Does anyone know ?
Which silent decoder was used in the Life Like P2k Geeps
Circa 2005-2006
TIA
TerryinTexas
See my Web Site Here
http://conewriversubdivision.yolasite.com/
I thought those only came as DCC Ready or with DCC / QSI Sound ? Don't recall them coming from the factory with a non-sound decoder.
Mark.
¡ uʍop ǝpısdn sı ǝɹnʇɐuƃıs ʎɯ 'dlǝɥ
Mark R. I thought those only came as DCC Ready or with DCC / QSI Sound ? Don't recall them coming from the factory with a non-sound decoder. Mark.
I have 2 non sound and 3 Qsi Sound the Non Sound have a board but no markings
C&O Fan Mark R. I thought those only came as DCC Ready or with DCC / QSI Sound ? Don't recall them coming from the factory with a non-sound decoder. Mark. I have 2 non sound and 3 Qsi Sound the Non Sound have a board but no markings
Rich
Alton Junction
richhotrain The QSI sound decoder ones are 2006 but the silent ones are not marked but i would guess they are about the same date They do say Lifelike on the bottom of the loco but no markings on the decoder C&O Fan Mark R. I thought those only came as DCC Ready or with DCC / QSI Sound ? Don't recall them coming from the factory with a non-sound decoder. Mark. I have 2 non sound and 3 Qsi Sound the Non Sound have a board but no markings I have to agree with Mark. The Life-Like Geeps were all either Standard DC (DCC Ready) or later QSI sound. This was before Walthers acquired Life-Like in July 2005. Rich
The QSI sound decoder ones are 2006 but the silent ones are not marked but i would guess they are about the same date
They do say Lifelike on the bottom of the loco but no markings on the decoder
I have to agree with Mark. The Life-Like Geeps were all either Standard DC (DCC Ready) or later QSI sound. This was before Walthers acquired Life-Like in July 2005.
Were the non-sound Geeps used when you purchased them?
Check for the manufacturer ID (CV8).
richhotrain Were the non-sound Geeps used when you purchased them? Rich No they were new with factory installed boards
No they were new with factory installed boards
I've got two of them from that timeframe. I'm not sure they were even DCC Ready. They certainly had no plugs. I had to hard-wire them. One is still running quietly with its original DH-123 and the other now has a Tsunami after some frame surgery to fit it in.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
richhotrain Check for the manufacturer ID (CV8). Rich Shoulda Woulda Coulda before I replaced them with TCS Kam 4s I thought of selling them but need to know what brand they are
Shoulda Woulda Coulda before I replaced them with TCS Kam 4s
I thought of selling them but need to know what brand they are
I just went through Walthers entire list. Cannot find any with non-sound decoders.
What is the road name on yours? Do you have the product number on the box?
You could always wire the decoder to the programming track to determine the manufacturer ID.
richhotrain I just went through Walthers entire list. Cannot find any with non-sound decoders. What is the road name on yours? Do you have the product number on the box? Rich C&O But the economy Paint job (no yellow stripes) Just Cheasepeake and Ohio and road #
C&O But the economy Paint job (no yellow stripes) Just Cheasepeake and Ohio and road #
richhotrain You could always wire the decoder to the programming track to determine the manufacturer ID. Rich
i'll look and see if i still have the decoder Pro file but my programming track is inside the engine house
So more work than i want to do
I'll post on the TCS/QSI/Soundtraxx /Digitrax Yahoo groups some one will know
Let us know what you find out. Till then, I stand by my contention that Life-Like did not factory install non-sound decoders in Geeps, or in any loco for that matter, as far as I can tell.
C&O Fan richhotrain I just went through Walthers entire list. Cannot find any with non-sound decoders. What is the road name on yours? Do you have the product number on the box? Rich C&O But the economy Paint job (no yellow stripes) Just Cheasepeake and Ohio and road #
GP7 - #5707 or #5711
GP30 - #3015
Is yours one of those?
richhotrain Let us know what you find out. Till then, I stand by my contention that Life-Like did not factory install non-sound decoders in Geeps, or in any loco for that matter, as far as I can tell. Maybe ??? on the older models they had an DCC Ready 8 pin plug But this is a Factory Board decoder(nice lookin) with an 8 pin plug that lays ontop of the weight just like the sound model except it has a full length frame weight rather than the one with 2 speakers in the back half for the QSI sound decoder Rich
Maybe ???
on the older models they had an DCC Ready 8 pin plug
But this is a Factory Board decoder(nice lookin) with an 8 pin plug that lays ontop of the weight just like the sound model except it has a full length frame weight rather than the one with 2 speakers in the back half for the QSI sound decoder
Those factory boards are NOT decoders. They are just a bunch of diodes for the directional lighting. Expecially if they were in the ble boxes with the flap, with the shell and chassis seperate. Those P2K geep (and I have a bunch of them) were NEVER sold as DCC without sounds. And only newer ones were ever available as DCC with Sound, the alternative was no decoder at all.
