I just made a purchase of older HO stuff for resale. The keeper for me is two Blue box PA-1's in NKP livery, nicely done by someone including Athearn fluted cars painted to match. I would like to convert the PA's to DCC at least if not also sound. Included was also another PA-1 that is a non powered. Any input on what is needed to acheive this goal. ***, those PA's were gorgeous.
Thanks
Wayne
On the Blue Box ones, the tricky part is isolating the motor from the frame. You can choose to remotor the unit, or isolate the pickup on the existing motor from the frame. To use the existing motor, on the bottom of the motor, the brass plate that holds the brush and spring in place has tabs that project out and make contact with the frame. Cut the tabs off and file the remainder flush with the rest of the plate. You'll have to solder a wire to this plate to connect to the motor output of the decoder. Use an insulator paint (I'd use cheap nail polish) on both the frame and brass plate.
You'll have other posters telling you the only way to do it is to replace the motor with a can motor. I don't deal in such general absolutes. It's an option. True, you'll need a decoder that will handle the higher amp draw of the Athearn motor. The final decison is how much work and expense you're willing to put into the job.
It really depends on which motor it has. Blue Box locos go back a long ways, and Athearn gradually improved them along the way. The old bulky motors definitely draw too much power for a typical HO decoder. The gold-colored ones are fine, the silver ones that otherwise look liek the gold ones are borderline. This assumes the motor is in good oeprating condition, a gold one with a tweaked winding can easily draw more than an HO decoder can stand. If the motor is not repalced, follow one of the many Athearn tune-up sites to make it run as best it can. It comes down to a time vs money issue. You can buy your way into a fine running isolated motor by buying a repower kit, or you can spend a little time and tune up the stock motor and isolate it from the frame. Either way works.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
It's done no differently then any other Blue Box Athearn, there are tons of how to articles on this subject and if you wish to repower the loco which for all intents and purposes you shouldn't have baring that something is actually wrong with the motor. You also have several choices my personal pick which I have had outstanding luck with and repowered most of my loco's with is the Helix Humper by Alliance. I prefer TCS decoder when I don't wish to have sound, yes you do have to isolate the motor from the chassis, put a resistor in line if you change to an LED and simply hook up the two motor wires, the pick up wires and the head light wires all spelled out very clearly in the directions.
Digitrax has even made a complete kit for repowering Athearn Blue Box loco's can't get any easier.
http://www.alliancelink.com/alp/
I put sound in a Bluebox PA a couple years ago. No problems. I used the Soundtraxx LC decoder, with Alco sounds. Just be sure and isolate the motor. If I recall, there is a copper tab under the motor, that makes electrical contract with the frame. I bent it flat, and put some electrical tape over it. Then solder a wire to the bottom motor brush tab. While you are at it, add a superbrite LED headlight. I will do that, if I ever have the shell off again.
davidmbedard TomDiehl You'll have other posters telling you the only way to do it is to replace the motor with a can motor. I don't deal in such general absolutes. It's an option. True, you'll need a decoder that will handle the higher amp draw of the Athearn motor. The final decison is how much work and expense you're willing to put into the job. Tom, please provide a link to what you are claiming. As a long time member of these forums, I have never, ever heard anyone say "the only way to add DCC to an Athearn is to replace it with a Can motor". The Athearn motors are some of the easiest ones to work with and they will run forever. It is also very easy to tweak them to lower their Amp draw. David B
TomDiehl You'll have other posters telling you the only way to do it is to replace the motor with a can motor. I don't deal in such general absolutes. It's an option. True, you'll need a decoder that will handle the higher amp draw of the Athearn motor. The final decison is how much work and expense you're willing to put into the job.
Tom, please provide a link to what you are claiming. As a long time member of these forums, I have never, ever heard anyone say "the only way to add DCC to an Athearn is to replace it with a Can motor".
The Athearn motors are some of the easiest ones to work with and they will run forever. It is also very easy to tweak them to lower their Amp draw.
David B
We don't have far to look. About a half hour after you posted this request, we see a conditional one on this thread. Probably won't see an absolute one for a while since I added this statement.
SO I said it's an option, just like you. How this is even CLOSE to your claim of "absolute" escapes me, although I would love to see a standard HO decoder in a really old Athearn loco with the 'fat' motor. Of course they only pick up power with 2 wheels on each side (if gear drive instead of Hi-Fi) so regardless of motor current draw the results would be less than spectacular unless additional pickups were added.
I have NEVER said you absolutely MUST replace the motor to put DCC in a Blue Box loco. I have in fact several times pointed out the Digitrax harness that allows you to easily connect a decoder with no motor change. I've also mentioned that the Digitrax harness is available seperately and uses a standard 9 pin JST connector so can be used with other brands of decoders if you prefer to use something other than Digitrax.
Yes, I have see then posts that say you MUST replace - but I don't think any of those were from the 'regulars' here.
rrinker SO I said it's an option, just like you. How this is even CLOSE to your claim of "absolute" escapes me, although I would love to see a standard HO decoder in a really old Athearn loco with the 'fat' motor. Of course they only pick up power with 2 wheels on each side (if gear drive instead of Hi-Fi) so regardless of motor current draw the results would be less than spectacular unless additional pickups were added. I have NEVER said you absolutely MUST replace the motor to put DCC in a Blue Box loco. I have in fact several times pointed out the Digitrax harness that allows you to easily connect a decoder with no motor change. I've also mentioned that the Digitrax harness is available seperately and uses a standard 9 pin JST connector so can be used with other brands of decoders if you prefer to use something other than Digitrax. Yes, I have see then posts that say you MUST replace - but I don't think any of those were from the 'regulars' here. --Randy
You're reading things into what I said that aren't there. I said yours was a conditional, not an absolute, and it showed up just a half hour after I was challenged on the remark. That was the point I was making.
Thank you for verifying that others have stated the "must replace" thing about the motor. I also never mentioned they were or were not "regulars." To be honest, I don't look at the posters name or number of posts that closely.
Heck, some of my older black "ring" magnet motors in older Athearn blue box units are so broken in that they draw less than 3/4 amp at full stall. I usualy do a full tune up on older blue box units, then use them at the local club to see what the amp draw is over a period of time, both as a cold engine and after getting warmed up pulling a typical train. If I repower I either use Helix Humpers or Accurate Lighting motors the local shop still has in stock, ,either work well and the Accurate Lighting motors are much lower profile and allow more room, important in sound equipted engines. Cheers Mike
LHS mechanic and geniune train and antique garden tractor nut case!