I know this will seem bizzare to most here but I'm stuck in the DC rut and I'm not likely to change anytime soon.
My question is: I have n Athearn Big Boy first run and the MRC decoder has finaly given up the ghost, so I'd like to convert it to straight DC but I imagine that the LED lighting isn't going to make that possible (or is it?). I'm thinking that it will need to have the type of board in it that would be classed as DCC ready. Are such things available retail or how otherwise might I achive what I'm looking for?
Any advice greatfully recieved.
Just to recap all I want is forward and back with lights.
Have you considered removing the bad decoder and replacing it with a dual mode decoder that will run on either DC or DCC? That might give you the light control you want without having to do a lot of wiring.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Not having any idea what your locomotive looks like on the decoder wiring, does the MRC plug in, if so what socket does it use?Mel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
FlyingScotaman I'd like to convert it to straight DC but I imagine that the LED lighting isn't going to make that possible (or is it?). I'm thinking that it will need to have the type of board in it that would be classed as DCC ready.
Green "lightboards" were first added to engines to control the lights, allowing the use of LEDs and making the lights change with the engine's direction. Later, DCC decoder receptacles were added to lightboards to make it easier to convert the engine to DCC. If your engine has a lightboard, removing the bad decoder and plugging in the dummy plug that would have originally been there - if you have it - would convert it back to DC.
It's been a looooong time since I loked inside but I'm sure it's hardwired in. Let me post some pics.
Here's some pics......
https://1drv.ms/u/s!AnxrJNiESp0Kgdp3OiXSvlZHlig-sQ?e=3EZzOE
https://1drv.ms/u/s!AnxrJNiESp0Kgdp2g0cband_GtfKQw?e=PClhY1
Thanks for the pictures, unfortunately that didn’t help me any at all. I was thinking along the same lines as Stix but I don’t think there is a socket.The red wire looks like an antenna, is the decoder an MRC wireless?Mel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
No Mel,
No socket unfortunately. I didn't think there was. The red wire was attached to the speakers which were amputated long long ago.
I run DC as well, so I know very little about DCC and probably can't be of much help, but have you tried contacting Athearn about it? Maybe they'll have a suggestion. Here's a link to their contact page: http://www.athearn.com/About/Contact.aspx
Thanks Wolf I'll give that a try.
Since they nicely didn;t use standard color code on the wires, you'll have to use a meter to figure out which wire on the small board is which. Two will be track pickup, 2 will be the motor, 2 will be the headlight. There may also bee other track pickups if the tender also picks up power.
The right rail and one motor wire go together, the left rail and the other motor wire go together. Leave off the LEDs. If the loco runs backwards, swap the motor wires. Now at least it runs.
For the headlight, you will need a resistor. Unless you run the loco like a slot car, 470 ohms is probably good. That connect to one LED wire, and the other side of the resistor goes to one track pickup. The other LED wire goes to the other track wire. If it lights up in reverse instead of forward, swap the LED wires.
The backup light is going to be gone when you remove the MRC decoder board, so you'll have to unsolder it, or get another LED and figure out how to attach it by the backup light lens in the tender, and use a 470 ohm resistor and wire it up like the headlight. If it lights in forward, swap the LED wires.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Hello all,
Check out this site for LED supplies and information.
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Hope this helps.
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"
Only thing is, 1K is too much for standard DC operation. They won't light up until the loco is moving at a pretty good clip, unless it's got a bad motor that needs more than half throttle to start moving.
470 ohm will still be below most LED limits at full throttle (12V), which is why I said unless you run trains like slot cars... That will allow the LED to light up at a lower speed.
My vote would be to hardwire a new decoder with sound that will run on DC. You will be able to maintain your lights. I would go for a better brand then MRC given the type of loco. It will also maintain the loco's value, if that matters.
Simon
I was considering purchasing a BLI NORFOLK AND WESTERN class A 2-6-6-4, but it was available DCC only.
I contacted BLI, and asked if there was a service plug in the box, or available for purchase, to unplug the decoder and convert the model to "DCC Ready" operation as you want to do.
The response caught me off guard. They suggested I do not buy their product at all.
So I didn't.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
SeeYou190 I was considering purchasing a BLI NORFOLK AND WESTERN class A 2-6-6-4, but it was available DCC only. I contacted BLI, and asked if there was a service plug in the box, or available for purchase, to unplug the decoder and convert the model to "DCC Ready" operation as you want to do. The response caught me off guard. They suggested I do not buy their product at all. So I didn't. -Kevin
That's weird. You'd think they'd have that option given the fact that not everyone wants DCC, not everyone wants the stock decoder, and decoders like any other electronic device, can and do go bad on occasion. Not to mention the prices that some of their product go for. You'd also think they would want new customers. That's something I like about Bachmann. They make a lot of their products with the option to go either way. I was given a brand new Bachmann GS4 that was DCC for Christmas this past year, and it came with a set of the metal "U" shaped dummy plugs to convert to DCC ready if one chose to do so, so that's what I did.
