Powering a new string of LEDs from spectrum decoder

[danmikemary]

Hello. Can I power and control a new string of LEDs from an unused address on the built in decoder in spectrum locomotives? I would like to light up 3 or 4 passenger cars permanantly hooke up to a spectrum loco. any advice on how exactly to do this, or if not, an alternative suggestion

[Jim Banner]

danmikemary,
I suspect you were thinking "function" when you wrote "address."  Functions are decoder outputs that can turn things like lights on and off.  Addresses are how we can send commands to a decoder without them going to another decoder.

Bachmann's basic decoders have 2 functions, normally used for headlight and rear light on locomotives.  Some steam locomotives do not have rear (tender) lights so that unused function would be one possibility.  You would need to reassign the rear lighting output to a different function or you would end up having lighted passenger cars only when the train was running in reverse.

Replacing the Bachmann decoder with a decoder that has more functions would be another possibility.  A third possibility would be to install a decoder in one of the cars.  This could be a function only decoder with no motor control circuit or it could be a regular decoder.  There are advantages to both.

A quad function only decoder (less than $20) could be installed in one car and operate the lights in each of your four cars independently.  If the cars all have power pickup for lights, you could wire them all together for vastly superior power pickup.  You could run the pickup wires forward to a baggage or post office car where the decoder is, and run one wire back to each car for lights.  With two wires for power pickup and three more wires from the baggage car to the next car for lights, you would have a maximum of 5 wires between cars.  This is do-able.  The three big advantages here is that you can back any engine onto this train with no fiddling around with wires or plugs, you have superior, flicker free lighting, and you have independent control of the lights in all four cars.  The first car does not have to be a baggage car but if you do use a baggage car, it makes hiding the wiring very easy.

A basic regular decoder (also less than $20) would not allow individual control but it would allow dimming the passenger car lights depending on ambient lighting.  Like the function only decoder, it would give superior lighting and allow an easy choice of locomotives.

I hope this answers your question and gives you some food for thought.

Jim

[danmikemary]

Thank You so much for your advice. I will take it and go for the independent control concept.       Harry