Converting DC Loco to DCC Loco Custom!

Hi Everyone!

I hope you all have been doing good. I have been enjoying my layout a lot lately and have almost sacrificed my computer for it !! Just kidding. But it is coming together really nicely and I couldn't be happier.

I wanted to talk today about converting an old DC bachmann UP ??? to a DCC locomotive that will run on my current layout.

I know the motor is in great shape including the gearing. I've run it in DC mode and it is a flyer !! Very smooth as well. Bachmann made some pretty impressive stuff for the time era.

Below are some pictures of the old timer. I want to put in a dcc decoder chip and also a small speaker for sound if I am able to. Some milling may be required but no worries I have a few friends at machine shops that can help with that.

One thing I wanted to ask about was converting the trucks couplers.



I wanted to make them up to date so they will clash with my current rolling stock. I can come up with a few ways to do it but I figured I would ask for some advice. Maybe someone on here has done it before. I found a lot of info on HO but not much for N scale for this type of conversion.

Hope to hear some ideas from you Masters of trains !!

Cheers !





https://www.trainboard.com/highball...ia-wild-fire-and-growth-exhibit.128431/page-9

 

I understand wanting to use the good old stuff but in this case my advice is to not to try to put “new wine into old wineskins.” A sound decoder cost a couple of nickels, and you probably want a good chassis for it.

I have been upgrading my old Kato F7 chassis with the more modern ones. Intermountain and Broadway Limited Imports also make more modern F unit chassis. I don’t know for sure that your Bachmann shell will fit over any of these, but I bet with a little filing or shimming they would. You can find DCC friendly chassis on that auction site. TB member Wuttermelon has a thread about a board he is selling that makes an ESU sound install pretty easy on the modern Kato chassis.

 

Now that I can see the images, I would have to agree with @Kentuckian that this one should be left alone. The frame will make installing a decoder difficult at best and the open shell motor will not be the best choice for DCC. This one is a 3 pole skew wound, the 3 pole not so good slow, skew wound is good for smooth but no flywheels will also not make good for slow action. Retrofitting another motor would not be worth the time or expense. Fit the shell to a newer Atlas or Kato chassis if you really want to use it, or just keep it for a dc loop of track.

 

Thanks for the feedback !!! As I’ve never really tinkered with these motors in depth like I’m about to do I really appreciate the above statements !

I do have another UP Loco and another life like model that may be worth looking into. Again maybe not. I will open them up and post what they look like. Take it from there.

when you say auction site are you referring to Broadway limited and inter mountain ??

THe UP would actually be a good option because it already has legit couplers so that would be one less step I need to do.

Where can you find different motors and other parts for these little locos?? Is there a company that specifically dabbles in custom builds ??

 

The auction site would be the one just before F-Bay. There are TONS of F-7/9s made by almost as many mfrs. Just about any of them will run better than this loco will ever run (not trying to be mean, just truthful). Even Bachmann has come out with a better F unit since this loco was new. To find out info on N scale locomotives, the best place is http://www.spookshow.net/trainstuff.html. He has a easy to search index and reviews about just about every locomotive ever produced. Here's the reviews on the Bachmann locomotive: http://www.spookshow.net/loco/bachf9a.html in which the loco only gets a C rating. Later Bachmann F-7s at least have body mounted couplers and are much better runners: http://www.spookshow.net/loco/bachf7.html. The Broadway LTD locos were available with factory installed sound (but are EXPENSIVE) saving you some time and effort: http://www.spookshow.net/loco/blif3f7.html. Bottom line is you are talking about investing anywhere from $25 (for a DCC decoder only) to $100 (for a DCC decoder with sound) in a locomotive that will only be a mediocre runner and is maybe worth $5. I would spend my time and effort on something that is more worthy.

 

This website is baddasery !! Finally found my little DC loco that I think will be a good option to convert. With all the advice I was given I think this is a better option. It even seems like a chip will fit much better than the other model.







According to the spooks site Matching everything up. This is a 1998 Atlas UP SD60M with directional lighting. As for as the motor it is five-pole and skew wound. Im not really sure what that means but it sounds good ! haha

I believe I have a good fit here.
According to digitrax. These are decoders that will fit this model. I have to look into them more but wanted to see if anyone had any expirience with these or maybe some other decoders that were a good buy for operation and the pocketbook.

