While there can be no doubt that adding the diode is good advice, I would just like to point out that on several K-Line TMCC engines I have, the marker LED's are wired in series and powered directly from 18 VAC track voltage with a 1000 ohm resistor in series, period.
I have kept this wiring scheme intact on other K-Line engines that I have converted to PS-2.
Seems to work fine; have not lost one yet.
Rod