GP20 Switches/Controls

[DapperDan]

I hope this is the correct place to post this inquiry.

I've set up 2 engines with 40 cars in QD trying to figure out some of the various controls/switches for this unit as I couldn't find anything in the manual. Start up procedure for both engines is not the issue, as I've got that down pat. What I can't figure out are as follows.

1) Does the "Headlights Control Switch" on the engine control panel do anything? I've tried and tested it in different positions and can't see that it does anything regarding the lights for both engines. I thought that maybe you could control the lights for the helper from the main engine, but it didn't work for me.

2) If you set the "Unit Selector Switch" on the engine control panel to #2 for the lead engine, do you also set the "Selector Lever" on control stand B to the #2 position. I've tried the selector lever in both #1 and #2 positions and don't notice any difference in the way the train handles.

Hopefully someone has figured these out and can help.

[BNSFdude]

The selector lever is in essence, useless. Aside from going from Brake-Off-Power, the other numbers were there to control the 4 stages of transition other older locomotives would have had when the GP20 was made (F/GP7s, and other similar locomotives). The GP20 itself had automatic transition which would just change from wiring the motors in Series to Paralell automatically.
This is what it sounds like when our SD9 does it automatically:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/qiarxh8b1by4huj/6234_set1.mp3
(Around 20 seconds in, sounds like it dropped into road gear on a tractor)

[arizonachris]

Headlight switch is basically, from what I can see, dim or normal for the lead engine. Helper shouldn't have any lights anyways, should it? Unless it's a trailing engine, then it would have red lights instead of white, but I haven't tried that type of consist to check if that works. May have to switch cabs (CTRL + or CTRL -, IIRC) and set the switch.

BNSFdude's right, that selector lever doesn't seem to do much, the manual is kinda vague about it as well.

[BNSFdude]

Headlight switch is basically, from what I can see, dim or normal for the lead engine. Helper shouldn't have any lights anyways, should it? Unless it's a trailing engine, then it would have red lights instead of white, but I haven't tried that type of consist to check if that works. May have to switch cabs (CTRL + or CTRL -, IIRC) and set the switch.

BNSFdude's right, that selector lever doesn't seem to do much, the manual is kinda vague about it as well.

No no. The headlight selection switch has an important role in real life. Single/Middle makes it so the headlight switch would control the long and short hood lights, the Short Hood Lead would only allow the short hood lights be operated on said locomotive, the rear switch's setting would be relayed via MU cables to the trailing units. Units set to anything other than Single/Middle would then display the light accordingly.
The positions are:
Short Hood Lead
Short Hood Trail
Single/Middle
Long Hood Lead
Long Hood Trail

[DapperDan]

Chris/Woody, thanks for the responses. So I understand the explanation for the switch selector lever, but Woody, you totally lost me on the headlights control. The "Headlights Control" on the engine control panel shows as follows.

Single Unit
Coupled at #2 end
Coupled at #1 end
Last Unit

In my QD test I have a helper coupled behind the lead/main engine and I was testing to see if the lead engine would control the lights on the helper. I tried both the coupled at #1 & #2 end settings from the lead engine (I apologize for my ignorance regarding the knowledge on the workings of locomotives) thinking that one of the settings would control the lights on the helper unit with no luck. I'm going to try a trailing engine and see if anything works. The one thing I haven't tried is setting the switch on the helper unit, so I think I'll try that first.

Regards,

[awaken1977]

I supposed that this light mode selector controls, how switch on the dashbord controls lights on other locomotives

for example:
you are in leading engine
"front light" switch activates front lights on lead engine
but "rear light" switch activates rear end lights on trailing engine, instead of the same engine

I tried different modes on selector, but it didn't work - light switch only controls lead locomotive.