They don't have to be sound. I think I'm going to avoid sound on this one but still not sure. First things are first finding and being able to install the decoder correctly lol

DN163A1
DN166I3
SDN144A1

Thanks and cheers !

 

Interested in how it goes. I have a few of those SD60's (all DC) and a couple of the decoders that are sitting in my desk that I really should get around to installing. Hopefully you will fuel the fire and give me some motivation.

 

I am too ! Being as I have never done one before you can learn from my mistakes haha ! I was looking into the digitrax decoders and it should have been obvious to me that the one with the S next to the model name means sound decoder. It even comes with an attached speaker and capacitor which I though was neat. I have a newer atlas model I'm going to open up and clean since I've been running the crap out of it. I'll have to keep me eyes open and look at what they did to install the decoder and hopefully I can duplicate that.

 

Yes, this is a much better candidate. Work slowly and you will be successful.

 

You want the first decoder on your list. That "A" is Digitrax's nomenclature for Atlas locos. The "I" is for Intermountain in the second decoder and won't fit your loco.

For further education they also have "K" decoders for, you guessed it, Kato locos.

This is for N-scale. Don't know if the nomenclature is the same for their HO decoders.

 

Yes they do it the same for HO scale.

 

Well holy crap !! That is good info ! It would be hilarious (not) If I was to order one for intermountain SMH hahaha Thank you so much for the heads up. Thats proof that when you dont know dont go it alone lol

 

I know many will disagree with me, but when we had a LHS, I did most all of their DCC installations and repairs. I found the digitrax had by far the highest failure rate. I prefered TCS and NCE decoders.

 

I will take that into consideration. Being reliable is a must. Can you recommend any specific names of those decoder brands @bill pearce ?

I was able to get around to the layout area last night and did some maintenance. I found out a few fun things. I found that the new Atlas Master Line EMD SD50 has a 4 prong pickup for the Decoder. Also that one pickup wire was disconnected. No wonder it was running funny . Soldering some of the joints on these small locomotives is challenging ! Running fine in no time.










My Broadway Limited Paragon 3 decoder was installed with a harness. All these models have some seriously small LED's. Gotta Love N scale. The BLI unit has given me a lot of grief this year and I swear I've figured it out. Check out my other thread for the explanation. Back to decoding !








Now my older 98 Atlas has just two prongs reaching up to the decoder area. I'm going to have to find out if wiring needs to be done. IF so maybe I can use some 12 Gauge to make sure I can solder it! If it is only a 2 prong decoder then fantastic!

 

Thanks for posting pictures.

 

Oh I didn't realize that. Exactly the only wires are from the trucks metal plates to the frame.


@BNSF FAN @logging loco

This was a great find.



https://www.ncedcc.com/online-store/N12A1-decoder-N-Scale-Plug-and-play-Atlas-p38322116

https://www.digitrax.com/products/mobile-decoders/dn163a1/


Seems I only need to worry about the two contact points in the center of the board. Both Digitrax and NCE have the exact same contact points. I'm sure many of you already know that though haha. Newbie alert ! Just good knowing I won't have to do any wiring. Though if I want ditch lights I may have to. Sounds like a really small but big project !

 

Sams,

We found the most reliable with the best customer service were NCE and TCS. My friends that like sound in their locos prefer ESU. I'm unfamiliar with them.

The loco you have shown is a relatively modern one., and demonstrate more recent changes to the electrical connections. Those changes were, I suspect driven to reduce costs and ease assembly, but all in all they work well. But, (and as an old professor of mine often said, a might big but) It will require careful modification to insure there will be no track power getting where it shouldn't be.

Bill

 

@bill pearce Ok thanks. I know the ESU Decoders are pretty reliable. The three Chessie locos I have all have ESU. They are fantastic. As far as installation. I’m not sure if we are all on the same page lol.

@RBrodzinsky The above post shows 3 locos I have. The first one is the new atlas EMD SD 50 (the three Chessie locos with ESU Sound) with 4 prong connection. This model does have a small wire from the trucks to the frame.

the second is my Broadway limited paragon 3 loco.

Finally the third loco (last picture) IS the one that I am converting. This locomotive has the brass pickups as you mention. No wires at all.

I will make sure no power comes into play where it shouldn’t I have a bunch of the catcom (??? Spelling lol) tape I can use.

I’ve been reading better reviews on the digitrax decoder. For $30 I might as well try it. I honestly think I will end up getting both though. Might as well