Kopong,
Generally speaking, decoders and locomotives are not brand-specific. In other words, you don't have to use a Bachmann decoder (actually made by Lenz) with a Bachmann locomotive. Decoders are designed to go in a variety of manufacturer's products.
With that said, certain decoders may be designed to fit into a specific locomotive. For example, Digitax decoders ending with the suffx "L0" are designed for Proto 1000/2000 locomotives.
Actually, what would be helpful, Kopong, is if you could list the Athearn locomotives (e.g. 2-8-2 Mikado, GP38-2, etc.) that you are looking to install decoders in. That way folks can offer suggestions based on a specific locomotive.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
berlingoSorry, my post is disappear on the 1st page. What' s wrong?
Your post was moved to the Electronics and DCC forum. It will get more answers that way.
If you buy any electronics, including a DCC system, in the USA be sure that your electrical supply matches. Is your electric service 120 VAC 60 HZ? It often varies from country to country.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
Bachmann decoders are not very highly regarded for smooth motor control. A TCS T-1 or NCE DA13SR would probably be a better choice if they'll fit.
I don't think all of the models you listed are DCC Ready so some may require soldering.
If you can send an e-mail to Bruce Petrarca at Litchfield Station or the folks at Ulrich Models Hobby Shop listing exactly what you have they can probably recommend which decoders you should use and whether or not they will require soldering.
Contact information for these two dealers can be found on their web sites:
http://www.mr-dcc.com
Another problem you're probably going to encounter is the shipment of decoders to a foreign address if your uncle can't get them in time or runs into trouble with customs inspectors -- you never know what some countries will or will not allow to be imported.
If all of your locomotives are truly Athearn with Quick Plug Technology, then either of the decoders I mentioned will just plug in. Any brand of NMRA-compliant decoder will work with any brand of Command Station.
Directional lights have nothing to do with DCC conversion, and neither does your local electrical service -- a DCC Command Station converts the AC voltage to the DCC standard voltage on the track as long as you have the power supply required by your local electrical service.
You need to open up all of your locomotives and verify that they have a JST 9-pin header (an oblong, white plastic socket) or an 8-pin NMRA Medium decoder socket to accept a decoder. If any of them don't have one or both of these sockets in them, they are not DCC Ready and will require soldering.
Most DCC Ready Athearn locomotives have a dummy plug connected to the JST socket that has to be removed even if you're going to use the NMRA Medium 8-pin socket.
berlingo planning to buy Bachmann EZ digital controller . There is one shop in Thailand where i can find this staff. But for decoder is my question. I have my uncle who lives in Denver is coming down to Thailand next month , maybe this is a good time to buy from US. They are cheeper than here in Thailand. Thank you very much. BertAXM,
That is the reason that I warned about the electric service. It doesn't matter for the decoders but is DOES matter if he buys a controller in the USA. If he does buy the controller in the USA he will have to buy a different power supply for it. In the case of the Bachmann that means a different transformer that plugs into the wall.
Any brand of DCC decoder will work with any brand of DCC controller.
Basically all DCC ready means is that the motor is isolated from the frame. Most, but not all, engines labeled DCC ready have an 8 pin socket, sometimes called a medium socket, already wired in. Sometimes you just unplug the jumper and plug a decoder into that socket. Sometimes you remove a board that is plugged into that socket and plug in a decoder. It is just as simple as it sounds.
If it does not have the plug then you have to solder wires from the decoder harness to the engine. It is more difficult but not beyond the capability of anyone who knows how to solder. The color code of the wires will come with the decoder.
berlingoMy plan is to be both DC and DCC layout .
If you do plan to have both DC and DCC on the same layout, make sure that you keep the two COMPLETELY isolated electrically from one another. DC & DCC do not play nicely together. Ideally, you should have some sort of toggle switch that gives you an either/or - i.e. either DCC or DC; not both.
It isn't even advisable to have - for example - an outside track with DCC and an inside with DC, which is connected by crossover turnout. Even if they are electrically isolated from one another, if you accidentally allow a locomotive to span the gap, you'll be cooking a lot of decoders that way.
Bottom line: Make sure you set your layout up as either/or.