Can I use older E-Z DCC chips in later engines, like the 2tShay or Climax?

[DennisBT]

I'm writing this here because I see very little traffic on the DCC forum.  A few years ago when I got my first Bachmann On30 Porter and 2TShay I later got the cheap B'mann E-Z Command DCC set.  Cheap is right, but it works and introduced me to DCC.  Shortly after that I bought 3 little Bachmann DCC chips with pigtails and tiny 8-pin connectors.  Never used them.  New in bag.  Will they plug into my 2TShay, Climax and, most especially, my recent 2-6-6-2 that apparently has NO DCC on board?  (One of the TrainWorld $99 buys)  Thought I'd ask experts here before I tear into the locomotives and make a mistake.
Mainly wondering if I can use or have to throw away these 3 new chips.  i.e., what are they good for currently?
Thanks, Dennis

[dutchbuilder]

First place it's not a chip but a decoder .
The chip as you call it is part of the electronics on the decoder
If it has as you say a 8 pin nmra connector is see no reason why they shouldn't work.

Ton

[DennisBT]

Thanks.  Then it's worth a try.  I have a friend that always calls decoders, "chips," and I guess I picked up the term.  I would think all this would have to be NMRA compliment anyway.

[dutchbuilder]

By the way , all my 2-6-6-2's have 21 pin connectors.
So you will need a 21 pin decoder or a adapter cable to 8 pins

Ton

[DennisBT]

Oh.  Swell.  Haven't opened up my 2-6-6-2 yet, but if it's 21 pin, it might not be worth making it DCC.  I have no idea where to get an adapter cable to convert 21 to 8.  Or, what decoder to buy should I even want to put any more money in it.

[ksivils]

Tony's Train Exchange specializes in everything there is in the DCC modeling universe.

https://tonystrains.com/

[dutchbuilder]

The internet is your best friend.
Plenty of 21 pin decoders on Ebay.
With and without sound.
DCC isn't rocket science.

Ton

[DennisBT]

Thanks everyone.  Found loose connector.  My 2-6-6-2 DOES have DCC decoder.  Off and running.  Will think about sound cards next.
Merry Christmas, Dennis

[dutchbuilder]

First we have St. Nicolas on the fifth in the Netherlands and than he can sail to you part of the world and become Santa Claus.

Ton

[efehser]

The articulateds are sweet running, and well worth putting a good sound decoder into. 21 pin decoders are easy to find, with Loksound, WOWSound, and Tsunami all having examples. The caveat is that the tender on the 2-6-6-2 is very tight, space wise. My install ended up being a WOWSound WOW101-KA steam decoder, with a 9-21 pin adapter to hook into the loco.