Decoders and MDC Steamers, Part 2

[Anonymous]

How many of you have built an MDC Roundhouse steam locomotive for DCC operation?

Your opinions please

[cacole]

I've built two MDC steam locos in my lifetime -- first an 0-6-0 all-metal kit way back in the mid-1960s, and the MDC 2-truck Shay around 1990. The 0-6-0 is a very nice looking engine, but it's a "display" in a railroad museum on a club layout and is never operated any more because it doesn't run as well as newer models. The Shay was inoperable from the git-go because of MDC's lousy engineering of it. Their gearing between the main drive shaft and the side drive shaft was not in sync and the locomotive could never be operated without investing more than what it cost in regearing and remotoring kits, so it, too, is just used in a non-operating logging train display. I found some detailed instructions on the Internet about how to re-build the MDC Shay kit using parts from various sources, but their new, fully assembled Shay was cheaper that trying to rebuild the kit.

[Anonymous]

Thanks Cacole,
My question was about installing DCC in these locos.
Mark

[cacole]

For the two MDC kits I have, it can't be done because the motors are screwed directly to the frame, and a motor must be completely isolated in order to convert to DCC. If MDC's newer kits are using can motors that are completely insulated and not fastened to the frame with a screw, then yes, you should be able to put a decoder into it if there is room for one.

[Anonymous]

Cacole,
I have the latest version, and can tell you it is easily converted to DCC. it has an isolated flywheel motor (although i don't like the open body of it) making the adaption of adding a decoder in a matter of replacing a wire (one lead on the motor is extremely short, just long enough to reach the frame screw) on the motor, adding another to the frame and taking the three wires and running thing to the tender where the decoder would be placed.

From here it is relativily easy, as it is just connect the three wires to the decoder and the forth wire for the decoder would be connected to the tender frame. I do see one potential promlem with the pick-up arrangement on the MDC's (and have seen it with my new 4-4-0 I tested yesterday) going over the plastic frogs of a turnout at slow speed will cause the engine to stop. it may not be as big a deal on the 3 axle or larger ones, but on that 2 axle 4-4-0 it was a problem.

I'm thinking on the 4-4-0 that I might have to modify it such that i get additional power from the pilots or rework it such that the tender is the only pickup point. this is only a problem at the slower speeds, at the upper speeds it has enough momentum to go through the turnout to regain connection and power.

I love the MDC engines, they're so easy to build and customize [:D]

Jay