PC Csx Platform Lights

I've been running various TSW2 switching sessions and cannot figure out how to control my engine's platform lights. I'm driving a 2-loco rig and begin each session by turning on my engine's headlights and setting all the other controls properly. In addition, I stand up, move over to the control panel on the back wall, and set the platform lights switch to OFF. Sooner or later, an instruction tells me to pick up some freight cars on my front coupler. As I approach those cars, I turn off my front headlight, but something is still illuminating the end of the car toward which I'm driving. A glance at the #2 view reveals that the platform lights are on. Once I've completed the coupling maneuver and am headed in the opposite direction, the platform lights on the front of my engine have turned off, but either my engine's rear platform lights or the front platform lights of my second unit are on.

I probably shouldn't let this bother me, but I'm the engineer and I should be in control of those platform lights. What am I doing wrong? By the way, I have checked both the very brief and basic TSW2 manual and the old and much more complete "TSW & CSX Manual"; neither of them mentions platform lights.

 

Could it be that your forgetting about the Step Lights? Those are a separate switch from the platform light switch, it’s just above the independent brake lever (middle switch I believe).

 

I would assume its the ditch lights, as they change direction based on the reverser position!

 

Seems plausible -- I'll take a look.

 

Ditch lights it is! Thanks for the tip. Why should the ditch lights be on during daytime switching work anyway?
However, the solution leads me to another question: All of TSW2's switching activities feature a dual-engine rig in which -- according to the tutorials -- headlights should be set to bright. When the reverser position is changed from forward to reverse, shouldn't the leading (driven) engine's headlight turn off and the trailing engine's headlight turn on?

 

I was wondering the same, as having dual loco setup, you would assume then once you go into reverse in the lead that the trail units lights would switch on, but it does not, i tried messing with the light settings, above the fuse box, the long hood short hood and all that, but it does not work, or maybe i just dont know how to set it up. Ditch lights turn on as soon as you sound the horn, they flash wtih the bell, and should turn off after a period of time, possibly its bugged so they dont turn of, i dont care that much, but anyways, the lights are kinda wonky in general!

 

I believe that IRL ditch lights are not used while conducting yard switching operations but I could definitely be wrong about that. But I do know how to switch direction on the headlights.

In the lead loco set the headlight control to "controlling unit coupled on long hood end" and in the trailing loco set the headlight control to "controlled by another unit coupled at either end"

Next on your control terminal you'll see there are two headlight switches. Turn front headlights to bright and rear headlights to off when the lead loco is going forward. When you change direction turn the front headlights to off and the rear headlights to bright. If you check in external cam you'll see the headlights on the trailing loco are now illuminated.

As for step and platform lights i always turn those off. Step lights are a small light for the front platform on the loco, platform lights are small lights for the side platforms on the long hood end.

 

Use dim headlight in yards.