So if they were truly DCC, someone previously opened them and installed decoders. The factory boards are long and narrow and the plug in the loco with allt he wires attached to them, so to some they LOOK like they might be decoders, but they aren't.
Here is one before being removed to install the decoder:
http://www.readingeastpenn.com/images/decoders/p2kgp71.jpg
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Randy is correct. The circuit board is just light board; NOT a decoder.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
richhotrain Nope 5892 and 5895 both are GP7s C&O Fan richhotrain I just went through Walthers entire list. Cannot find any with non-sound decoders. What is the road name on yours? Do you have the product number on the box? Rich C&O But the economy Paint job (no yellow stripes) Just Cheasepeake and Ohio and road # Walthers shows three Geeps in that color scheme. GP7 - #5707 or #5711 GP30 - #3015 Is yours one of those? Rich
Nope 5892 and 5895 both are GP7s
Walthers shows three Geeps in that color scheme.
rrinker Those factory boards are NOT decoders. They are just a bunch of diodes for the directional lighting. Expecially if they were in the ble boxes with the flap, with the shell and chassis seperate. Those P2K geep (and I have a bunch of them) were NEVER sold as DCC without sounds. And only newer ones were ever available as DCC with Sound, the alternative was no decoder at all. So if they were truly DCC, someone previously opened them and installed decoders. The factory boards are long and narrow and the plug in the loco with allt he wires attached to them, so to some they LOOK like they might be decoders, but they aren't. Here is one before being removed to install the decoder: http://www.readingeastpenn.com/images/decoders/p2kgp71.jpg --Randy
Yes Randy i know what a light board looks like
But these are the same length but are decoders >>>PROMISE<<<
Guess i'll have to take a picture
Ok here we go
Yep says Life like on the bottom (nothing about Warthers)
"> This is the decoder with the plug "> This is the decoder with out the plug "> This is the decoder laying in the weight (i'm replacing it with a TCS KAM 4) ">
This is the decoder with the plug
"> This is the decoder with out the plug "> This is the decoder laying in the weight (i'm replacing it with a TCS KAM 4) ">
This is the decoder with out the plug
"> This is the decoder laying in the weight (i'm replacing it with a TCS KAM 4) ">
This is the decoder laying in the weight (i'm replacing it with a TCS KAM 4)
">
Yup - a picture is worth a thousand words ....
That decoder is a Digitrax DH165L0 and did not come from the factory with it.
https://www.litchfieldstation.com/xcart/product.php?productid=2450025&cat=103&page=1
Well i guess i bought both of them used then cause i didn't install them
I always note it in Decoder Pro and there are no install notes on either
just the ID
I just checked ~~~~Should have thought to check there first
Hard to remember yesterday let alone 2006
Several Strange things
1 They both have the same decoder
2 I never buy 2 locos at the same time Can't afford it on SS
3 What are the odds i'd find 2 Same paint scheme different road #s same decoder
and buy them at seperate times used ?
If some one else went to the trouble to install a decoder why not just plug one into the old light board ? that had an 8 pin plug ?like a DH 123
C&O Fan Nope 5892 and 5895 both are GP7s
I just bought one of these off ebay. It was a reading gp7 brand new in the box. I went to test it on dc track and it didnt move, just a loud motor hum. Turns out the grease hardened up and bound up the gear boxes. I cleaned the boxes up and relubed them and it ran great in dc. I then swapped out the light board thingy with a digitrax short harness 8 pin plug, maybe a 126 or 163 and this bad boy is quiet as a mouse and creeps through the yard without a hitch. I can't figure out when it was made though, the only paperwork I found said 1998 but I don't think it is that old""
They're from around 2000 or so. You'll want to buy some Atheaenr 60014 axle gears (verify the number - i think that's the right number) because the gears in those WILL crack. I have all 4 road numbers of the Reading version, and all have had the gears replaced.
C&O Fan If some one else went to the trouble to install a decoder why not just plug one into the old light board ? that had an 8 pin plug ?like a DH 123
That IS an 8-pin plug in decoder - the pins just happen to be right on the decoder board itself for that model. It was designed purposely for the Proto engines. That little plug board with the wires would have originally been plugged into the factory light board ....
To further elaborate - these locos were designed so that when the factory board was removed, there was NOTHING - no silly circuitry that you may or may not need, between the decoder plug and the pickups, motor, and lights. so the female 8 pin connector is on that tiny little board with all the wires. The bigger board with the diodes is the light board, it has the 8 pin male portion, same as you get on an 8 pin decoder.
The DH163L0 and DH165L0 (only real difference is the DH165L0 has a socket to add a piggyback sound decoder) are similar in size and shape to the original light board and include resistors for the lights - they used 3V bulbs in these locos so you need dropping resistors to hook up a decoder. The voltage used to be controlled by those diodes on the factory board that comes off. You CAN just plug in a simple IP decoder, but you need to replace the light bulbs to do so.
I just strip out the whole mess and solder the wires right to the leads from a TCS T1. and replace the bulbs with LEDs with a 1K resistor on each one.
This has become a mystery thread. I sure would like to know more about the origin of those two locos.