decoders

[screen48]

I purchased an EZ-Command plus Loco as a starter to DCC.  I have 1980's Atherns and other locos none Dcc. I do not care about sound but would like to convert these old locos to DCC. What decoder do I need or where do I look for add on Decoders for these units that would be compatiable with my new EZ_Command?

[simkon]

DZ123s are a pretty good decoder, and have BEMF, you will need to isolate the motor of all your DC locos then soldier the wires to the appropriate locations. Keep in mind that installing DCC locos in Athearn locos is not plug and play, some may be difficult if it is hard to isolate the motor or if there is not a lot of room for the decoder.

[Jim Banner]

DZ123s are a pretty good decoder, and have BEMF, you will need to isolate the motor of all your DC locos then soldier [sic] the wires to the appropriate locations. Keep in mind that installing DCC locos [sic] in Athearn locos is not plug and play, some may be difficult if it is hard to isolate the motor or if there is not a lot of room for the decoder.

Sorry, but the obsolescent Digitrax DZ123 does NOT have BEMF control.  Fortunately, the DZ125 that replaces it does.  The DZ125 is also Sound Bug compatible which means it will work with the Digitrax low cost sound decoder available separately.

Among locomotives that are not DCC ready, Athearn's locomotives are some of the easiest to convert.  But be sure to do a stall current test first.  Some of the older ones with black motors were real current hogs and require either a higher current decoder or better, an upgraded motor.  Even some of the ones with golden motors will overload a tiny decoder like the DZ123/125.  The even older ones with all metal trucks (not just the side frames were metal) are usually not worth converting.  There are many articles on the web, including a number on the Digitrax site, that discuss converting specific Athearn locomotives.  Just be careful to isolate the motor from the frame and then check with a meter or a bulb and battery to see that it really is isolated.

If you don't like soldering, many of the Athearn locomotives can be converted with decoders prewired with all the necessary clips and contacts.  Two examples are the Digitrax DH123AT (no BEMF control) and the DH163AT (with BEMF control and 4 more function outputs.)  Note that these decoders are for the older Athearn locomotives.  The Genesis series use a different decoder.

Jim

[jward]

while the basic install of a decoder in an athearn locomotive is relatively easy, you'll probely want to make some modifications to the pickup as the athearn pickups, while good for dc, can cause problems with dcc.

from my experience, the sintered metal wheels often used should be replaced with nickle silver replacements by nwsl, jaybee or others. also, the one side of the pickup relies on the weight of the locomotive chassis on the truck bolster. you may want to bypass this with a more reliable wire connection. you can drill and tap the metal plate in the truck frame and use a screw to secure a wire to this plate. the athearn frame and other metal parts are difficult to solder to, i have found screws to be easier to work with.