Athearn sells this DC - 21pin mother board you could use (if it fits) in preparation for a 21 pin decoder. For 21$ it is DCC ready indicating it runs DC. Could not find any related documents.
http://www.athearn.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=ATHG67140
Marc
Wolf359 SeeYou190 I was considering purchasing a BLI NORFOLK AND WESTERN class A 2-6-6-4, but it was available DCC only. I contacted BLI, and asked if there was a service plug in the box, or available for purchase, to unplug the decoder and convert the model to "DCC Ready" operation as you want to do. The response caught me off guard. They suggested I do not buy their product at all. So I didn't. -Kevin That's weird. You'd think they'd have that option given the fact that not everyone wants DCC, not everyone wants the stock decoder, and decoders like any other electronic device, can and do go bad on occasion. Not to mention the prices that some of their product go for. You'd also think they would want new customers. That's something I like about Bachmann. They make a lot of their products with the option to go either way. I was given a brand new Bachmann GS4 that was DCC for Christmas this past year, and it came with a set of the metal "U" shaped dummy plugs to convert to DCC ready if one chose to do so, so that's what I did.
The sort of tried, in the worst possible way, with those awful Blueline locos. Using dual decoders is just a complete pain. SO based on the lack of success, it appears they've simply decided that means 100% DCC is the way to be, and there they are. Enough people buy them, so they aren;t completely wrong. They've only made one loco that interested me, and it came with an ESU decoder, not their own thing, so I'm happy with it.
rrinker The sort of tried, in the worst possible way, with those awful Blueline locos.
The sort of tried, in the worst possible way, with those awful Blueline locos.
I don't have any BLI engines right now, so I'm not familiar with the Blueline series. What went wrong with them?
They were DC with sound that had a DCC Ready capability via an NMRA 8opin medium plug. The sound portion was DCC all ready, adding a DCC motor decoder was an option. Only issue was no one was familliar at working with dual decoders and that caused much frustration.
rrinker Since they nicely didn;t use standard color code on the wires, you'll have to use a meter to figure out which wire on the small board is which. Two will be track pickup, 2 will be the motor, 2 will be the headlight. There may also bee other track pickups if the tender also picks up power. The right rail and one motor wire go together, the left rail and the other motor wire go together. Leave off the LEDs. If the loco runs backwards, swap the motor wires. Now at least it runs. For the headlight, you will need a resistor. Unless you run the loco like a slot car, 470 ohms is probably good. That connect to one LED wire, and the other side of the resistor goes to one track pickup. The other LED wire goes to the other track wire. If it lights up in reverse instead of forward, swap the LED wires. The backup light is going to be gone when you remove the MRC decoder board, so you'll have to unsolder it, or get another LED and figure out how to attach it by the backup light lens in the tender, and use a 470 ohm resistor and wire it up like the headlight. If it lights in forward, swap the LED wires. --Randy
Ooops - doubled up!
SeeYou190 The response caught me off guard. They suggested I do not buy their product at all. So I didn't. -Kevin
I know nearly all of you fellas will be into DCC with sound but I for one liked it about 10 years ago when they'd offer the models as DCC ready too, that way both markets were catered for and the Luddites like me weren't paying the extra hundo or so for the pleasure of a heavier tender and the peril of an electronics issue that'll strand the locomotive as is the case here.
Another market they are ignoring in this respect - I know the DC guys are getting thin on the ground - are those who will just display the models. They are such high quality they must make up a reasonable proportion of their market and again they have no need for the complexity and price.
If I was going to venture into the DCC world from what I have read I would probably rather just be allowed to chose my own brand and type of decoder in any case. That may be from them or otherwise.
They come from a tinplate/hi-rail background, same as that 'other' company, and have a similar attitude of superiority when it comes to HO scale models as well. Our way is best - so everything comes with sound, a proprietary system which at least is fully DCC compatible , unlike the 'other' guy. But like the 'other' guy, they don;t offer it as a retrofit for those who would want to convert other brands of locos to use their system. They expect you to buy only their locos, just like it was back in the hi-rail days. You either bought Lionel or you bought American Flyer, there really was no middle ground. That attitude didn't last 5 minutes, even in the early days of HO.
True, Randy. The problem being if it's say modern GE six axle in UP colours there are plenty of alternatives. If it's a N&W A class you're after it's them or go hungry.
Or I suppose pay 3k for an elusive brass model.