Hello hello! I want to put decoders into my Bachmann N scale H5 (2-6-6-2) and my N scale Key brass New York Central H10a (2-8-2, brass). The Digitrax site shows 4 decoders as being compatible with my 2-6-6-2, 1 of which requires a possible frame modification. That leaves me with 3 actual choices: DZ123, DZ126, and DZ146. The DZ123 is an "economy" decoder. DZ126 has a note "Back EMF" and the 146 appears to just support more functions. Is a DZ123 a good choice for both locomotives? I do not have sound in them, so the only function is for the light (and the Key doesn't even HAVE a light yet... I shall have to sort that out). And I am not positive which system I will eventually use; likely also a Digitrax system, maybe the Zephyr. But, any decoder will work with any company's DCC system, correct? I'm very comfortable doing soldering, wiring modifications, and so on - I was an electrician for many years - but the DCC thing just mystifies me.
Any decoder will work with any DCC system. But if you are not looking to put sound in these locos, I would strongly recommend that you look at the ESU LokPilot Micro V.4 decoder for motor control and lighting. It is very small (10.5mm long by 8mm wide by 3mm thick) and has both exceptional motor control and a ton of lighting effects. I use ESU decoders in all my engines (both steam and diesel) with a Digitrax Chief DCC system; I have friends who use them with NCE systems. Both work fine. One of the reasons I like the ESU V.4 is that you can add a keep-alive to it (ESU calls it a Power Pack, but you can use any commercial or home-made keep alive with it). There is a pad on the back side of the decoder for attaching the negative side of the keep alive (the positive goes to the blue wire). I don't believe that the Digitrax DZ series has convenient keep alive connections (but I might be wrong - I'm not terribly familiar with their current generation of decoders). A keep alive probably isn't necessary for the Bachmann H5, but it is a very useful addition to brass steam, which usually has a weird electrical pickup arrangement (see below). You can get ESU decoders from Streamlined Backshop (an advertiser here on Trainboard) and other dealers. Bryan Vianco, who owns SBS, is a tremendous resource for advice about DCC conversions. Visit the web site if you haven't already done so. If your Bachmann 2-6-6-2 is one of the original ones, there is a removable weight back by the cab (you'll see it when you remove the shell) that Bachmann intended for a DCC install, but it is not a plug-in - you'll have to hard wire it. I'd probably just run wires back to the tender and put the decoder there (like the new H4 versions) since one day you may want sound in that one (silent steamers? Nah - not any more). I'm not familiar with the Key 2-8-2, but I have a Key Berkshire (2-8-4) that I "decoderized" by running wires back to the tender. Key brass locos generally used a "split wheel" electrical pickup, meaning that the engine itself picks up one side of the track, and the tender picks up the other. If you look at the connection between the tender and the engine, you will probably see a small phosphor-bronze wire that touches the tender connection post - that's the electrical connection between the engine and tender, and it's not very reliable. Again, your best bet is to run wires from the engine (motor, light and one wire for chassis electrical pickup) back to the tender and wire the decoder there, because eventually you're going to want sound in this one, too. For lighting, I used a 3mm LED that I mounted in the front of the boiler by carving a spot for it from the lead weight that is there (at least, it is on my Berk). You'll also need to make sure you insulate the motor from the chassis. And I used a keep alive with mine (although I eventually converted this one to an ESU LokSound) which made it one of the best-running locos in my fleet. Before the keep-alive, it would stall at odd places for no reason, a function of the split-wheel pickup system. John C.
Well the good news is that the ESU decoder seems to be made in Germany, so no insane shipping or VAT fees! The bad news is... there's a ton of them, it seems. Do i need to wire in a DCC socket, and then plug the decoder in to that? Or is there a model with wire leads? I don't read German... eeps.
Their web site has a English version. Look for the flag right top of the page. Saw today a write up for the Zimo board in N-scale sound decoder aimed at American engines.
The Digitrax decoders are OK, but the ESU, Zimo and Lenz decoders all have much smoother movement than a Digitrax decoder will give you. That is very important for a steam locomotive
If you don't want sound, get the LokPilot with the wired plug: LokPilot Micro V.4, DCC-only, six-pin wired plug, model number 54684. Then just cut the plug off and use the wires to hard-wire. Zimo decoders are also excellent. John C.
YA can echo the ESU and Zimo are both great options. As far as Zimo. If you have room the MX600 is really cheap and works great. The MX616 is super tiny and works but will cost about 50% more. Same with ESU Lokpilot and Lokpilot nano. and John C is correct. I always get the ones wired with the 6 pin connector as its most common in the dcc ready plug and play engines but then just cut them off unless cheaper to get the no plug version. It just gives me a spare wired plug for something else. Both are awesome, I prefer ESU just because I am so used to the programming of them but honestly you can't go wrong with either.
I Have ordered one of the ESU 54684 decoders. It will go in my K3, and i can finally call that one complete! Now to figure out how to install it in a Kato Mike...
