How difficult is to convert the pale blue boxed proto 2000 deisel gp9 to dcc. the seller on e bay does not know an 8 pin plug from a kadee coupler. It appears to have a plug in the side picture, but i can not be for certain. it is a special edition gp9 2. thanks in advance brian chaney
There are those who say, "There are no dumb questions." Well, "What did Lindsay Lohan drink for dinner" is certainly a dumb question, but anything about GP9s or DCC is not.
I've done a couple of these. As I recall, there is a plug-compatable decoder for this engine. Even if there is no plug, this is an easy one. The wires are all readily accesible, the motor is already isolated from the frame, and there's enough room to squeeze in a decoder.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Brian
More than likely it has an 8 pin plug but you will still have to change the headlights or add a resistor in line with the lights. The 8 pin plug is about or even larger than a modern decoder and takes up a lot of room. What I usualy do with these is hardwire a 9 pin plug and put LEDs and 1K resistors for lights. With this set up you will not have to shave any weight out to fit the shell back on.
Pete
I pray every day I break even, Cause I can really use the money!
I started with nothing and still have most of it left!
You can also put in a Digitrax DH163L0 or DH165L0 and keep the stock bulbs, both have resistors in place to handle the low voltage bulbs. Direct plug in, it will take you longer to get the shell off than put one of those two decoders in.
My latest GP-7 (basically the same) I hard wired a TCS T-1 and am putting in LEDs.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
thanks for all replies folks, i have a dcc guru who says he can do it. we'll see. thanks again brian
bwchaneythanks for all replies folks, i have a dcc guru who says he can do it. we'll see. thanks again brian
Ask if you can look over his shoulder while he does this. It's not a difficult job with this engine, and I think you'll discover that you can do the next one yourself. Enjoy your engine.
MisterBeasleyThere are those who say, "There are no dumb questions." Well, "What did Lindsay Lohan drink for dinner" is certainly a dumb question, but anything about GP9s or DCC is not.
Great. Now I can't sleep because I don't know what Lindsey Lohan drank for dinner.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
MisterBeasley bwchaneythanks for all replies folks, i have a dcc guru who says he can do it. we'll see. thanks again brian Ask if you can look over his shoulder while he does this. It's not a difficult job with this engine, and I think you'll discover that you can do the next one yourself. Enjoy your engine.
Seriously, I was NOT kidding. Even for an electrical dunce, it's harder to remove the shell from these than it is to put the decoder in. Assuming it's already been put together. Getting those coupler pockets back in without it flipping open and dropping out the centering spring or other bits - that's the hard aprt. You almost can't even hook the deecoder up backwards, it's kind of obvious from the way the space in the weight is relative to where the pins are on the decoder. And even if you DO plug it in backwards, nothing bad will happen because the NMRA 8 pin plug is designed to handle that possibility.
Two questions. What is a Lindsey Lohan? Second, Who cares?
Bob
bwchaney thanks for all replies folks, i have a dcc guru who says he can do it. we'll see. thanks again brian
If you can post messages to an online forum using a computer, installing a decoder is a breeze. Heck, if there is an eight pin plug, it's about as complicated as changing a lightbulb!! You remove the dummy plug and plug in the decoder (some come with an eight pin harness, others have the eight pin plug integral to the decoder). Put the body back on and you're done.
If there isn't an eight pin plug, several companies make light board replacement decoders. They look like the green light board, and the wires connect at the same places. Just remove the wire from the front left corner connection, and connect it to the front left connection of the decoder, etc. Plus, the light board decoder is the same size as the light board, so no worries about fitting it in as it takes up the same space as the lightboard. There are four connecting points at each end of the decoder. The outside two on each end connect to the trucks. The wires coming from the trucks go to the nearest corner. The two inside ones are for front and rear headlights...and the two on the side go to the motor.