Intermountain SD40-2

[peteski]

The ditchligth setup does not surprise me.  So Atlas did have factory-installed functional alternating ditch lights (each light on separate function) in CW40-8?  I didn't know that. Interesting.  I also was not aware of a plug-n-play Digitrax decoder which had the headlights and separate ditchligth LEDs soldered on it.

[mu26aeh]

The ditchligth setup does not surprise me.  So Atlas did have factory-installed functional alternating ditch lights (each light on separate function) in CW40-8?  I didn't know that. Interesting.  I also was not aware of a plug-n-play Digitrax decoder which had the headlights and separate ditchligth LEDs soldered on it.

It's in the CW40-8.  Here is one I have with a Digitrax board installed in it.  It was DC, so I had to add resistors between the function pads (at the left) and the small board that holds 2 leds (can see top of it on far right, it slides down in notch in front of frame.) 

20160225_200026 by Adam Henry, on Flickr

Here is board from Atlas for ditch lights.  It can be ordered from parts department

20170107_200244[1] by Adam Henry, on Flickr

Here is picture of frame from C40-8 that does not have ditch lights.  It shares same frame though as the CW40-8, so they can be easily added.  I haven't gotten around to doing this yet.

20170107_200312[1] by Adam Henry, on Flickr

And when ordered/purchased with factory equipped decoder, it had alternating ditchlights set up when pressing horn (F2).

[peteski]

Cool - this is the first time I have seen any manufacturer include separate ditchligth control in their model.

[mu26aeh]

Cool - this is the first time I have seen any manufacturer include separate ditchligth control in their model.

Actually, we discussed this about 1.5 years ago 

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=37253.msg448813#msg448813

[jagged ben]

Cool - this is the first time I have seen any manufacturer include separate ditchligth control in their model.

This came out several years ago and you never knew about it?       haha.  Anyway, it remains the only American prototype N scale model with factory installed flashing ditchlights.   And IM deserves a little bit of credit for bring only the second model with separate ditchlight control.   

At least IM provided two separate light pipes so that one can easily add another LED for flashing ditchlights.  (Wait, does the ESU decoder support another function?)

I wonder, are they are providing rear ditchlights on NS models as speculated above?  In that case, if it's a four function decoder, they couldn't provide both flashing ditchlights and rear ditchlights .  And they would have needed two different four function boards to provide flashing ditchlights on some models and rear ditchlights on others, or a six function board to provide both. 

[peteski]

Actually, we discussed this about 1.5 years ago 

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=37253.msg448813#msg448813

Thanks!

And I was involved in the thread.  I guess I'm of age where "senior moments" can happen.  And even in that thread I was not the only one confused with the fact that Atlas included fully functional ditchlights.

[peteski]

This came out several years ago and you never knew about it?       haha.  Anyway, it remains the only American prototype N scale model with factory installed flashing ditchlights.   And IM deserves a little bit of credit for bring only the second model with separate ditchlight control.   

At least IM provided two separate light pipes so that one can easily add another LED for flashing ditchlights.  (Wait, does the ESU decoder support another function?)

I wonder, are they are providing rear ditchlights on NS models as speculated above?  In that case, if it's a four function decoder, they couldn't provide both flashing ditchlights and rear ditchlights .  And they would have needed two different four function boards to provide flashing ditchlights on some models and rear ditchlights on others, or a six function board to provide both.

So that Atlas loco remains the sole example of an N scale  model of North American loco woith fully-functional ditchligths?  Nice job Atlas!

As far as the IM decoder goes, if you look carefully at the photo of the decoder posted earlier in this thread you will see additional solder pads for extra functions. So yes, you should be able to add separate ditchlights. 

[tehachapifan]

....I guess I'm of age where "senior moments" can happen....

"....You see?? You see?? He's not a machine! He's a man!!...."

[RAILCAT]

The picture of the sound decoder board on MU26aeh's post shows aux 3 and aux 4 output pads.
The on board leds for the ditch lights are on aux 1 and aux 2. So it should be quite easy to add
smd leds to the light tubes and run them from the aux 3 and 4 and configure the CV's to allow alternate flashing
when the horn is sounded.

[nkalanaga]

Peteski:  Yes, I do have older Atlas locos, but they've all had the flanges turned by Pat Sanders, when Trainworx was doing such work.  I haven't bought many locos in the last several years, so no new Atlas units until the S2.

If the S2 has new wheels, that would explain the difference, and it's a good sign for future models.

[peteski]

If the S2 has new wheels, that would explain the difference, and it's a good sign for future models.

That migth be wishful thinking - the S2's truck design is quite different than the standard trucks Atlas uses for their larger diesels.

[nkalanaga]

The truck design may be different, but are the wheelsets different, other than the wheel contour?

I haven't taken mine apart, so have no idea what the wheels are like, other than the outward appearance.

[AKNscale]

Yeah, they're different, I'll have to see if I can swap some Kato sets in there.

[peteski]

The truck design may be different, but are the wheelsets different, other than the wheel contour?

I haven't taken mine apart, so have no idea what the wheels are like, other than the outward appearance.

The design is so different that the axle gears are totally hidden by the bottom of the gear case.  So the gearing must be different too.  I have also not (yet) taken it apart but the glaring difference is as I said that there are no gears poking through slots in the gear cover - there are no slots!  That in itself signifies a major difference.

[nkalanaga]

Yes, that would be a big difference.  A closed gearbox would also be a big improvement.  No more ballast grains in the gears!