Mehano M9921 4-6-2 and DCC question - older thread no answer visible

[timhar47]

Hello - considering a Mehano Pacific loco (M9921) and was wondering how difficult is the DCC conversion? I found a old thread on this topic here, but it ended without any instructions, I guess maybe they sent them another way.
I saw the TCC pix on a 4-8-2 which looks do-able, if the 4-6-2 is the same deal - motor already isolated, dont have to remove the drive wheels (i dont want anything to do with that kind of work)

Thanks so much - Tim

[BaltoOhioRRfan]

Have you ever had an IHC pacific? if so they are the same. IHC imported Mehano over to the US Until IHC owner retired and IHC went into history.

In other words, its very simply wired, if you know DCC then you can do it easily, its got 2 headlight feeds, and 2 motor feeds are the only wires inside the shell. the tender has some wires for the tender light.

[timhar47]

Thanks, if the 4 wires are like that - it would be easy work then. I just dont want to get into the kind where you have to remove the drivers. Too much worry about getting proper positioning back in -  I knew that they go under a barrage of names - Mehano, IHC, RSO, Premier.

[timhar47]

Hello - I got the engine today. Its simple just as the TCS site describes the 4-8-2. However, there is a small Capacitor across the motor windings - should this be removed as part of the DCC conversion?

[richg]

Hello - I got the engine today. Its simple just as the TCS site describes the 4-8-2. However, there is a small Capacitor across the motor windings - should this be removed as part of the DCC conversion?

Yes, remove any caps.

Rich

[on30gn15]

A little DCC and a little digression from DCC.
Have a late production IHC 2-10-2 with 8 pin socket in tender, item # - eh, box is buried in "that" closet, forget it.
Have yet to get a decoder to plug in to it. Oh, wait a minute, directions sheet is in tackle box tray loco is in - NEM 652 and NMRA DCC standard. Have to disassemble tender to get to it.

Question - are decoders in different current ratings for what different size locos might draw?

Now, tangent, am quite happy with HO scale IHC/Mehano locos acquired, are simple, robust, and at least the ones Kathy & I have will happily run around the club layout for hours and hours straight.

[on30gn15]

And IHC isn't totally gone, someone in Texas seems to be acquiring new production.
http://www.ihc-hobby.com/
And they're selling some Bachmann items as well.

And apparently, Mehano is still with us after going through bankruptcy in 08 or 09.
http://www.mehano.si/EN/index.php

[BaltoOhioRRfan]

yeah Mehano is still around, the new IHC stuff they are getting is probably Mehano, i saw a bunch of IHC locos reboxed in Mehano(infact my B&O 0-4-0 Docksider is in the Mehano box and it was shipped from IHC) boxes at the last show.

[on30gn15]

Been wanting a pair of those Docksiders, had one waaaaaay back when.

[BaltoOhioRRfan]

i had two of the one i had, but i took the chassis and mounted it under an old 0-4-0 Switcher by Rivarossi, just like with my two B&O Big Six's, they have IHC chassis, rivarossi shells(circut bored is mounted insid the Rivarossi Tender).
The valve gear on the Mehano Docksiders is great,

[on30gn15]

The valve gear on the Mehano Docksiders is great,

Will agree, have one which has been altered to a Gn15 industrial tram creation.

[timhar47]

I hope they improve the electrical pickup - the older 4-6-2 only hits the 2 outer drivers. Now working on using the tender pickup as additional to the dcc chip.

[on30gn15]

Can't speak for the 4-6-2, but on the 2006 era 2-10-2 and the 1990s era 0-8-0s, every drive wheel on the loco picks up & each tender truck picks up from one side.

[BaltoOhioRRfan]

Can't speak for the 4-6-2, but on the 2006 era 2-10-2 and the 1990s era 0-8-0s, every drive wheel on the loco picks up & each tender truck picks up from one side.

The newer 2-10-2(which i used two for Rivarossi Big Six shells) used the tender pickup, if i remember right i had to use the tender feeds from the rivarossi tender to as well, can't remember. and the 2-8-2's did too. I used my B&O (i had the orginial one and still do just repainted/numbered) to make a C&O 2-8-2 using a Rivarossi C&O Pacific shell. I believe they had the RP25 wheels too.