (bridge rectifier) Just like a white steamer headlamp.
Thansk Don I’ll see what I can work out.