N Gauge Plymouth

[Patrick1172]

The new N Gaue Plymouth 0-6-0 Plmouth, is this DCC ready, if not how can you add a DCC Chip on board, as I wish to convert it to HOn30
Many Thanks Pat

[TJ]

Try this link:   http://www.mrscenery.com/index.html   or   http://www.mrscenery.com/pdf/

TJ

[spookshow]

They are not DCC-Ready. As for any "homebrew" DCC solutions, I would rank this one as "very difficult". At the very least it would probably require some chassis grinding (since there's very little space available inside the shell).



If you want an industrial switcher with DCC, I'd recommend checking out one of Bachmann's 44-tonners or 70-tonners.

Cheers.
-Mark

[ACY]

For all intents and purposes it is impossible to convert it to DCC. You would need to be exceptionally gifted and it would still be very difficult and time consuming. Unfortunately you will have to either find another locomotive or be content with analog DC.

[richardl]

Here is what you have to deal with.

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/dwg/dwgs/60052.pdf

Notice, each motor brush is firmly connected to each frame half. Each frame half picks up from wipers between the inside of the drivers and the frame. Those brushes have to be completely free from toughing any DCC or the decoder will be smoked.

I have done a DCC with the HO Plymouth and the poor pickup issue was the weak link. I had room using a DZ125 N scale decoder. I was able to easily isolate the motor brushes.

Not so with the N scale version.

Rich

[James in FL]

Here is one way to do it;

http://home.comcast.net/~orrrbrit/decoders/switcher.html

He even added forward and reverse LED's.
Hardly impossible.

If your good/average with a Dremel and a carbide bit, you are well on your way.
Having access to a drill press would speed this up.
You're going to need to know how to solder to brush caps.
It's going to be a bit labor intensive, but very doable.
You got to break eggs to make mayonnaise.

Good luck

[Fred Klein]

There is one other way to have the Plymouth switcher run on DCC: Isolate a section of track (or set up a totally separate district) from the rest of the layout (both tracks will need to be insulated). Then connect the black and red wires of a decoder to DCC power (obviously with the power off) and the gray (Motor -) and orange (Motor +) wires to the track. You will now be able to assign an address to the decoder using the mainline programming function of the DCC controller and the Plymouth (or any other DC locomotive) will run on that track under DCC control. HOWEVER, any locomotive that already has a decoder installed in it will most likely not run and will most likely fry the decoder (haven't tested it - too chicken). Hope this helps.

Fred Klein
Okeechobee, FL