snjroy;
I am going to convert all the engines to DCC, no dc (GP9,GP35 and a GP38-2)
I thank all who have helped me in this project.
John
BigDaddy John Gray one engine is going to stay DC tho all others are DCC You never ever, ever, want your DC power pack connected at the same time as your DCC Powercab is connected. Expen$ive $moke will escape.
John Gray one engine is going to stay DC tho all others are DCC
You never ever, ever, want your DC power pack connected at the same time as your DCC Powercab is connected. Expen$ive $moke will escape.
Simon
Maybe the DH166MT ?
Digitrax has nothing listed as a DSH166HT.
Mike.
My You Tube
John Grayone engine is going to stay DC tho all others are DCC
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Digitrax DSH166ht
these are what I purchased
yes I've got an Ebay account
I am going to due DCC, one engine is going to stay DC tho all others are DCC, I was going to use Digitraxx 9-pin, which can be hard-wired to the engines, I've seen drop-in decoders that fit sound or no sound. streamlined Backshop is at least talking to me about this.
thank you
Mike;
I have been kicked off all social media, eBay ( goofygrape426), and I'm going to try to join Model Railroad Hobbyist. the decoder I have is 9 pin Digitraxx, I think.
I'm going to use DCC and run the Dc ones, also My wife said I have two engines that are DCC.
Thank You for all you've done for this project!
John Graymy email is listed here or if appropriate maybe I can post it? I looked into DCC that seems the way to go for this project
My email is listed too, but neither of our emails can be seen by anybody but us. You, in your profile info, and me, in my profile.
If your going to go to DCC, the boards I have also have the DC jumper. You can remove the jumper plug, and plug in a decoder, although it would be the older 9 pin type, which will work fine.
I guess it's up to you, just how you want to go with DCC. For the blue box locos, I always hardwired the decoder in, it's not hard.
Are you on any other social media? like Face Book, Twitter or Instagram?
Are you on any other forums, like Atlas rescue forum, Model Railroad Hobbyist (MRH), which are the two I use other than here.
Do you an Ebay account?
Just trying to think of other ways we can connect, as it's just rediculous that the PM feature in here doesn't work.
I'm told you shouldn't post your email on a public forum, but I think you can put it in your profile. As mentioned, we can no longer message one another.
Modeltrainstuff has the powercab for $195.
An NCE Nonsound decoder is $26.36, less if you buy a four pack. This particular board was designed to replace the circuit board used by Atlas and Life Like. I think it would work with a BB, but our friends will tell us if I am wrong.
An ESU Lok-Pilot (non-sound) is $30. I'm not a fan of digitrax.
DCC stores I would recommend are Yankee Dabbler, Litchfield Station, Streamlined Backshop. Tony's Trains is on hold, pending better reviews.
Should you decide to go sound, you need to tell them that in the case of your GEEP you need them to load the EMD 567 engine sound, at least you do for ESU
Mike
my email is listed here or if appropriate maybe I can post it?
I looked into DCC that seems the way to go for this project
Hello All,
to the forums!
Slightly ...
John Gray...I think at this time DCC is over kill (SIC).
Unfortunately, this is a common misconception. Even the smallest pike can benifit from DCC (DC users add comments here...)
Yes, the initial outlay for an "inexpensive" DCC system can be relatively expensive compared to DC.
To get similar running from a DC system requires multi-cab control (multiple power packs), along with block wiring, and switching. As I've said before, "The amount of money I spend on wire and block switches could have paid for an entry-level DCC system."
If you've not experienced DCC it's a game-changer!
John Gray(M)y great-grandkids love trains so I'm trying to impress them with model ones and real ones...
With DCC the ability to run multiple trains simultaneously is a great draw, especially for the little engineers.
Before committing further to DC, or making the leap to DCC, I would see if you can tryout DCC.
Your description of locations sounds like you are in the High Desert of Southern California- -"Antelope/Palm-Caster" area.
The Pasadena Model Railroad Museum holds periodic open houses. Unfortunately, they just had their March ones.
You might try to contact someone at the club, explain what you are doing, and see if you could arrange a visit.
I live in the mountains of Colorado. The Colorado Model Railroad Museum is 2-1/2 hour drive but the "pilgrimage" is worth it for me. You might find a visit to the PMRRM worth the day-trip.
While in Pasadena don't forget to visit The Original Whistle Stop train shop in Pasadena proper. It's diminutive but world-renowned.
Keep the questions coming, please apprise us of your progress, and as always...
Hope this helps.
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"
bigdaddy;
to me and what I'm doing 200$ is a lot of money,to go to VA west LA 100$ one way.
I'm going to go DCC asap,a 2ftx4ft law out I think at this time DCC is over kill.
please show me where I can get this stuff for your pricing I'm willing to take a look at this thing in a different way.
Money is money and like thinness, most of us don't have enough of either. A Powercab is $200. A no-sound decoder is $25 and and sound decoders are $100.
If the OP thinks DCC is too costly, it's not our job to convince him otherwise.
