S-Helper Service Locomotive | 2-8-0 | Electrical

S-Helper Service

Locomotive

2-8-0

Electrical

Headlights

Don Thompson warns to not plug DCC decoders into this engine without dealing with the headlights first. The headlights are 5-volt bulbs, and they will blow as soon as the decoder receives power (usually around 12 volts). One option is to consider replacing them with LEDs and a matching resistor. The same applies to sync, smoke, and tender lights, as applicable.

If the LED is burned out, according to Brooks Stover, the LED headlight is tightly integrated into the boiler front. His recommendation is to simply replace the whole boiler front, rather than trying to get to the LED. According to Jeff Wilson (formerly of Hoquat Hobbies), he sold his large collection of spare boiler fronts to Des Plaines Hobbies, so contact them.