F40 DCC Ready Boards

[murfling]

I have an F40 Chasis from a DCC ready unit that did NOT have the flashing strobe lights. I'm looking at the board, and there are places to put resistors and two more lights. Is there a way to adapt these for ditch lights that can alternate at crossings? Or should I consider replacing the board with a different decoder? I have an old life like shell for MBTA that I want to put on it, and light it all up. Any advice, or even a wiring schematic, would be helpful.

Thank You!

Jonathan

[bapguy]

If you want ditch lights you need a DCC decoder with this type of function. Does the board have an 8 pin or 9pin recepter or both. DCC ready means you can attach a DCC decoder with out having to hard wire one.Digitrax lists their decoders as FX3 or FX4.This says how many light functions you can set up.   

[richg]

Can you show us a photo of the PC board?

Rich

[richg]

I wonder if the PC board looks anything like the below decoder made for the Bachmann diesels? Notice the connections for ditch lights.
If the PC board has a 8 pin connector, there are no pins for FX3 or FX 4. I doubt it would have the 9 pin connector as that connector has no pins for FX3 or FX4.

Rich

[Rangerover1944]

I have a Bachmann F40 with the shell off and I'm anticipating putting a sound decoder in it. There is an 8 pin plug. and yes there are several additional plugs 4 in all marked led. There are also 2 on the extreme front of the board that I would assume are for bulb's for the ditchlights, not sure. But to put ditch lights in with led's/bulbs you need to drill out the weighted frame and of course the shell. And because of the front truck swings close tolerance with the frame 3mm, you need to run the wires in a way to keep them from interfering with the truck. The front headlight is also an issue if you were to just cut away the  front of the frame due to the headlight mounted in the frame, not impossible but I give it a 5 for difficulty out of 10, 10 being most difficult/impossible. I don't know if resistors are needed have to check it with the meter.  Jim

Note after looking a little closer to mount ditch lights it would be best to mount led's in the frame and drill holes in the shell with a small lense glued in place for the ditch lights

[Rangerover1944]

You still need a DCC decoder to operate the ditch lights as to your liking, likes been said NCE, TCS, Soundtraxx, Digitrax with FX functions. Also in your choice of decoders if you leave the light board as is and not change it you will need an 8 pin to 9 pin JST harness for some decoder installs such as:

http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/SoundTraxx-810135-NMRA-8-Pin-to-9-Pin-Harness-p/stx-810135.htm