What decoder is best for older Stewart F Units?

[richhotrain]

If in doubt, your best bet is to contact TCS and ask for their recommendation.

But the following information may be helpful to you.

Greenway Products installs the TCS MC2P-SH decoder and says that this decoder is "recommended by TCS" for the older Stewart F7.

http://greenwayproducts.com/storeroom/Electronics/decoders.html

Here is a link to the TCS MC2P-SH decoder on the TCS site:

http://tcsdcc.com/public_html/Zen/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=4_15

Hope this helps.

Rich

[HO-Velo]

I was too early on my purchase date, purchased my two Stewarts new, F9A unit instruction sheet dated 10/97.  B unit purchased soon after F unit.  The F9A stock#9310 and F3B stock#8041 have the same innards other than the B unit has no light pipe or bulb.  Innards of my two models are the same as the ones in the link I posted earlier.

The T1 install in the F9A was my first and went smooth following the instructions in the link, just wish I had installed an LED at the same time.  Have yet to install decoder into the F3B.  These models have always been great runners, might be my imagination, but it seems the F9A runs even better with DCC.

regards, Peter

[skagitrailbird]

The TCS link given earlier was for a Stewart FT.  Below is a lonk to the TCS installation photos for the early Stewart F7.

http://www.tcsdcc.com/public_html/Customer_Content/Installation_Pictures/HO_Scale/Stewart/F7A%20Early%20Phase%20I/Stewart_F7A_Early_Phase_I.html

Good luck!

[HO-Velo]

For my Stewart I used TCS T1 1021 decoder, came with plug in wire harness

 

regards, Peter

[rrinker]

 Regular T1 is the basic decoder with wires. The wires are actually on a 9 pin plug so the decoder can still be removed. All the other suffixes are different forms of harnesses with 8 pin plugs on the end, exvept the T1A, which is the basic T1 with no harness (for locos like newer Athearns that have a 9 pin plug - since you don;t need the plug and wires with those, the T1A is a buck or so cheaper).

          --Randy

[mobilman44]

The TCS "T1" will obviously work.   But looking up a "T1" yields various kinds and model numbers.  I want one with the wiring attached, and am not certain which model to order.

[HO-Velo]

If you don't want sound this decoder works good.  My Stewart is an early 1990s and the innards are the same as the Loco depicted in the following link.  I kept the orig. bulb as per the instructions, but it finally burned out.  Guess I'll look into replacing the bulb with an LED sometime in the future.

regards, Peter  

http://www.tcsdcc.com/public_html/Customer_Content/Installation_Pictures/HO_Scale/Stewart/Stewart%20F3A%20Phase%20I/Stewart_F3A_I.html

[mobilman44]

Hi!

I have detailed an older Stewart ABBA F7 consist and bought (couple of years ago) 4 NCE DASR decoders (board type) to install in them.   Well, I finally got around to wanting to install the DCC decoders.

Upon pulling the shells, I find that the DASR decoder boards are not appropriate for the workings that my locos have.  What I really need is the "package type" decoder with the wires attached.

My decoder guide books are out of date, and I need your help in finding the right one that is now available.

Also, as long as I'm here, what type LEDs and resistors are needed?

Thanks all!