Athearn 2-6-0 DCC Install

Moose2013 Apr 27, 2021

  1. Moose2013

    Moose2013 TrainBoard Member

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    ( @SVRailroader Since you asked about this in another thread )

    Welcome to the world of DCC installations in steam locomotives...

    Moose installed a Digitrax DZ126 non-sound decoder into an Athearn 2-6-0 steam locomotive in 2018. The installation was not bad, since having previously done an Athearn 2-8-0.

    This locomotive has the motor in the tender with a drive shaft to the locomotive, so it required some tender shell modifications, i.e. had to trim the coal load out of the tender's top shell, and substitute Saran Wrap, Liquid electrical tape, Elemers glue and Arizona Rock & Mineral's Medium Coke #1123 over the decoder.

    Could only solder one decoder power wire to tender as other DC motor contact is the tender chassis to which one cannot solder. This required the use of an SBS4DCC sourced ring terminal attached at one of the 4 handy-dandy screws holding the tender's main shell to the tender chassis.

    The motor itself looked like it might interfere with the one soldered decoder wire, so Moose filed away clearance for the solder & wire.

    Created gasket & cover over motor to ensure decoder & wires did not interfere with motor operation.

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    Attached Files:

  2. MK

    MK TrainBoard Member

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    Excellent idea on the coal load! I have a 2-6-0 when it was still made by Roundhouse before Athearn acquired them. I got stuck on that stage of what to do with the coal load as the decoder was too high.

    Believe it or not, it sat on my shelf (protected) for about 10 years and it's still sitting there! :whistle: The decoder is installed and the tender runs by itself. Now I know what to do! (y)
     
    Last edited: Apr 28, 2021
  3. Moose2013

    Moose2013 TrainBoard Member

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    @MK

    Awesome! Glad this write-up could help! :)
     
    MK likes this.
  4. Mark St Clair

    Mark St Clair TrainBoard Member

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    Great job! Thanks for sharing your project.

    Stay safe,
     
    Moose2013 likes this.
  5. badlandnp

    badlandnp TrainBoard Member

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    You made that look so easy!
     
    Moose2013 likes this.

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