All modelers are different...... We all have different skills and abilities and.......... anxiety tolerance levels. Not everyone is prepared to cut into a new acquisition and change a bunch of stuff.
If you are adventuresome it can be safely said that there is almost no loco that cannot be converted to DCC with some modification. However not everyone is prepared to go there. In many cases a can motor replacement is also in the mix.
I have even managed to convert old Lindsay 7 pole skew wound motors from the early 50's to DCC. A bit exciting but do-able. These motors had amazing low speed capability that rivals can motors today and very worth saving.
The issue is whether the motor can be electrically isolated from the frame.......... or to be more clear.......... both wires leading to the brushes isolated from the motor frame and the loco frame. The gray and orange motor wires from a decoder cannot be allowed to see track voltage. This is instant death for most decoders.
The notations above about a lot to learn is very correct. Connect yourself with a local group or club and ask questions. You will find some one out there who will take the time with you and get you going.
see ya
Bob
Which locos are you considering.
If you can identify them, we can probably tell you if they are DCC Ready or not.
Rich
Alton Junction
TCs has pictures in all scales. Searchiong for a particualr loco on Google often reults in other isntall pics as well. And the TCS site is very handy even if not using TCS decoders, other brands of decoders are similar in form factor so the install would be the same - although I DO use TCS decoders, exclusively, other than sound, as they ARE very good decoders. And fairly local to where I live.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
I often buy locos from eBay. What you need to do is research it. A lot of the time, a seller lists the part number or road name and road number of the loco as well as the manufacturer.
You take this information and look it up on the manufacturers web site. If you can't find anything there, do a google search and look at what comes up. Sometimes these locomotives are discontinued by the manufacturer, but some shops still have them in stock. If they do, they will list the price and most of the information that the manufacturer listed.
Once you have THAT information, you can look up Decoder manufacturers web sites and see if they have a decoder for it. Sometimes they will have installation instructions. The TCS web site has photos and instructions for N scale installations. I'm not sure about HO.
Anyway, that is the route that I take to check things out before purchasing or bidding on a locomotive I think I may want.
Note: If I can't find ANYTHING about a particular loco, I leave it alone.
Elmer.
The above is my opinion, from an active and experienced Model Railroader in N scale and HO since 1961.
(Modeling Freelance, Eastern US, HO scale, in 1962, with NCE DCC for locomotive control and a stand alone LocoNet for block detection and signals.) http://waynes-trains.com/ at home, and N scale at the Club.
flyn96 Getting back into the hobby and have found a few good deals on ebay. However they don't always mention whether its dcc ready for not. Is there any good places to find info about whether its dcc ready? Sometimes the seller isn't knowledgable on the subject so I was looking for more specific information. I assume most made in the last 10 years would be dcc ready? Thanks
Getting back into the hobby and have found a few good deals on ebay. However they don't always mention whether its dcc ready for not. Is there any good places to find info about whether its dcc ready? Sometimes the seller isn't knowledgable on the subject so I was looking for more specific information.
I assume most made in the last 10 years would be dcc ready?
Thanks
Since you are getting back into the hobby, never, ever make assumptions on DCC. It will bite you.
There is quite a learning curve for DCC which you will find out as you venture into it.
Ask the ebay seller and if they do not know, just bail. You can ask here about a particular loco not mentioning ebay so no one tries to get the loco before you.
The Favorite Spot is a good ebay seller that I have bought DCC stuff from.
There are various levels of easy DCC installs. Some way up to very difficult.
Be aware, when someone says easy, they have experience with installs.
I have seen some easy installs but the person could not figure out how to remove the diesel shell. Plugging in the the decoder was easy.
Sound with some diesels can be quite a challenge.
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.
An diesel engine with a lightboard can easily be converted by using a lightboard replacement decoder. That's an especially good option for sound decoders, as the new decoder only takes up the same space as the old one, so it's easier to find room for a speaker.
HO diesels have had lightboards going back to at least the later 1990's so I'd say saying that most engines produced in the last 10 years are "DCC ready" is probably a fair assessment. As mentioned above, the only big exception are Athearn "blue box" engines. Anything by Atlas, Proto / Life Like, Kato, Stewart / Bowser since at least 2000 should be pretty easy to convert.
There is no universally-accepted definition of "DCC Ready." Some are as simple as plugging in a decoder into a socket. Others require hard-wiring and soldering your own connections. I've got one engine that was marked "DCC Ready" but I still had to isolate the motor from the frame.
Most newer engines are easy to install DCC in, though, but 10 years is probably pushing it.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Not all new locos are DCC ready, I know Athearn makes a few still, which I ended up with one and did not know it, but the good thing is it is not hard to hard wire most locos DCC. Digitrax makes a kit or you can find it on line or on Youtube how to do it. The key is to isolate the motor from the frame.