Finally gonna upgrade to DCC.. Not really interested in hard wiring any of my older life like n scale engines.. Those can sit on a RIP track. What are the easiest new engines to put a decoder in.. Since I'm gonna have to be learning on the fly.. Thanks a bunch!
What scale? In N Scale Kato and Fox Valley are the easiest to install decoders. In both cases only the shell needs to be removed. Next come the Intermountain F units, again just remove the shell and on the A units you do have to move the LED from the old board to the decoder board. I think any other manufacturer that can use a Kato decoder like the LifeLike RS-2's and the Athearn FP45's are pretty simple too. Other than that, there is some amount of dissassembly of the drive unit needed. This includes all Atals locomotives. And in thier case, you should also solder wires to the motor contacts for a reliable connection. Their spring contact leads can vary with temerature etc and some times not be reliable at all.
Thanks David! Im probably gonna run to one of my "somewhat" LHS in the next few days.. I'd love to get my hands on one of the FVM Gevo's.. If not.. What would be the easiest Kato to work with?
The hardest part of a Kato decoder installation is removing the shell. Usually need toothpicks for their cab diesels so they would be the hardest. Martin Myers
Get a SD40/70/80/90 series or an RS2 if they still have one. The reason being the P42, E8, PA units as well as the F uniuts usually require the motor leads to be soldered depending on the manufacturer of the decoder. Digitrax is many time a little to thin in board thickness so there is not a good contact.
And if that is the hardest part, then such an install would take minutes. I dont believe toothpicks are at all necessary. N-Scale quick Shell Removal: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJw8lU4zN9k
Those are all hood diesels. Eric uses straight pins on the F40PH which are a nice substitute for toothpicks. See part two: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOAbgbgimUU&feature=related
I recently took the plunge and purchased an NCE Powercab. Having used the Powercab for nearly a month, I am having a great time with it and really enjoying the increased operability it has given my layout. Having never installed any n-scale decoders before, this was my first time. In one evening, I installed 6 TCS decoders into a couple of Kato PA1's and four F7's. This was relatively straight forward and I had no problems. TCS provides excellent installation guides on its website for a large range of loco's. TCS manufactures board replacement decoders for many locos. Anyway, lots of brands to choose from out there, but I have been very happy with NCE and the TCS decoders. :thumbs_up: :thumbs_up: Good luck with your choice.
Why not, do they not run good? If they do run good, some of them may be pretty easy installs. My first deocder installs were Life-Like N-scale plastic framed engines. They were actually easier, in some respects, than some Atlas DCC ready engines. All it took was removing or trimming one of the lead weights, cutting three wires(two for the motor and one for the headlight), and soldering in the decoder.
I havent done it before in any facet of model railroading.. So Id like to start out easy first.. then see how the older ones would do..
This is a tough question because the two decoders do things differently. They both have thier pluses and minuses so it is up to you to decide what is important to you and then get that brand. Personally, I have both and find that the lighting and movement on TCS is better. But Digitrax is much easier to speed match locomotives with by using the speed table and then adjusting the trim values. This may be important to you if you plan on consisting multiple locomotives. I use Digitrax on all units that need to be speed matched for consisting and TCS for units that do not need the speed matching like yard switchers of branch line locomotives. Now if TCS ever comes out with full trim support in thier decoders, I will make TCS my standard decoder of choice. But that was promised 2 years ago, and it is still no closer to becoming reality.
Ahh ok.. Now I understand.. I may go with TCS ones for now since I won't be doing much speed matching. Thanks again.
