I used a Digitrax DH-123 for each of my subway trains. These are simple "wire-in" decoders, without plugs. I bought them at my LHS, but lots of places have them. I guess I'd go with www.tonystrains.com if I were buying on line.
Any simple decoder will do, though. You might want to pick up a TCS T-1. TCS has a "no-goof" guarantee. Even if you mess up the wiring and toast a perfectly good decoder on your own, they'll replace it.
This is what my installation looks like. (You see how much I'll do for my fellow subway modelers?)
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
That's great to know. I'll copy your instructions, since it'll be my first time doing this, but tell me, what kind of decoder can I use, and where can I get it (on-line) ?
Thanks for your help.
I've added decoders to both of my sets. The first one was the first decoder I ever installed. They don't have decoder plugs, but it's pretty easy to add a wired-in decoder. All the wires in the car come to the light board anyway, and it's pretty easy to trace the circuits on the board. I attached the power wires (red and black) to the board in place of the motor wires. Then I connected the gray and orange leads from the decoder to the motor leads which I'd removed from the board. I also rewired the headlights, but that was pretty much a waste of time, since they are so puny anyway.
Since there is so much room inside, this one is a piece of cake.
Hello fellows, I going to buy a Proto 1000 R17 Subway set.
I don't think it's DCC ready. Does anyone know if a DCC decoder can be added to it?
It's a HO scale by-the-way. Thanks guys.