I haven't entered the DCC world yet, but I bought some used locomotives and am wondering how to identify if they are DCC. I am not really in that market so I haven't learned much about them, but 2 of them I just bought are newer and have circuit type boards on the top of the motors.
The first is a nice bachmann (don't judge please, just starting this hobby.) and it has a circuit board with MO- and MO+ and 10 or so solder points. The second is another bachman but the circuit board doesnt seem to have much for circuits and only looks to power the lights.
So are these DCC? Or are they just DCC ready if I wanted to buy a DCC board for them?
Thanks for your answers and advice. As I said, I am rather new to this and my engines are older second hand stuff. this is the first time I have seen the circuitry on top.
Simply put, there are 3 basic types of locos related to DCC....
First is DCC unaware, and would have no elelctronics or method to connect a decoder except by hard wiring (soldering).
Second is DCC ready, and they'll have either an 8 pin connector or a 9 pin connector to attach a decoder to.....some have both types of connectors.
Third will have a decoder installed from the factory, and those decoders are usually just plugged into a DCC ready loco.
Some locos have a light board installed, with minimal electronics, and those are in category one, but some DCC vendors have replacement decoders that replace the entire light board.
If someone added a decoder to a non DCC ready loco, it'd be obvious.....without lighting, there are 2 wires connected to the track inputs and 2 connected to the motor. Lighting would add at least 2 more, maybe 4 more.
It'd be best if you got some help from someone knowledgable in electronics and/or DCC locos, as the complexity of what you're looking answers for is difficult to answer with any certainty.
GOOD LUCK.
greedironSo are these DCC? Or are they just DCC ready if I wanted to buy a DCC board for them?
Do you have the original boxes. If so they will likely have a part number on them. If they are DCC equipped, searching the part number on google will tell you. You may also be able to tell by the packaging (It may say DCC, DCC sound, DCC ready, DCC and smoke, etc the list from Bachmann goes on and on. Which specific locomotives did you acquire? With the roadname and number you can tell if the locomotive came from the factory with DCC installed (again by using a google search). What this wont tell you is if someone installed an aftermarket board.
Does the outside of the locomotive box give you any sort of indication? If it doesn't say "DCC-ready" or "8-pin plug" then it's most likely DC.
Do the circuit boards have a rectangular 2 x 4-pin plug on top? If you can give us the specific Bachmann locomotives and line (e.g. Spectrum) then that would help ID it whether it's DCC-ready or not.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
Thank you for all the advice. I don't have the boxes, but my searching makes me think the first is a Bachmann Santa Fe GP40 #6067. Its circuit board is green and 8 solder points with 2 wires at each end. The middle has 12 solder points and the MO- and MO+. It is a newer train as I had to search how to open it up, I wasn't familiar with the pry off fuel tank and screws. The belly of the fuel tank does not say DCC.
So the long circuit board is not an encoder? The other engines have a long board mounted (looks like factory and not aftermarket) but it really only looks like it is for the lights. But the one looks like circuitry, that is why I got curious.
I appreciate the advice and will be likely asking more questions in other forums. I have much to learn. I enjoy finding older engines and taking them apart, cleaning and restoring them to good working order.
One other question, what is the best method for identifying a loco? Just google "bachmann santa fe #6067"?
You might want to look at the TCS website "Installation Pictures" page for your scale and see the Bachmann loco DC to DCC conversions, which should show before & photos that might clarify for your particular locos. The following is the HO page:
http://tcsdcc.com/Customer_Content/Installation_Pictures/HO_Scale/HO_Search/search.html
Paul
Modeling HO with a transition era UP bent
Hello all,
Great advice from all.
For the most part you will need to remove the shell to understand what many of these responses are referring to; with the exception of looking at the packaging or documentation.
As far as the factory installed Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) are concerned, once you remove the shell look to see if there is an 8-pin dummy plug.
It will look similar to this with possible color variations on the plastic holding the pins: http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/tcs/tcs1254.htm?source=froogle&gclid=CIC1v9Herc8CFUMdaQodSpoFmA.
This, as has been noted, is DCC ready.
Some Bachmann DCC locomotives have a PCB with no dummy plug.
While some Bachmann DC locomotives have a PCB that look very similary to the DCC ones to the untrained eye. These DC locomotives are NOT DCC ready, they are DC only.
Both DC and DCC PCBs may or may not have the lights directly mounted to them. Typically these are Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs).
If you have a DC locomotive with a PCB I would recommend learning on how to replace the board with a hard wired decoder.
I have also replaced DCC Ready PCBs with hard wire installations due to faults in the PCB.
There are many tutorials on how to accomplish this.
If all this advice seems too daunting try to find a Local Hobby Store (LHS) in your area and take the locomotives in question in. A good LHS will have test tracks that can help you determine how they are configured.
Hope this helps.
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"
I did take some pictures. Here is the first one
And the second
Gewt a Photo Bucket account for posting pictures. Instructions on the Model Railroader forum.
