A friend just picked up an Atlas EMD GP30 #4701 undecorated loco and would like me to convert it to DCC. I can find three light board replacement-style non-sound decoder offerings that state they will fit this loco. These include the Digitrax DN163A4, the NCE N12A2, and the TCS 1279 ASD4. However, these decoders all appear to require a channel along the top of the split frame that the model does not have. In fact, the model has two separate light boards at each end of the split frame.
I looked up the Digitrax installation instructions for their decoder and it shows a channel along the top of the split frame. I assume from this that the model I have is an earlier version and I would need to machine my own channel into the existing frame to get any of these decoders to fit. Is this feasible?
Hornblower
Is this an N scale or HO scale? Can you post a picture minus the shell?
Pete.
The catalog number is for N-scale, which commonly have split frames.
TCS has an installation on their website, but it needs a central cut out for the decoder. If you happen to have a milling machine, it's not hard to do, but most people don't.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Yes, that is an earlier version, actually made by Kato, and not DCC ready. TCS does make a decoder that makes the installation a little easier than a regular hard wired decoder install. Download the "Classic N Installation Guide" from this page and it will tell you all you need to know: https://tcsdcc.com/CNGuide
Thanks for your responses. This is indeed an N scale loco made by Kato (the bottom of the fuel tank says Kato and Made in Japan). Fortunately, I do have the tools and ability to mill the split chassis. I will check out the TCS instructions to learn more. Thanks again.
Thank you CSX Robert! I looked up the CN Installation Guide and found that the TCS N 1286 CN-GP decoder is specifically designed to be installed in the Kato-built Atlas GP30! It is a sort of hybrid decoder -- part light board replacement and part hard-wired installation. It should be a far easier installation than trying to mill the chassis to get a full board replacement decoder to fit. Internet pricing is around $41 so it is a little pricier than other hard-wired decoder options. However, it should result in a much cleaner installation. Thanks again all!
Use a file to remove some of the frames at the top. File both half's to make a (V or U ) slot at the top when you put the two,halves together , there are three wires that must go from front to the back boards.
woodone Use a file to remove some of the frames at the top. File both half's to make a (V or U ) slot at the top when you put the two,halves together , there are three wires that must go from front to the back boards.
I will definitely keep this tip in mind. Thanks
Just wanted to give those of you who responded an update regarding my installation of a TCS N 1286 CN-GP DCC decoder in a Kato-built N scale Atlas GP30. Following the directions of the CN Installation Guide, I found the installation to be fairly straight forward. The most difficult part of the installation was cutting the clearance notches in the top of the frame to ensure that the underside of each PC board cannot short against the top of the split frame. I was able to do this cleanly using a razor saw and jeweler's files. It was helpful to hold the loco up to a light source to see whether adequate clearance had been achieved between each new decoder board and the frame. Anyway, I disassembled the loco, notched the plastic motor mount per the instructions, trimmed the frame-to-motor contact tabs, then made all the solder connections with the wires at full length for testing purposes.
I put the loco on a DCC powered test track and found that it ran correctly and had bright front and rear headlights. I programmed the loco to the desired address and then started to evaluate what other CV's I might need to reprogram. To my surprise, I found that the loco responded to speed step 1 of 128 at a speed so slow you had to watch the track ties to be sure it was actually moving. I don't have any HO scale locos that can move as slowly as this N scale Atlas (Kato) loco!
Anyway, the last step was to shorten up all the wires so they all lay flat against the top of the split frame. Replacing the body shell showed no need to improve clearance between the shell and frame to fit the decoder wires. The headlights remain nice and bright and the motor performance also remains as first tested. I am thoroughly impressed with both Kato and TCS for offering such high quality products!