Convert Walthers SD38-2 To DCC Help

[Tom Bryant_MR]

This is a used Walthers blue box GP38-2 that I picked up at a train show. I've never converted a DC to DCC before.



I have verified it works on DC and I know that the engine needs to be isolated from the frame. I took an ohm meter and do not have any shorts from the engine block in the middle to anywhere else on the chassis frame.

I was surprised at how the DC is moved from the trucks to the engine though.

Is this the way DC engines look or is this one really old and maybe not worth the effort?

Thanks

[Anonymous]

I'm confused...first you say it's an SD38-2, then a GP38-2. It is a GP38-2 in the picture. You also call it a Walthers Blue Box...Are you sure you don't mean Athearn? Walthers never made a GP38-2.

[Stevert]

As already noted, the loco pictured appears to be an Athearn GP38-2.

And yes, that's the way many Athearns look. If it runs well on DC it's worth converting to DCC. I recently converted two Athearn GP38-2's. One was an RTR and the other was a Blue Box, but they both had the same basic drive you pictured.

If that's the one you really want to convert, there are many ways to do it. I used Digitrax DH163A0's for those last two because that's what I had handy, and because it made it easy to mount LED's for directional lighting. Here's a link to another method that uses a wired decoder: http://www.trains.com/Content/Dynamic/Articles/000/000/002/386vdfwa.asp

And yet another link to a wired Athearn SD45 installation showing more possibilities:
http://www.tcsdcc.com/decoderpics/Athearn%20SD45/athearn_sd45.htm

HTH,
Steve

[Tom Bryant_MR]

QUOTE: Originally posted by uspscsx

I'm confused...first you say it's an SD38-2, then a GP38-2. It is a GP38-2 in the picture. You also call it a Walthers Blue Box...Are you sure you don't mean Athearn? Walthers never made a GP38-2.

I was mistaken. I'm meant Athearn. And I also meant GP, not SD.

I'm am going to give it a try as I want the experience of doing one.
Thanks again for the input and the links.