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/249194.aspx
The decoder is in the loco. The encoder is your DCC controller.
Google encoder and decoder.
Bachmann website has loads of info, loco diagrams, DCC CV list. Parts list showing what is inside their locos. Also forums with a company rep. How to return faulty locos for repair or replacement.
The Bachmann EZ Command for DCC is quite limited but it will start you off. It cannot modify CV's, only control the loco speed and sounds, lights.
Last I knew, the non sound have a low end decoder that many replace. No idea if that has changed.
The ones with sound are decoders from SoundTraxx, a stripped down decoder but still very nice.
Forums for different scales.
http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php?PHPSESSID=865hskhv7uihhmfjjvptrfbp45&
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.
did my images not show up? I have them on drop box and I see them ok.
Here is the underside of the first one. Looks like DCC if I understand correctly.
Ok, sorry for the delay, I finally signed up for Photobucket. Here are the photos.
1st one that looks like it is DCC ready IMO
The underside of it
And the other one that looks DCC unaware IMO
greediron Ok, sorry for the delay, I finally signed up for Photobucket. Here are the photos. 1st one that looks like it is DCC ready IMO The underside of it And the other one that looks DCC unaware IMO
Neither are DCC ready. N scale? What you have on the bottom of the top board is two resistors and 3 capacitors. Motor starting circuit would be my guess. On the top you have the solder points for the 5 components on the bottom, plus 3 soldering pads labeled C4, C5, and C6. My guess on that is they there because this board is one that could be put in several different Bachmann locomotives.
This is not to say that you can or cannot put DCC in these two locomotives, they both would require hardwiring in a decoder. They are not plug and play DCC ready.
This is an example of a plug and play DCC ready locomotive:
http://www.tcsdcc.com/Customer_Content/Installation_Pictures/N_Scale/Broadway%20Limited%20Imports/EMD%20E8A/EMD%20E8A.html
I did not see either of the locomotives you have in this list.
http://www.tcsdcc.com/Customer_Content/Installation_Pictures/N_Scale/N_Search/search.html
I am pretty sure I have the Santa Fe 6067, I will try to dig it out once my wife gets home (she packed it allong with the rest of the N scale stuff). I believe my locomotive dates from the early 1990s before DCC became more common.
Hey there, first off...welcome to model railroading. im kinda new myself. some of the first locomotives i bought were the same style as your pictures. I knew i was gonna be moving to DCC, so I did a lot of research and learned how to be pretty good at soldering. at first i just hard wired the decoders to the lights boards after making minor changes to the boards to islolate different components. in the end, I purchased micro connectors and began making my own 8 pin plugs and wired the decoders so they can be replaced if needed. luckily i havent had to repalce any decoders.
http://i1243.photobucket.com/albums/gg546/yodarian/2016-10-02%2010-53-54.619_zpseeus1c8h.jpg
the above pic is of the decoder hardwired directly to the old light board after some modification
http://i1243.photobucket.com/albums/gg546/yodarian/2016-10-02%2010-54-08.329_zps6srjrw8u.jpg
this one is a closer shot of the back of the light board. you can see where i removed some of the copper to isolate diffirent connections.
http://i1243.photobucket.com/albums/gg546/yodarian/2016-10-02%2010-54-30.258_zpse27twmbw.jpg
this the front of the old light board. again, notice where i removed some copper to isolated components.
http://i1243.photobucket.com/albums/gg546/yodarian/2016-10-02%2010-56-44.500_zps64bosyvd.jpg
this last shot is with most of the solder covered and the DCC decoder secured using electrical tape
did the pics show up???
When trying to I.D. an N scale engine, this ite is a good place to start:
http://www.spookshow.net/locos.html
Thank you for the reply. So the newer locos use circuitry for the engines. That makes sense. I really appreaciate all the answers here.
Yodarian did the pics show up???
yes
There are ferrite inductors, not resistors. Check the color code. Should be 4.7 micro henry inductors.My Bachmanns had those. Some Bachmann locos they are wire wound coils.
Many fail to notice that and think they are resistors and remove the PC board. They measure zero ohms with an ohm meter and 4.7 micro henry with an L/C meter.
Cut the caps. Inductors are a moot issue with no caps.
Usually Bachmann PC boards marked with R, C, L.
Digitrax and TCS both have quite small decoders.
Some years ago I used a DZ125, not much larger than a USA dime.
richg1998 There are ferrite inductors, not resistors. Check the color code. Should be 4.7 micro henry inductors.My Bachmanns had those. Some Bachmann locos they are wire wound coils. Many fail to notice that and think they are resistors and remove the PC board. They measure zero ohms with an ohm meter and 4.7 micro henry with an L/C meter. Cut the caps. Inductors are a moot issue with no caps. Usually Bachmann PC boards marked with R, C, L. Rich
Makes more sense than resistors.