2-8-0 Consolidation headlight

[John Tumolo]

Here's an odd one-the headlight on my Consolidation died, or at least I thought it had died, so I replaced it with a new one, only to find it working sporadically.  On start up, it's dim, and sometimes it comes on full and sometimes it's dead.  What should I be checking?  I cleaned the wheels, thinking it might be a pick-up problem, but no change.  Ideas?  P.S. The light on the tender works as it should when in reverse.  I am only using simple d.c. for power, too.  John Tumolo  [email protected]

[Jim Banner]

When running on dc, it is normal for the headlight to be off when the locomotive is stopped, dim at low speeds and bright at high speed.  But if the headlight is sometimes dim, other times bright for the same locomotive speed,  then there is a problem in the locomotive.  Most likely this is in the wiring, where one wire connects to another or plugs together or is soldered to a printed circuit board.  Less likely, but possible is a bad printed circuit board or a bad bulb although two bad bulbs in a row is very unlikely.  If you have a voltmeter, you can check voltage at the bulb and work all the way back to the track.  Where there is an unexpected drop in voltage is where the trouble is most likely located.

Jim