I have an #2321 Lackawanna trainmaster that I would like to install directional headlights. One would be on depending on direction; the other should blink on- off. I have LED s to do the job but am stumped on how to make it work. I'm thinking using the motor brushes to sense direction. Anyone have any ideas?
Thanks.
Jay
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First off, what do you mean one should blink? That's going to be a lot harder than just having them directional.
The classic way to do this is to simply connect the LED's with a diode and resistor to each brush, one for forward and one for reverse. The other lead of the LED goes to the lug on the reverse unit that is track power. This will light one LED for each direction of travel, just make sure the LED's are on the right ends of the shell. 
Thanks for the tip, GRJ. I plan on the top light being on all the time. The smaller one underneath I will use a LED that blinks. Seems easy enough.
Jay
OK, you have a MARS light, that's different. What you'll need to do for a blinking LED is come up with a source of filtered DC, blinking LED's require pure DC to operate. The simplest way is a diode, 100uf 35V capacitor, and a 1K resistor. That will power the blinking LED and allow it to function properly.
For the headlights, they just need a diode and a 470 ohm resistor each in series with the LED.
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