I started a thread on this install but used an incorrect subject heading. The subject heading now is much clearer. Another fellow and I are trying this out and it is working very well. Using a Digitrax DZ125 decoder. A tight fit. Used the original 12 v light bulbs. TCS also has a couple deocders that will work.
Very nice running loco if anyone would like to DCC theirs. MRR Magazine Jan. 2001 has the article on this install and the back issue is still available from MRR Magazine. In fact, there is also an article on detailing for the Union Freight RR.
Tonight at a local club I did some switching for about an hour and a half. The loco managed to pull ten cars on the level. I know Union Freight RR had to MU two 44 tonners as one could not handle fifteen to twenty car transfers.
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
Yes, it looks terrible but is not seen with the shell in place. It looks just like the photo in the MRR Magazine article before the shell is installed.
Thanks for posting this picture. I have two of these on the "back burner" for DCC upgrade. It always helps to see how it will look. Actually this looks like a very neat installation yiou have done.
Chris
I should have taken more pictures. I was assuming people would buy a back issue the magazine.Someday that issue may not be available from MRR.
You can see in the first picture a orange and grey wire going into one end of the truck. Those connect to the motor terminals. When you take the cap off the truck, you will see the top of the motor. Carefully lift out the motor. With a sharp pair of small side cutter, clip the two motor contacts close to the inside of the truck frame. These contacts are part of the truck pickups. Be careful. On the outside of those trucks are the pickup wires that go up to the PC board. I unsoldered them and soldered on the red and black wires. A fine tip soldering iron. NO soldering gun here. I followed NMRA color code. One one end of the frame, the decoder, the other half the wires. Very little space when you put the shell on. Might help to cut the decoder wires shorter.
Look closely and you will see a red pickup wire on each truck. For this loco, really no front or back. Red on one side, black on the opposite side.
I did not use the PC board or insulator below it. I used the 12 volt bulbs.
Kapton tape holds everything down. Below is a picture of a truck with the cap off. One motor terminal is to the left of the white pastic. The two black wires are original pickup wires that I removed.