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Figure 5 shows a 1995-vintage Atlas N-scale locomotive. I
was most successful using DCC-Ready frames
) from Aztec Manufacturing. This
involved breaking the loco down to the two pieces of metal
that make up the frame. These two pieces get sent to Aztec,
where they are exchanged for pre-machined parts that they
stock. The loco is then rebuilt from the ground up. This
makes for a very complicated installation, and adds time and
money to the process.
Where there is an issue, the market builds a solution. With
smaller electronic parts, TCS designed their CN series decoders
to replace the light boards on both ends of many N-scale diesel
locos. This removes the need for machining the frame, but still
requires that the loco be completely disassembled to isolate
the motor from the split frame. Figure 6 shows one such
installation in an Atlas RS3.
The Kato HO-scale NW2 is a prime example of one designed
before DCC became popular. The installation of sound in this
loco was the subject of my January column
) and
a companion video.
5: Atlas N-scale GP9 with a Lenz LE0521 decoder.
5
DCC Impulses Column - 5
An example of a loco that is marketed as "DCC-Ready" that
should be "DCC-Ignorant," in my mind, is the Life-Like Proto 2000
HO-scale S1. Later runs of this loco had a DCC socket.
You can see (7) this series of loco as delivered. It has a socket, all
right, but precious little little room for a decoder. The light bulbs
are 1.5 volt, so if you plug a decoder in without changing them,
their life will be a fraction of a second. Also, the orange motor lead
is routed through the frame to the bottom brush on the motor.
You may find a decoder that will fit and plug in. However, if the
frame ever touches an energized rail you will probably blow the
decoder.
My solution is to tear everything out, insulate the motor (8) and
hard-wire a decoder and two LEDs. Somehow, this makes their
"DCC-Ready," claim seem humorous. Unless it is you, the one
stuck with the loco, and you don’t want to do that much work.
Sound installation
I find that most locomotives are not "DCC-Ready" for sound
installations. Usually there isn’t enough room for a socketed
decoder and a speaker, and still be able to get the sound
out. See my August 2012 column (
. Sound
installations seem to fall somewhere between "DCC-Aware"
and "DCC-Ignorant."
6
6: TCS CN decoders overcome some of the ignorance.
MRH-Apr 2013
