Tutorials/Flashing redstone lamps

Flashing Redstone Lamps is an uncommon user created mechanism that uses Redstone Lamps. It has the ability to, repetitively and automatically, change the Redstone Lamp status to an on state, to an off state. It is purely made for decorative purposes. The tutorial below will demonstrate the multiple ways to create one, and use one.

Tutorial
Flashing Redstone Lamps is an easy to follow redstone mechanism that can be created by new players to experienced redstone masters. This guide will make it even easier for the player.

Step 1: Recruiting your materials
Like the majority of redstone mechanisms, it is recommended to build this one in Creative to avoid errors and to save time. The only materials needed to achieve this is
 * Redstone Torch
 * Redstone
 * Powered Rail
 * Detector Rail
 * Rail
 * Redstone Lamp
 * Minecart
 * Any type of blocks excluding those that may interfere with the redstone. You may use one for decoration, and the other for placing redstone.

Step 2: The road
Build the road to your desired size and shape. Place Detector Rails parallel to the location you want the redstone lamps to be. Keep in mind to maintain the minecarts to have a constant speed by using Powered rails, but be sure you are placing the redstone torches to a place where it does not interfere with the redstone.

Step 3: A la Redstone
Connect the Detector Rails to redstone, and connect that to redstone torches which you will put on top of a block that you may place inside or outside of the tracks. Be sure they do not interfere with each other, or the redstone torches that are connected to your Powered rails, as they may not achieve your desired effect. After this step has been done, place another block with a redstone torch on top. Place a final block with redstone placed in it.

Step 4: Magic
After this, you will place your desired Redstone Lamps in their place, if you are connecting only one per redstone, place it next to it, either horizontally or diagonally to it. If you are connecting more than one, connect redstone to this pattern, R B R B, R represents the redstone lamp which is directly attached to redstone, B represents the redstone lamps that are blocked by a block to make sure they all light up. Make sure the area where you will place the redstone is 2 blocks long. If you are adding a second row, do a "zig zag" pattern. After this has been completed, place the minecart and test. If it does not light up, be sure to make any corrections to make it work.

Variants
As with many other redstone mechanisms, Flashing Redstone Lamps mechanism is open sourced. In this section, you will learn how to customize it for your preferences.

Duration of delays between each flash
The simplest way to change how fast the flash between flash changes is to change the track distance. The longer the track has to go, the longer the delay. In contrast, the shorter the track, the shorter the delay will be.

Compact Design
If you'd like to make your creation in a fun-sized package, you will have to place all the redstone torches for powering the Powered Rails below it. Then, be sure to have the Detector Rails power the redstone torches to the middle in a way that it does not interfere with the rest.

One Flash
In this variant, all of the lights will flash at the same time. To achieve this, you must connect all the Detector rails to one redstone torch that is on top of a block, in the middle, via redstone. Repeat the previous method of placing a block on top, and placing another redstone torch. Place the final block on top that will contain the redstone, and connect it to the lamps. For the effect to be noticeable, you may need to expand your tracks.

Usage
After you are familiar with the mechanism, feel free to use it for all your projects and builds. Many common ways to use them are

Lighthouse
The one that started it all. Use it to make a real lighthouse that flashes.

Lighting
The usage is obvious, use it to flash your servers logo, or your in game name, or even a character. Use your imagination to this!

Holiday Themed anything!
Use this to simulate Christmas lights, perfect for your huge Christmas tree, or your house!