Sound Value 2-8-0 headlight

[Trainman203]

Is the headlight brightness improved over the  previous versions?

[jonathan]

I have not seen the new Sound Value Connies, yet.  I certainly will be looking for one at the train shows this Fall.

However, best guess is nothing has changed with the overall design, tooling, or construction of the 2-8-0.

To make the Connie Sound Value would only require changing the electronics on the PCB in the tender.

Years ago, there was a Spectrum DCC/Sound Onboard model sold in one of those nice boxes with the clear top.  I have two of them.  They are wonderful... among my favorite runners.

The design of the headlight has not changed in every version I have collected.  The problem with brightness is the lengthy, plastic "light tube" that transfers the light from the bulb/LED in the split frame.  That tube then transfers the light into the plastic cylinder (lens) in the headlight can. The light has to fight a lot of plastic to get from the bulb to the lens.

Some would say the dimness is more realistic.

I like a bright headlight myself... So, I moved the bulb/LED directly into the headlight.  Though tiny to work with, a Surface-mount-LED (SMD) is the perfect solution.  I have also used a regular LED.

Some tinkering is required, like cutting down the lens in the headlight, a resistor, and threading a bit of wiring.  Not impossible to perform.

Looking forward to tinkering with the latest version of this model.

Regards,

Jonathan

[Trainman203]

The black box Spectrum DCC Soundtraxx 2-8-0 c. 2007 was the best ever.  It got me back into model railroading after 41 years out.  Compared to Sound Value it had enough sound features to reasonably please.  It should never have been changed.  I have several, one still with the original decoder which I see no reason to replace even as it chuffs around among the many Tsunamis and Tsunami2's surrounding it on the railroad.

[Rickenbacker 325]

On the latest SoundValue engine with existing tooling (GS4, Berk, and SD40-2) they have updated the yellow LED's with a nice off white LED probably 4000 or 4500K. The change in color alone is a huge improvement. I would imagine the same for the Connie.

[Trainman203]

The mogul and the reissued ten wheeler have nice bright lights.  White is the wrong color for the incandescent bulbs in steam engine headlights . The Baldwin and Richmond 4-4-0 to me had good  headlights but the 2-8-2 headlight tops them all.  Please put that headlight on the next 2-8-0 run.  Can it be that hard to do?  And put the 2-8-2 tender with the backup light behind it.