Converting old non dcc locos to dcc

[rstaller]

  I posted this question originally in the prototype posts, but was referred here.  I have a lot of older locos,(some 25 years or older) that are not dcc.  Can these be converted to dcc.  Thanks in advance

[reklein]

They can indeed. Converting them won't make them good runners. They should be good runners before you convert. All you need to do is make sure the motor brushes are insulated from the rest of the loco. DCC is 16V AC the motors are still 12 V DC. You will install pickup wires to the decoder that are red and black,for Digitrax anyway, and then the orange and gray go to the motor. Be sure and use a multimeter to determine that the brushes are indeed insulated from any part of the loco and tender if you're running steam. Its not hard once you've done a couple,and burning a decoder will make you pay attention real quick.Read up as much as you can.

[Driline]

I had quite a few older locos myself. I only converted a few however as most of the older ones didn't run well anyway. You just can't beat the new locomotives though. They run well and look fantastic. It also gives you an excuse to buy new

If you are strapped for cash then only buy what you can, but at least buy one 'nice' brand new loco that is DCC ready. Atlas, & Proto 2000 come to mind as excellent choices. There are others........

[jerryl]

  If you are happy with the way they run on DC then by all means convert them.  I never had an older steam engine that ran that well, altho I converted 4 of them. Two brass, one IHC, one Mantua.  First make sure the motor doesn't draw too much current for the decoder, some of the older ones were energy hogs. This got worse the older they got because as the magnet looses strenghth it requires more amperage to operate.

  The newer engines have all wheel pickup & run much better. Best to let someone help you with the first installation..It's sometime tricky to tell if the motor is truly isolated. If it's not, you WILL smoke the decoder... Good Luck.   Jerry

[fwright]

.....First make sure the motor doesn't draw too much current for the decoder, some of the older ones were energy hogs. This got worse the older they got because as the magnet looses strenghth it requires more amperage to operate.....

For those of you interested in alternatives to remotoring/regearing the older open-frame motors, take a look at replacing the old Alinco magnets with rare earth magnets.  One such upgrade kit is here:  http://www.proto87.com/model-railroad-motor-upgrade.html, and for a lot less than a new motor.  There are other sites with similar rare earth magnet replacements.  Replacing the magnets won't fix other motor problems such as worn bearings or brushes, but it will give a motor with tired magnets far more torque at quite a bit less current.

just my thoughts, your choices

Fred W 

[mikebo]

I've converted a number of older locos and how well they will run on DCC depends of a few factors. My criteria is they must have all wheel electrical pickup, all wheels must be driven and they must operate smoothly under DC drawing less than an 1 amp at stall.

 I have converted a number of 25 year old atlas diesels with great success, a number of old athearn diesels that work well but are much smoother when they are repowered. I have converted a few MDC steam engines (2-8-0) and they are ok but not the greatest. They seem to suffer from too few electrical pickup points. I have a number of tyco / mantua steam locos that I'm working on now. I am also trying to put sound in these and the electrical pickups don't seem to be adequate. 

Most any loco can be converted but some are very difficult to isolate the motor from the frame. MDC's old timer steam engines are a good example. I have two very nice ones that I inherited from my father that I would like to convert but haven't come up with an easy way to isolate the motor from the frame.  I also have a bunch of old AHM and bachmann locos taht aren't worth the effort.

[caldreamer]

I have taken the shells from a number of non DCC engines and fit them on DCC ready drives.  I will be glad to send you the list with the conversions if you would like.  Email me offline at [e-mail].

                   Ira
 

[Tilden]

  Yes, most loco's, regardless of age, can be converted to DCC.  As mentioned, you must isolate the motors from the frame and install a decoder.  The best conversions are loco's that currently run well.  I've converted lots (more than I should have) mostly Atherarns, but also Mantua's and Bachmanns, and find I don't run them as often because I have purchased newer, primarily DCC ready locos.  The newer stuff really does run better, across the board and you are going to have to purchase decoders and installation materials (shrink wrap, wire, bulbs, solder, exacto blades, band-aids) if you convert anyway.  So, if you are able to purchase newer engines.....let's just say it will be easier and you be more pleased with the results.

Tilden

[cjcrescent]

  I posted this question originally in the prototype posts, but was referred here.  I have a lot of older locos,(some 25 years or older) that are not dcc.  Can these be converted to dcc.  Thanks in advance

Rstaller;

Except for locos that have a "pancake" type motor, (older Bachmann standards, Tycos, and some of the Rivarossi/Mehano locos), pretty much any of the rest of the older locos can be converted. Reklein has it correct. The motor does not have to be isolated, but the brushes do. There is not an open frame motor that I haven't been able to isolate the brushes on. The average age of the locos I own is over 25. Most are brass, or kitbuilts. All came with open frame motors, and although these have been replaced with more modern can type instrument motors, I still keep the "good" open frames, (low stall current, hi torque), as "backups". (At least that is what I tell myself.)

Many modelers, here and elsewhere, tell people asking advice about DCC installations in older equipment to "just sell it/throw/give it away and just buy new locos". This IMHO, is giving very bad advice. They, as well as I, do not know your financial situation, or what I think is the most important reason, the "value" the equipment has to you. Anytime someone is also told, "it won't run as well as the new stuff", obviously hasn't seen what a good bit of the "old stuff" can do or be made to do. Plus in most cases, given the prices of new equipment today, it can be done alot cheaper than "just buy new".

So this is the advice I will give. If the equipment is valuable to you, go for it. At worst, it will run poorer than it did before, and at best it will run better. You'll never know until you try. If you know someone who has done hardwire installations before, get them to assist you one the first couple. After that, it should be easy.

 

[reklein]

I think I posted this on another thread,but here goes anyway. I've found the performance of my old steamers to be greatly improved by using the kadee coupler spring method of making contacts for the tenders. This method can be found over on Two guyz and sum trains.com.Its fairly simple and really works good. Even helps to keep the wheels clean.

[MisterBeasley]

I'd recommend doing one engine, just for the experience.  Then you can answer these questions for yourself:

Does the engine run well enough to make the investment worthwhile?

How much work was this?  Do I want to spend this much time on each of these old engines?

How much did I spend to upgrade this engine?

Next, take a serious look at a comparable new engine.  Also, listen to a new engine, both its quiet-running performance and the sound effects from a new decoder.  Look at the detail level on the new engine as well, and ask yourself if it makes your old engines look shabby in comparision.  Also check the price of these new engines, and surf around to places like Trainworld to look at bargain options.  Then:

Would you rather have a new one?

The answer isn't pre-ordained, although in my case the "new-engine" option was a no-brainer.  I have about 10 old (1950's and 60's) engines.  I put most of them on the tracks and tried to get them to run in DC.  (These were stored for 40 years.)  Most would turn over and run hesitantly.  I put decoders in a few of them, but of the bunch, only one could be made to run well enough to keep on the layout, even after dismantling and cleaning the motors and gears.  Two of these were old Milwaukee GP-9's, so when I saw that M.B. Klein (www.modeltrainstuff.com) had brand new Proto 2000 Milwaukee GP-9's for $40, I bought a pair of them.  I quickly realized that I'd rather have good-running, nicely-detailed locomotives than finicky old "sentimental" engines.

Just because those old engines were "boyhood friends," though, I took the motors out, upgraded to Kadee couplers, and now I run a couple of them around as dummy engines now and then.  I think of them as "honorary" engines, not good enough to run by themselves anymore, but still carrying enough memories that they'd be hard to throw away.