Maybe it's only a plug and play, but it didn't turn out so easy. I recently bought a B23-7 off of ebay. Then bought the Digitrax DN1630A0 to run it on my layout. The install went easy, but only the lights would work, no motor. After fiddling around, it turned out the motor contacts weren't making contact. With MAJOR trepidation and some fast prayers to our Engineer who art in heaven, I pulled out the soldering pencil, and hardwired the decoder contact points to the motor contact strips, using wire from a destroyed Lenz decoder from my first try at this. Lo and behold, praise and halleluia!!!! IT works, just like it's supposed to. Not only that, the slow motor is wonderful (my first experience with the new motor) . And on DCC it runs even better than on DC. It makes me think that maybe, just maybe I could have success with an Aztec frame on my RS-3, or even (shudder) my LifeLike SW1200. Jeff Augsburg & Concord R.R. (a fictional shortline in Central Illinois) http://www.pegnsean.net/~revnjeff
Congratulations on your first decoder install!! As to your problem, it is very common on the Atlas loco's with the Digitrax light board replacement decoders. The contact pads on the decoders are a little smaller than the ones on the OEM light boards, and it usually requires a little fiddling to get them to make good contact, but I have installed about 12 of these with out too much difficulty and no "hard wiring" was necessary. [ 21. December 2002, 17:00: Message edited by: Chesapeakenscaler ]
Congrats on your Decode Install Jeff. I just had a "First" too, although it did not turn out so good. I was trying to put one of those Lenz LE0511 decoders in my Life Like SW1200. First I soldered the wires to the motor and melted the brush housing. I tested the motor and it would not turn. I heated up the brush housing and melted it but aligned it straight and held it while it cooled and the motor worked fine afterwards. Next I wired up the decoder fine, programed it ok, and tested the loco ok. Things went downhill from here on. I put the cab back on the loco, and tested the loco but it would not run. I took the cab and shell back off and broke the electrical pickups off while pulling the shell off. After fixing the pickups by melting them back onto the shell, I wired the rails to the frame with clip leads to test the loco. At that point the motor ran full speed when I turned on my layout power. I powered down and checked for shorts on the decoder with a magnifying glass and all looked ok, so I powered up and the decoder went "POP" and let out the smoke that was trapped inside! So as I said I had a "First", my first failed decoder install. I threw all the parts in the box and now have a $70 pile of messed up locomotive!
Oh, by the way, when I told my wife about the incident here response was "Did you pray about it?" ...Doh! Every time!
Robert, I can relate to the letting the smoke out. I played with a LL F40 and a Lenz Decoder. After melting the shell, when the soldering pencil rolled away and hit the shell, I disconnected a wire from the decoder. After reconnecting it, something went haywire in the hookup and I let out the smoke. As you might notice, I titled this my first "Successful" decoder install. Jeff Augsburg & Concord R.R. (a fictional shortline in Central Illinois) http://www.pegnsean.net/~revnjeff
...And might I pray for many more successful installs! I finally got my Life Like switcher done. In fact I got both of them done, and have 1 more for spare parts. I still have to convert my 2-8-8-2, but I am waiting on advice and success stories before attempting this one. It cost too much for me to be the
Magic Man, I can understand your apprehension, but DCC is getting easier and easier as time passes. Eventually, all high end engines will come with a decoder and the fiddle time will be gone. [ 23. December 2002, 19:08: Message edited by: rsn48 ]
