Headlights & Cab Lights

Most motorized rail vehicles come equipped with powerful headlights, helping see in the dark . They also sometimes have taillights, making the vehicle more visible from behind.

Typically, because rail vehicles can travel in two directions , they have both headlights and taillights on either end. Usually, you can configure the light type and intensity on both ends individually, using switches found in vehicle cabs .

In terms of lighting, a train is considered a single entity. As such it’s suggested to have headlights enabled at the very front, and taillights at the very end, with no lighting in-between, where they may be obstructed.

For example, if a locomotive is hauling cars behind it, its rear taillights should be disabled.

For vehicles that don’t have integrated taillights, such as a car at the end of a train, or a steam locomotive, an end-of-train (EOT) lantern should be mounted on its coupler .

At daytime the headlights are suggested to be set to the dim "running" position in the direction of movement, whereas at nighttime and in tunnels they are supposed to be in the "low beam" or "high beam" positions, depending on the visibility outside. Using high beams in populated areas is discouraged.

The taillights intensity is suggested to be set to match the headlights intensity, or to the closest equivalent.

It is possible to enable headlights in both directions of a vehicle, which is practical when shunting .

In case of necessity, for example if headlights are broken due to body damage , or a leading vehicle not having integrated headlights, a flashlight can be used to illuminate the way and make the vehicle visible.

Custom headlights and taillights can also be bought in shops , and installed as gadgets .

Vehicles typically also feature settings to illuminate the gauges or cabs. On others, a lantern must be used.

As lights run on electricity , they require respective breakers to be enabled.