(DCC)What to do with the old analog locos?

[RedLeader]

I just finished laying the track of my new HO layout. I'll be visting the US in the next couple month. After enough reading, I've finaly come to my sences and decided to switch to DCC. I'm considering Atlas or something simple for starters. The only problem is: What happens to all of my analog motive power? Do I have to buy new locos? Is there a way of upgrading my old locos to DCC? Buying new locos is not an option right now, maybe the next one will be DCC.

[rrinker]

You install DCC decoders in them. Depending on the model ,that can range for super simple to nearly impossible.

[Anonymous]

One of our forum subjects "Layouts & Layout planning":
may cover some of your DCC questions but to get immediate experience
response from DCC modelers on this page you may wi***o re-word
your post addressing the conversion process to DCC.
Our Nigel on this forum may make beginner suggestions if he spots your
DCC post.

[Anonymous]

Absolutely! Install decoders! The hardest part about installing them is finding a location for the decoder. With steam, they mostly end up in the tender, with diesels, there is generally enogh room to install somewhere withing the long hood.

[railman]

yep- they don't need to be scrapped like their real life bretheren when new and improved comes along...the way to be is DCC!

[Anonymous]

depending on the loco, you can remove the old circuit board and put in a dropin decoder board replacement or you can wire in a decoder. almost all old Loco's can be DCC equipped, some take very little work, others (like MDC) require extensive reworking of the power system to get them to work with DCC.

[orsonroy]

Witht he right tools and know-how, you can refit any model engine to DCC. Check out www.wiringfordcc.com for tips on how to add decoders to several popular analog engines.

[Anonymous]

Just an option for you Digitrax makes a no solder harness for athearn blue box engines. It just snaps on and it looks easy t they go for about 30 bucks or so. It would help if you would tell us what brand and type of enginie you already have. I'm in the process of changing over 12 athearn engines.
Andrew

[simon1966]

redleader, what locomotives do you have? Since you are visiting the USA soon, I was wondering if you have US brand locomotives or from some other international manufacturer?

[BR60103]

If you can see 2 wires coming to the motor, you can install a DCC chip. If you have one of the old motors with a V shaped spring pushing the brushes, you can slip some insulation in and put in a chip. The hardest ones to do are those where the chassis carries the current direct to the motor, and even those can be done.

[Pennsy58]

I have converted several of my old engines ranging from athearn to altlas, to AHM. After the first couple it becomes rather easy. Motor isolation from the frame is the key to everything. I considered it well worth it and a great learning expirience. After installation, I always test them on a section of track that has a resistor included to keep the power flow down. This will prevent burning out a decoder should you have made a wiring mistake. The wiring for DCC site does provide alot of question and answer postings to specific solutions including foreign makes. I use the TCS T-1 decoder. It is a wired decoder and soldering has not been a problem. You do get better at it as you go. This decoder has performed well for me and I usually am able to buy them for around 15-17 dollars.

[Anonymous]

Pennsy,

what has been your technique for insulating those frame founded motors? I have a Varney that I want to remotor and the frame is electrified to one of the rails.

John

[RedLeader]

Thank you guys for the info. Simon, all my locos and rolling stock are american (Athearn, MDC/RH, P2K, Bachmann and Atlas).

[Anonymous]

Well, if they are fairly new, they should have DCC plugs in them.

[Pennsy58]

For an old frame conducting motor you need to find out how the power is transferred from the frame to the motor. A clip, power tong, or direct motor housing contact, etc. Thats where you would connect one of the motor wires from the decoder. Then you must insulate the motor from the frame. A piece of electrical tape has always worked for me. Not knowing the varney interior its not easy to answer directly.

Another approach is to see how the power gets from the rails to the frame. A common method was to have the power travel through the trucks to the frame. In this case, an insulating washer between the frame and the truck might do the trick.

[Anonymous]

If you would tell the exact loco i.e LL P2K EMD GP9 without DCC plug, we may be able to direct you to the exact decoder and installation instructions. I was able to install decoders in all of my older engines when I converted to DCC about five years ago. Some installations can be very tricky, but it can be done.

[RedLeader]

Athearn sd-40-2 snoot, Atlas U23B, Bachmann Gp-40 (planing to retire them, the worst performance ever, total waste of money). The next locos I buy will be with decoders installed. The next question will be: DCC equiped locos are able to run in DC (Block) layouts?

Thank you a lot Tweet.

[rrinker]

QUOTE: Originally posted by RedLeader

Athearn sd-40-2 snoot, Atlas U23B, Bachmann Gp-40 (planing to retire them, the worst performance ever, total waste of money). The next locos I buy will be with decoders installed. The next question will be: DCC equiped locos are able to run in DC (Block) layouts?

Thank you a lot Tweet.

The answer to your question is "it depends" because it depends on what decoder is factory installed. Most do automatic DC conversion and will run as is on DC or DCC power, nothing more needed than putting the loco on the track. Others have a jumper plug to switch that you will need to remember to change when moving from a DC to DCC layout and back.

Please, do NOT limit yourself to locos with DCC factory installed. There are plenty new locos that do not have DCC installed but are EXTREMELY easy to convert. All the newer Proto2000, the latest and nicest Athearn Ready-to-Roll, Athearn Genesis, Stewart, Atlas, etc. On most of these, it will take you longer to remove the shell than it will to install a DCC decoder.

--Randy

[Anonymous]

Digitrax makes decoders with the suffix "AT" that are a no solder installation for Athearn, although after seeing the setup, I went with a regular decoder. I got better performance soldering all connections under the shell. Digitrax decoders do allow you to run on conventional DC by programming. I will try to find out what decoders others have used in the Atlas and Bachmann units. Don't give up on these engines, as I have had some "dogs" that ran better after I went to DCC.

[Medina1128]

Mail them to me. They're all useless. Email for address.