Kintetsu Headlights

[Darklighter]

I noticed that some Kintetsu trains often have three instead of two or four headlights on. (Examples)

What's the reason for this? What does the third light indicate?

[bikkuri bahn]

It's a headlight code for the type of train. A common practice among many Kansai area railways.  One theory why it's prevalent on Kansai railways is the preponderance of multi-track mainlines in the Osaka city limits, to aid identifying the multiple types of trains running in the same direction (up or down). For Kintetsu, the upper lights are always lit, the lower ones are lit according to this pattern:

 

1. All lights (upper and lower) lit: Rapid expresses and higher service levels (incl. ltd expresses), also section semi expresses on the Hanshin line run through. In addition: charters, out of service trains, fish train, test runs, and other special trains.

 

2. Right lower light lit: Expresses, section expresses, and Hanshin line semi expresses.

 

3. Left lower light lit: semi expresses, section semi-expresses

 

4. no lower lights lit: local/stopper

 

5. both lower red lights lit: out of service train entering yard limits

[Darklighter]

Ahh, thanks for the explanation!

[CaptOblivious]

Not owning any but B-Train models of Kintetsu/Hanshin/&c. cars, how possible is it to hack up the light-guides in full-size N-scale models of these trains to replicate this pattern? What about controlling the pattern with a large-number-of-functions DCC decoder? I'm the sort of nerd that would want to do that if possible…