John GrayHornblower; I think you and others about DCC are making an impression on me(hard to do tho)as of tomorrow I'm going to look into this idea further
The reality is that if you are willing and able to install the previously mentioned DC directional lighting circuits, then you already possess the skills needed to install DCC decoders. Not only will you get the lighting features you desire, the lights will function at full brightness even when the loco is not moving. Even basic four-function DCC decoders also provide additional lighting that allow you to add Mars lights, flashing beacons, marker, number, or ditch lights. In addition to all the lighting features, the DCC decoder will provide you with much better motor control offering several adjustments to allow your locos to operate at their best. These adjustments can also make different locos operate with similar speed curves. These features are handy when you lash up multiple powered locos (no more dummies) in a consist. Best of all, DCC allows you to easily run multiple trains in different directions and speeds on the same section of track without the need for complicated wiring. No more DC track blocks or toggle/rotary switches needed! Trains will not move until you tell them to do so. You can pick up a used basic DCC system on-line fairly cheap. It may help your budget and learning curve to pick up one of these basic systems, learn to use it, then decide what features you really need before purchasing a full-featured system. Visit a LHS, private or club layout in your area and ask them to explain DCC and show you the system they use. Once you experience DCC, the choice to go DCC is a no-brainer!
Hornblower
John,
Yes, Not sure if it's visable, but if it is, go for it.
I'll try and send you a PM, and see if goes through from this end.
This PM thing you experienced has been a problem since the "new" forums "reset", along with other problems.
EDIT: Nope, PM doesn't work from this end either. I'll try using FireFox instaed of Chrome.
EDIT: Nope, doesn't work in Fire Fox either.
Hornblower;
I think you and others about DCC are making an impression on me(hard to do tho)as of tomorrow I'm going to look into this idea further, your ideas about fixing these old BB engines is supper dupper.:).I put Kaoto motors in all of my bb engines in the past, I'll look into the ones you described.
can I use your email address?
when I click start conversation my computer halts any attempt to add my info
John Gray I asked Athern about their adapter board size and got a brush-off. thank you
Thanks John.
I think I mentioned this before, maybe in your other thread, I have a few boards I don't need, and I am sure they will fit in the shell.
If you'd like, I can send you a board, if you want to try it.
Send me a PM through here, and we can figure it all out.
Click on my avatar/picture, and it should take you to the page for sending a PM.
Click on Start a conversation next.
I'm glad it was useful. Of course, credit goes to the original authors. This forum is a goldmine. Keep us posted.
this was a very good instructional it helped a lot with what I'm doing, one thing IO learned is you can turn one led over to switch track power and it will light in the reverse direction
mbinsewi; this idea is fine I've done this mod, and it works great. I asked Athern about their adapter board size and got a brush-off. thank you
When I was still running in DC my two go-to units for directional lighting was, #1: Utah Pacific CLU-96 and #2: Miniatronics Corp. CL-013-01. Both units used diodes to control 1.5v bulbs, bulbs included in Miniatronics unit but not in Utah Pacific one.
Dan
Hi there. This thread might also be of use:
https://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/744/t/214404.aspx
It's tuff to find videos and how-to instructions for directional lighting on blue box locos, that don't include a conversion to DCC.
This kit looks pretty simple, and it includes a set up for 2 locomotives.
Scroll down to read all of this guys ad, and see what it's all about.
If you are savy at soldering, using resisters, etc., you could probably set up your own system.
A common wire would go to each bulb, with the headlight wired to the positive (engineers) side of the loco, and the rear light wired to the negative(frame) side of the loco.
You might also ask this question, how to do directional lighting on a Athearn blue box, over in the Electrical and DCC forum, maybe somebody has a simple way of doing this.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/202728399502
the bottom line here is I need to have the lights on going forward and in reverse
directional .my great-grandkids love trains so I'm trying to impress them with model ones and real ones, we go to the loop in Cal and Mojave also the BNSF Barstow to Mojave is a mile from home at Edwards AFB. This is motive enough for me.
My old big layout was burned down by some punks while I was in Reno on hot August nights.
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MisterBeasleyI also have a more modern GP9M model from Walthers. It has a modern frame and motor, but is curiously built with the same wide hood as the old Athearn BB units.
That is odd. I wonder why Walthers did that? Maybe they got old tooling and didn't think anyone would notice, or care. hahaha.
This is an old picture of an Athearn BB GP9 on the left and a Proto GP9 on the right. It's easy to see the difference in body width between the two. I think that was done to accomodate the wide motor Athearn used at the time. The Athearn model is a dummy now.
I also have a more modern GP9M model from Walthers. It has a modern frame and motor, but is curiously built with the same wide hood as the old Athearn BB units. Again, the BB model is on the left with the Walthers model on the right. This BB model was upgraded with the railings I mentioned earlier.
A GP9M was created by modifying an older GP9, chopping the nose to give it a full frontal cab for visibility. I actually looked up the old engine rosters, found the engine number of the old engine that was converted to the modified model, and gave that number to my old dummy BB, just to tick off anyone who might be that much of a rivet counter.
Missing the motor and gear towers, an old BB model is pretty empty inside, so it makes an excellent start for a sound dummy with lights.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
I can't afford DCC, a 2x4ft layout, Mojave yard, the geeps have Kato motors, and low-speed gears, and they run great. the wiring is ground to trucks and hot to the metal arms .dioads for lighting 1.8mm. and yes I could just buy newer geeps but my wife would have a fit if a 200$ plus engine showed up haha, it's more fun making stuff anyway. sorry for the extra post. I'm new at this forum game.
Here's the Athearn tune-up & rebuild that I've always used:
http://www.mcor-nmra.org/Publications/Articles/Athearn_TuneUp.php