# Lionel Headlight Issue on Santa Fe FT



## vox87 (Dec 9, 2010)

I've had this "El Capitan" set for a couple of years and I'm just now noticing that the headlight never works in neutral or in reverse. Works fine going forward. (only used during Christmas) 

Is this normal or is something wrong? I get the impression from the manual that the light should work setting in neutral and in reverse.

Too add, all other lights, engine cabin and passenger cars, light just fine in forward, reverse, or neutral.

Train set: 6-30001
Engine: 6-24568 Santa Fe FT Locomotive
Transformer: CW-80
Track: FasTrack (layout 40x60)

Thanks in advance.


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## gc53dfgc (Apr 13, 2010)

yes the light should also work in neutral maybe reverse this means either the wires going from the PCB board that are for revese and neutral have come loose and will need to be resoldered or the PCB itself has som sort of malfunction and you will either have to get one or just live with it. Hope this helps.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I'm guessing you could also "hotwire" the light to work all the time with not much effort. Don't know why it would be dependent on the direction, is this an LED?


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## gc53dfgc (Apr 13, 2010)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> I'm guessing you could also "hotwire" the light to work all the time with not much effort. Don't know why it would be dependent on the direction, is this an LED?


some lionels like a steam train I have the light will fade on, this could be because of how the controller is designed or it might be the engine its self I haven't figured out.


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## vox87 (Dec 9, 2010)

From what I can tell, the side lamps appear to be incandescent. The front two lamps (headlights) appear to be led? (in a black housing). They're wired to a connector on one PCB board, where the two side lamps are wired to another connector on another PCB board. Assuming different voltages?

Side Lamp









Side Lamp Connection (White to Black/Red Wires)









Side Lamp Connection to PCB 2 (Connector with Black/Red Wires)









Headlight









PCB 1 (headlights connection, 4 white wires into a connector)









Inside Compartment









Sitting in neutral


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## gc53dfgc (Apr 13, 2010)

back track the wires and see if you can find any burnt parts on the pcb or and loose pieces. did you say the front two lights work only in forward or not at all?


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## vox87 (Dec 9, 2010)

The headlights only work in forward (all lights work). Sitting in neutral or reverse, only the side lamps and passenger car lamps work.

It's baffled me. Like you suggested, I've traced the wires. Everything looks good and clean. 

I'm just wondering, as mentioned above, if the PCB is just bad or just not wired right since the headlights work going forward.


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## SkyArcher (Oct 20, 2010)

I don't have your engine but some of my engines have directional headlights and that's a good thing. Meaning that the headlights only work in the direction the train is running. If the headlight work forwards but not in reverse then it is working. 

If you had an AA engine set (Two engines, one facing forward and one facing backwards) then what would happen is the engine that is facing in the direction you're going would light up.

Leave it alone, there is nothing wrong with your headlight.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I wonder if that's actually how it's designed? It's somewhat logical that you don't need the headlights if you're backing up, right? Perhaps they went to some trouble to make that happen.


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## vox87 (Dec 9, 2010)

That's what I thought at first too... However, thumbing through the manual, under "Running your train", it indicates (with a diagram of the transformer)...

_*Direction*
Press the DIRECTION button to go forward or reverse, or to place the locomotive in neutral (no movement, headlight is on)._


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Maybe the control "self-learns" and decided that it was more logical for the headlight to only be on going forward. 

I have to agree that it should be on in neutral.

A diode and a resistor will fix it, but it's odd that it works that way...


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

Did it ever work the way you wanted it?
Is the plug upside down?
Can it be programmed? Reset?
The manual could be wrong about it being on. That's not a first either.
The logic about the two engines makes sense but I am not sure about rewiring something that is attached to ICs.

My last question is.. Have you read everthing on the product?
Certainly I haven't.

It is more dramatic to have it turn on when you go forward.


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## vox87 (Dec 9, 2010)

Train's lights have always worked going forward around the track. I just happen to noticed that the light was never on in neutral or reverse.

I've read through the manual and I even pulled the new revised one from Lionel's website.

I emailed their Tech Support, yesterday. Their reply was: "I don't think the light is on in neutral on this set"

While this is probably true, the manual says different. But, I guess as you pointed out...manuals have been known to be wrong.

So, I'll just assume the light, as SkyArcher pointed out, is directional.

Thanks for the help everyone.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I have to believe it's indeed directional, it's too odd a "failure" to actually be a failure.


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

What about igmuska?? He has a lot of modern trains. If not, another owner may turn up. Maybe you tube has some videos to watch. You may get lucky.


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## Leonard62 (Jan 7, 2011)

I have the same set and the same engine. It is indeed directional and will only light when running in the forward direction. 

I ran across this thread while searching for the non-powered A engine to match this set and ended up joining the forum. 

Regards,
Len


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Let me be the first to welcome you here.


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## Leonard62 (Jan 7, 2011)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> Let me be the first to welcome you here.


Thanks. I have a lot to learn so this looks like the right place to start. I know I will enjoy the forum and the people and soon hope to contribute.

Regards,
Len


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Not that many forums have an active O-scale forum, that's why I like it here.


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

So are we guessing a bad diode now?

Welcome Len.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

T-Man said:


> So are we guessing a bad diode now?


Can't imagine this is a diode, I think we decided it's normal operation for this engine.


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## vox87 (Dec 9, 2010)

Yes, finally got a hold of Lionel and they confirmed...normal operation. Sorry I didn't follow up sooner. Light only works in forward mode. In neutral and reverse, it remains off.

Oh well, I guess I could always mod it.

Thanks again everyone for all the replies.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

FWIW, I see this behavior on TMCC engines, so that makes sense.


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