Hello, i have a bunch of Athearn blue box engines that i would like to up grade to dcc. What would be the best type of decoders for these units. I have a Digitrax control system and would like to do sound on some also. Thanks for you help.
Go to the Digitrax web site, on the top bar, look for Decoder selector. I'ts a drop-down box thing that helps you find a decoder for your locos.
Mike.
My You Tube
Depending on your budget and features wanted, look at the Tsunami 2 and the Econami decoders. Been very happy with Econami.
Hello all,
Many lines of type have been devoted to this subject.
The most important aspect of wiring B.B. locos is isolating the frame as an electrical path.
Check out this thread for more info: http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/249053.aspx
Hope this helps.
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"
Look at the TCS decoder site. Installation pictures. There are many Athearn conversions. Sound and non sound. Quite sure some BB locos are in there.
http://www.tcsdcc.com/
Other brands of decoders could work.
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.
One fellow in the MRH forums just started a thread that might interest some. Retrofitting Athearn Blue box.
He also says, Typical hardwire units with the 9pin plug are a struggle to fit in the narrow hood unit shells that I'm most interested in and the drop in allows for more orderly wiring at less effort compared to a typical hard wire.
http://www.modelrectifier.com/product-p/00111701.htm
Other manufacturers make a similar unit. Yes, isolating the motor is importnat. Some years ago I used the Sountraxx TSU-AT1000.
That TCS site has lots of good install pictures, Rich. The OP can use whatever manufacturers decoder he wants, and the method stays the same.
Great link! I've never checked Digitrax for "how to" pics or vids. I'll have to check!
Seems that you're missing the point....Blue Box locos don't have a PCB to replace with a drop in decoder!!!
Correct!, but it is an easy procedure to get a BB loco ready for a drop in pc board, such as Athearn sells for about $12, which makes your BB DCC ready, or drop in a decoder like Rich links to from MRC.
Most hard wire everything, but with the MRC drop in, all you need to add is the speaker, if you want the sound that MRC offers.
You have to isolate the motor, as with any type of BB conversion, one wire from the right side connected to the board, and a wire from the frame to the left side of the board, carefully remove the brass strip on top of the motor, being sure not to loose the brush spring, and snap the board on the top, inplace of the brass strip. This would be the same procedure for attaching the Athearn board, which has a jumper plug attached to run the loco in DC, remove jumper plug, and plug in a decoder, now you have DCC.
EDIT: The Athearn board will not support LED lights, you have to use a resistor, but the board will accept the incandescent bulps. Not sure if the MRC board is LED ready, as I haven't read all about it yet.
Toskitrain
Just in case you have questions about paticular loco's, you can post a picture.
Just above the Model Railroader, General Discussion forum are the instructions.
Yes, change light bulbs to LED's. No idea if your loco's have 1.5 volt or 12 volt bulbs. I have read of a number of complaints about Athearn 1.5 volt bulbs burning out.
If it's a true Ble Box loco it will have a 12V bulb on a bracket at the front - the old "fire in the cab" look. Once they became the RTR series they started putting that board in them. Frankly I wouldn't waste my money on the Athearn board. It saves you all of one solder joint, the motor top clip. The most difficult part of putting a decoder in a BB loco is getting a power point for the rail feed that is grounded to the frame. The usual method is to drill a small hole in a spot that will clear the body shell and tap it and install a small brass screw, which you can then solder to.
Digitrax uses to sell a harness which was a set of replacement clips with the wires already soldered on - however they no longer sell it, plus the frame pickup was via a clip that attached to the front headlight bracket - which is only ever loosely riveted to the frame and makes a rather poor place to pick up power. And meant the only wa to get a headlight back was to solder one to the decoder wires, so much for a no-solder operation. Really, just learn to solder. It's not terribly difficult and in the long run will save time and money. There aren;t that many wires involced in a decoder install - 4 for the pickups and motor, 2 for a headlight, 2 for a speaker if its a sound decoder. Being small, fine wires they solder easily and quickly. And you are not at the mercy of some circuit the loco vendor may have created on their circuit board.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
The AT harness they used to sell is what I used on my first BB conversion. The connection to the light was the first thing I had problems with, and there was no way to tighten the connection. When I switched to LED lights, I tapped the frame, which is what I do now. They still show an install of those on their web site.