DCC instillation in older Athearn Loco's

[Anonymous]

I have a couple of nice older Athearn loco's that have the metal straps across the motor to conduct electricity. I want to install a NCE decoder in it and I know that it will need to be wired in. Does anyone have experience with this or know of any good resources for installing decoders in these units?

[MisterBeasley]

Can you post a picture?

You probably need to isolate the motor from the frame, a step which is usually needed in adding a decoder to most old locos, and a few new ones as well. On these older engines, the frame is used to connect one rail to the motor, while a wire connects the other rail.

What you're basically going to do is put the decoder between the rails and the motor. The red and black wires go to one rail each. Most likely, you will connect one of them directly to the frame, and the other to the wire that comes off the trucks on the other side. Then, the gray and orange wires go to the two poles of the motor - one to the place the wire from the truck used to go, and the other to frame of the motor, where it used to connect to the frame of the loco.

Depending on the model, the headlights may also need to be isolated. This is a good time to replace them with LEDs, anyway.

[Stevert]

Google is your friend. Search on something like "athearn locomotive decoder install" (without the quotes) and you'll get lots of hits.

Maybe the best way to start is to buy a pre-made Athearn wiring harness for the first loco. Once you have that, and the instructions that come with it, it's easy to do it yourself on the remaining locos. Here's one from Loy's Toys (the first one listed on the page - Part Number "WHAT"): http://www.loystoys.com/indexes/decoder-harnesses.html

If you're not set on NCE decoders, you can use the Digitrax DH123AT which is pre-wired for Athearn locos. Same advice about buying one to see how it's done applies here.
http://www.digitrax.com/prd_mobdec_dh123at.php

And here are generic, written instructions for installing a wired decoder in an Athearn: http://www.digitrax.com/appnote_dash9app.php

Although the above ways are all similar, there are other ideas about how to decoder an Athearn. Here's one: http://www.tcsdcc.com/decoderpics/Athearn%20SD45/athearn_sd45.htm

I found these all with the Google search I suggested above, and there were many more. The important thing to keep in mind for these installations is that you MUST insulate that bottom brush clip from the loco frame or you WILL destroy the decoder.

Good luck!
Steve

[wjstix]

Yup, except for the bother (which isn't all that bad) of isolating the motor from the frame, using the AT harness makes it pretty easy. I installed a Digitrax decoder in an older (90's) CN F7, was very impressed how well it ran with the Back EMF "cruise control" in use.

[Anonymous]

I think those athearn harnesses are a waste of money. All you have to do Is isolate the motor by breaking the contact tabs, then solder all of the wires in thier correct places.

[Anonymous]

Its no trouble to wire straight to the motor and eliminate the metal strap. Break or flatten the tabs that stick out on the brush clip on the bottom of the motor and put some electrical tape on the frame where these tabs would normally make contact. I usually swap the brush clips and solder my wire to the brush clips. I'm in Henning, TN about an hours drive west of Jackson. Glad to meet someone from the area. Let me know if I can be of any help. These are pretty simple to install.

[bogp40]

If you remove the bronze clips for any reason, be careful not to loose the brush/ spring located beneath them. Anytime you disurb motor brushes and they are not reinstalled exactly to their oringinal position, some brush break in is required. Spinning up the motor in both directions a few times will usually reseat them. Excessive arcing means a brush/ or spring is installed incorrectly. Just some info just in case.
Bob K.

[Tom Bryant_MR]

aharden, I wired a NCE decoder in one of these older Atrhearns last weekend. If I can do it, anybody can. It was my first. Just follow the instructions posted above.

[Janafam]

Scan the web, there are sites that walk you through it and include a picture or two. Although you didn't say how old the engines were, double check what you have with an email to the decoder supplier you plan to use. You may have to change the lighting in the engine.

[Anonymous]

I am on my third 10 pack of the NCE decoders. Most of them have gone into Athearn loco's. If you want drop me an e-mail and I'll either send you my phone number and talk you through the way i do it or write it up and e-mail it to you. Jim