dowop62 I got it done, it was not nearly as hard as i thought it would be. THANKS to all replies to someone who needs lots of help. Larry
I got it done, it was not nearly as hard as i thought it would be. THANKS to all replies to someone who needs lots of help.
Larry
It's says not for beginners because you have to solder a couple of wires instead of just plug the decoder in. I don't see anything difficult with that installation. But then I solder almost all of mine in, I generally replace all incandescent bulbs with LEDs and resistors too. I have both the early and later FA chassis, the older one in an MDC RS-3 kit and the newer one with a set of Reading FA's. The newer one with the circuit board it back will ALSO get soldered in and the original board removed. It's generally just as easy for me and also eliminated any chance of wierd circuit board issues - the one in the FA is quite complicated yet most of that stuff on there ISN'T used even for DC - the loco is pretty simple and just has a directional headlight under DC, so why the crazy electronics? Looks like they just dropped the E unit board in there - the one meant to oeprate the Mars light in them. Which also goes in any of those locos I put decoders in - just about any decoder made today can do a better Mars light simulation than the wierd dual-filament bulb used int he P2K models.
P2K S1 switchers are more complicated than the FA, and they have a decoder plug. But the motor is not truly isolated so you have to take the whole thing apart and pull the motor to solder on a new orange wire. That FA install is simple compared to that.
--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 all I probably will have someone with DCC smarts do it right instesd of messing it up.
CNR378 Lots of installation photos for various locomotives on TCS website. Peter
Lots of installation photos for various locomotives on TCS website.
Peter
If I see the correct install, it says not for beginners. I have done stuff like this and it is a challenge if you are not model railroad electrical savvy with DCC. Do not want to discourage but a lot of DCC installs are not plug and play, especially without a 8 pin or 9 pin decoder connector.
Quite a few cannot even find how to get the shell off some locos. Some loco shells almost fall off. My Stewart diesels have no fasteners. All the shell parts snap together. Even the couplers boxes snap in place.
Some diesels, you have to remove the couplers first. My Atlas, BLI and PCM are like that.
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
I have a pre Walthers FA2 set that I hard wired a motor decoder in. If I recall it was not DCC ready and had no plug.
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!
would anyone have photos of dcc motive decoder instalation
Thanks a lot