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athearn sd40-2

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  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Trois-Rivieres Quebec Canada
  • 1,063 posts
Posted by jalajoie on Thursday, January 15, 2009 11:09 AM

Thanks for the correction David. Here in Quebec we are so heavily taxed, I guess it show in my writing.

Jack W.

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Trois-Rivieres Quebec Canada
  • 1,063 posts
Posted by jalajoie on Thursday, January 15, 2009 10:28 AM

Yes it does have the 8 pin sockets no soldering required.

I have a Genesis with this board where there are the 8 holes but no socket, a 9pin GST decoder was installed int that engine.

Thanks David

Jack W.

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Trois-Rivieres Quebec Canada
  • 1,063 posts
Posted by jalajoie on Thursday, January 15, 2009 9:56 AM

I should have removed the shell and take a look before asking the question. While there is no weight pocket under the dynamic hatch, there is ample space, after removing the dummy GST plug, to fit either a Digitrax DN143IP or NCE N14IP.

Jack W.

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Trois-Rivieres Quebec Canada
  • 1,063 posts
Posted by jalajoie on Thursday, January 15, 2009 9:37 AM

Thank for the tip, this is my first Athearn RTR and I did not open the shell yet, I will do and see.

Jack W.

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • 1,932 posts
Posted by Stevert on Thursday, January 15, 2009 9:23 AM

  Don't the Athearn SD40-2's (and several other Athearn SD/GP models) have a weight pocket built into the shell under the dynamic hatch?

    You could either carve it out, since it's probably not adding enough weight to make much difference, or you can look for an extended JST harness that lets you put the decoder into that pocket, in place of the weight.

HTH,
Steve

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Trois-Rivieres Quebec Canada
  • 1,063 posts
Posted by jalajoie on Thursday, January 15, 2009 8:54 AM

rdettmer

 i added a digitrax dh123at to my athearn ready to run sd40-2  and the top  hatch does not fit right.  think i fried it on the reverse curve other post. any way now i got a dh 123 d in there.  is this a good fit or are there  any n scale decoders that would fit better?i read about another poster said he had to much heat build up  because the hatch would not go back on.  thanks to any one who answers.

Now you got me worrying, I just bought an Athearn RTR High nose NS SD40-2 and was expecting to fit either a Digitrax DH123D or NCE D13SRJ or TCS T1. Which one do you suggest for that engine? 

Jack W.

  • Member since
    June 2004
  • From: Orig: Tyler Texas. Lived in seven countries, now live in Sundown, Louisiana
  • 25,640 posts
Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Wednesday, January 14, 2009 8:17 PM

 $24.99 from Walther's.

DZ125

Running Bear, Sundown, Louisiana
          Joined June, 2004

Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running Bear
Space Mouse for president!
15 year veteran fire fighter
Collector of Apple //e's
Running Bear Enterprises
History Channel Club life member.
beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam


  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: northern il.
  • 142 posts
Posted by rdettmer on Wednesday, January 14, 2009 8:11 PM

 what is the price of a z scale decoder? 25 .00  for  ho .

  • Member since
    June 2004
  • From: Orig: Tyler Texas. Lived in seven countries, now live in Sundown, Louisiana
  • 25,640 posts
Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Wednesday, January 14, 2009 7:43 PM

 I don't know about any N Scale decoders but I know for a fact that the Digitrax DZ125 Z Scale decoder will work in it and it will fit almost anywhere. I've put them in all kinds of Athearn locos from switchers on up to an emmense SDP40F with one of those being an SD40. The DZ125's current rating is 1 amp, 1.25 amps peak. I haven't had one burn out yet.

Running Bear, Sundown, Louisiana
          Joined June, 2004

Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running Bear
Space Mouse for president!
15 year veteran fire fighter
Collector of Apple //e's
Running Bear Enterprises
History Channel Club life member.
beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam


  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: northern il.
  • 142 posts
Posted by rdettmer on Wednesday, January 14, 2009 6:34 PM

sorry for the confusion. if you read my first post it says ready to run sd40-2 .might  have mislead you  but not a blue box . i have a lot of blue boxes i would like to convert but my question was about the hatch not fitting right after i put in the digitrax decoder. and is there a n scale decoder that would fit? thanks again.

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: northern il.
  • 142 posts
Posted by rdettmer on Wednesday, January 14, 2009 5:58 PM

 no sir i did not i just took the dc plug out and added the  dcc plug from the decoder in. thought that was all i had to do.

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: northern il.
  • 142 posts
athearn sd40-2
Posted by rdettmer on Wednesday, January 14, 2009 5:48 PM

 i added a digitrax dh123at to my athearn ready to run sd40-2  and the top  hatch does not fit right. i think i fried it on the reverse curve other post. any way now i got a dh 123 d in there.  is this a good fit or are there  any n scale decoders that would fit better?i read about another poster said he had to much heat build up  because the hatch would not go back on.  thanks to any one who answers.

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