To answer questions, it is a red box. It would need the whole works. The videos were a great help as was the advise. I liked the engine because of its weight but I do have a couple of S4 DCC and sound and a small layout. With all the factors and the additional imput from you, I could easily do it but by the time I do leds ect., I am leaning toward giving this one up and it has no sentimental value either, was just looking for something to pull my cmx but I just converted a couple of stuarts so maybe they will do.
'Old' is a relative term - they've made various versions of this loco over the years. I have one of the Roco made ones. It needs a strip and repaint, it's in Lehigh Valley paint (boo!). But It runs great, so I will put a decoder in it one way or another - there's less room than in the newer ones because of the big round Roco motor.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Simple question:. How does it run on DC? If it's smooth, you've got a winner, but if it's jerkey or has to be helped along down the track, it might not be worth it.
I have some old Athearns from my teenage years. Yes, I could have put a lot of money into them and brought them up to modern specs with a new motor, wheels, drive train and trucks, but I just pulled out the power train and run them as dummies. I still have too many projects.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
The motor is not isolated from the chassis on that engine, but a nylon screw and some tape fix that. Watch the YouTube video posted above.
Mark.
¡ uʍop ǝpısdn sı ǝɹnʇɐuƃıs ʎɯ 'dlǝɥ
If the motor is isolated from the frame - and it probably is - then you should convert it. A "hard wire" installation isn't called that because it's hard (difficult); it means you're soldering the connections rather than using an 8, 9 or 21 pin plug-in.
Hello All,
How deep is your tool bench?
Check out this thread...
Converting DC losos to DCC?
As Albert Einstein was attributed saying, "If you open a can of worms the only way to get all the worms back in is to use a bigger can."
Hope this helps.
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"
I'd say if it's a yellow box Atlas, it's worth it.
Mike.
My You Tube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBTaicDsMgw this is for a sound decoder, but same for motor only. Article is in July 2020 MR.
This is an older model with a heavy frame. It is not like I need another engine but I have it and it is definatly not DCC ready.