Athearn Genesis Ditch Lights help


Trucklover

Trucklover

BNSF SD70MAC's
I have a question on where the ditch lights go on an older model Athearn Genesis loco. this is the first run im assuming, cuz you have to install all the details and such and they are not listed on Athearn's web site anymore

This is a BNSF SD75I, it came with 2 little light bulbs for the ditch lights, but i dont know where the wires go and where they should be soldered. Ive never done anything like this before and i didnt see anything in the instructions on how to do this....

I followed and weaved the wires where i believe they are supposed to go ( down through the anticlimber, through the top of the frame, and up through the whole where the front of the cab rests)

here are some pics:

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Can someone tell me where these wires need to go?

I dont know this will effect it or not, but i will be running this in DCC and will need to install a decoder in it... that will come later though, do i need to wait to hook up these wires?
 
Get rid of the board, install the DCC decoder and it'll make life alot easier. Then see if one of us can help. You don't want to have to wire the lights to the board, then have to rip everything out just to start over again!
 
Josh, for now, you can take one lead from each bulb, 4 bulbs total for the front, and you'll get 2 sets of strands, put one set each on the 2 middle posts of the light board.
Just split the set up and put it in the same spot as the head lights.
 
Josh...

1. That hole is the mounting bracket location for the front of the cab. The wires should continue all the way PAST the plastic walkway. Newer Genesis units have two round holes, the older ones did not thread through.

2. On DC, they should wire into the headlight leads. On DCC, you'll need a 6fx decoder, for the extra functions needed to power the lights, and allow the flashing effects, ect.
 
jbaakko said:
Josh...

2. On DCC, you'll need a 6fx decoder, for the extra functions needed to power the lights, and allow the flashing effects, ect.
Click to expand...

Actually, you only need a 4 fx decoder to do the ditch lights for the front and have them operate independantly of each other and the forward headlights. If you get a 6 fx decoder, then you can set up rear ditch lights also. :cool:

I have a couple of dh163k0 made for katos, that have 6 fx, but they required so many resistors, that it literally looked like a octopus with them all there, as it needed them for all 6 fx's.
 
Anthony, Eric, and Josh, thanks!!

I plan to install one of these decoders soon: TCS T6XP (6 functions) or NCE D13SRJ (6 functions), i just have not decided weather im going to go with TCS or NCE lol

Josh i drilled my own whole after i figured out the whole i had threaded the wires through was in fact the mounting whole for the front of the cab lol. Man that plastic was super hard to drill through for some reason, i even used my BIG cordless drill and it still took a long time to do, and i never got all the way through it, it was odd, i had to finish the whole with a hobby knife :confused: :eek: lol
 
I'd recommend a TCS A6X decoder for that unit. It clips in to the same mounting tabs above the motor as the factory board and has built in resistors so you can keep Athearn's 1.5V bulbs.
 
Actually the TCS A6X is the best bet, as it has the resistors on board for all 6 fx's and is a exact replacement for the light board in the early run loco's. I know where you can get them for $23 each plus shipping here at the dccroundhouse.com , and Pete does a good job for shipping if he has them in stock.

The NCE D13SRJ either in 9 pin jst mode or with the included harness and hardwired in, will give you a 4 fx setup for the ditch lights and forward/rear headlights, but WILL need resistors if hardwired in for all fx's, or if putting it on a dcc-ready board, you may still have to put resistors on the ditch lights, its just according to the version of the dcc-ready board. If the dcc-ready board is the newest version, which is easy to tell as the 8 pin socket actually has a plug in theat will accept a 8 pin plug without needing solder, then it will accept the decoder without the need for resistors for the ditch lights or anything else.
Eric :cool:
 
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True, but I've found it darn near impossible to find a 4fx decoder, I had assumed they were not made, lol.

In any case the A6X is the best, in my opinion as well. However, I will not say I have not used other decoders, I have an NCE DA102 installed in an SD75M right now...
 
The NCE A4X is a 4fx decoder that will also replace the light board, but will require resistors. The A6X is the better of all the replacements, in my opinion. :cool:
 
The NCE DASR is also a good decoder as far as motor control goes, but as for lighting, it only is as good if you want to install LED's. As for the 1.5v bulbs, it will only handle one bulb per output, so that leaves it looking a little dim on the headlights. :cool:
 
Fred, Eric, and josh, thanks for all your input. I think i may end up with going all TCS 6 function decoders for all my locos. There a little more then the NCE's but i think think it will be worth it.....
 
Why would you need a 6 FX decoder for a unit that prototypically wouldn't have flashing ditchlights? The only BNSF locomotive even remotely likely to have flashing ditchlights still is a ex-BN SD70MAC.
 
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