Athearn SD50 - DCC-ready or Digitrax-ready...?

easy use with Digitrax< Actually almost all the decoder manufactures use this plug. Digitrax, TCS, NCE, Lenz.

DCC ready is probably the most mis-used phases there is. At one time I tried to work on this but nobody at NMRA seemed interested so forgot it. Actually they like it like it is as the manufactures are basically free to do what they like. In general it has a 8 pin plug but maybe some other plug and generally means the engine won't short when a decoder is plugged in but don't count on that either. Remember Athearn is not unique here as most manufactures say the same thing!

No, it's equipped for an NMRA standard plug-in decoder. Any manufacturer _may_ make a decoder so equipped. It's up to them to CHOOSE to do so. It's not a Digitrax proprietary plug.

Well, I've been enlightened about the plug and which decoders actually fit, so I'm not to concerned any more. It's actually a rather good idea, but it should have been explained on the instruction sheet.

Nicholas

You don't have to go with a DigiTrax decoder - I prefer the D15SR by NCE. It's a 9-pin decoder, and it offers silent running, among other things. I have an article online about this new "DCC solution"...

Frank Eva Digital Railroader

It's not really much of an "idea", though. It's essentially the same type of harness they used in their Mikados. I am personally disappointed that this "revolutionary concept" (ahem), uses an almost obsolete form factor. Most manufacturers have embraced the 8-pin NMRA socket, and most DCC hobbyists probably have 8-pin decoders in their parts bin, while they will probably have to buy decoders for these engines. One thing remains true - Athearn rarely innovates... except in their advertising! ;-)

While the 8 pin socket may be the standard, in nearly every instance in which I've seen them you wind up with a bundle of at least 4 tiny wires which need to be tucked away. Many of the regular male sockets have the wire stand straight up and are thusly tall when mounted. Soldering decoders to these male sockets almost always result in a deformed (from heat) plastic piece.

By using the 9 pin "Digitrax" (and now many others) connector with the manufacturers analog board plugged in from the factory, the decoders you want to use already have a place to go and the wires are of the correct length. I wish that the Genesis F3/F7 had used these instead of the light board.

What we need for the 8 pin socket world is a suitcase like connector which could crimp the 8 tiny wires in a right angle connector. Place the wires in the correct slots and squeeze like phone jack.

Ed.

in article 41JAb.111713$ snipped-for-privacy@twister.rdc-kc.rr.com, Frank Eva at snipped-for-privacy@wi.rr.com wrote on 12/7/03 9:00 AM:

Funny you should mention NCE. I just wrote them a nasty letter because they advertise one of their decoders for "Athearn Genesis". The catch is, it fits perfectly until one realizes that if it is just dropped in it will fry all the 1.5v. light bulbs. I don't want to go through all the hassle of doing ohms law and fitting appropriate resistors, that's why I bought a "Athearn Genesis" rated decoder.

In my opinion if it is made for the "Athearn Genesis" it should drop in without modification. Fortunately I can use these decoders in other equipment, but it will probably be my last NCE purchase unless they make "some" ... "any" response to my e-mail.

The DA-SR instructions cover modifications to deal with 1.5v bulbs. Either you are very new to the world of DCC or are just being picky. Essentially ALL decoders want 15v bulbs and all lower voltage bulbs (including LEDs) need a resistor. The DA-SR says to use a 1/4watt 1K ohm resistor for LEDs.

If you want to complain that it is not a "drop in," why not complain because you have to attach wires, too, and that the motor leads for the Genesis F7 must be reversed?

Ed.

in article snipped-for-privacy@walkersquawker.net, SleuthRaptorman at snipped-for-privacy@walkersquawker.net wrote on 12/7/03 9:22 PM:

That's not unusual - Most Proto 2000s also use low voltage (1.5v) light bulbs, but they do say that you need to either replace them or add resistance. I don't think you should take offense to NCE, since it has always been the case with Athearn Genesis diesels that the tiny gow bulbs will blow out, no matter what decoder you install. That's simply not a function of the decoder, unless you buy one of NCE's decoders that specifically states you don't have to replace the bulbs. They make one for Proto 2000 Geeps, but I actually prefer to replace the bulbs - adding resistance to 1.5v bulbs just makes a dim bulb even dimmer. It's so bad in the Geeps that you can hardly tell the lights are on!

That is not the point. I don't WANT to do ANY modifications. I've been doing that for 10 years.

*Flame on* That is pure hog wash, and by the way, I've probably been "in the world of DCC" longer than you've been able to spell it. You must not be very famililar with DCC. *flame off* Any Digitrax decoder with a model ending in L0 has 1.5V. output for lighting. In this day of supposed plug and play I'm just sick of still having to modify every @*&^#%$*&%^&)(*)& locomotive before I can use it.

OK I will. I didn't get any further in the installation so I didn't realize the motor leads had to be reversed but more importantly Athearn is STUPID for manufacturing a locomotive that doesn't use the standard 8 pin NMRA plug. And NCE is STUPID not to make a decoder with four tiny surface mount resistors to lower the voltage to 1.5V and reversing the motor leads to make it truly replace the factory board.

Does Digitrax have more than one decoder like this .. the only one I am familiar with is the DH163L0 .. and it is designed to work explicity with the Proto bulbs .. and will not work with other 1.5v bulbs ... actually the board regulates the amperage output to match the LL bulb and the voltage is actually 2.0V with the LL bulb.

This would only work for modellers using a specific track voltage and a specific amperage bulb .. many Ho modellers run Digitrax systems on N setting to have a lower track voltage and different brands of DCC have a range of different track voltages .. A programmable voltage regulator would be really neat .. then the user could program the proper voltage for their own choice of bulb , std LED, white LED etc.

John & Sandi Deecker Hemlock Junction Railroad Milton ON Canada Model Train supplies snipped-for-privacy@attcanada.ca

Don't forget that there are now 4 different NMRA plugs, including this one, see

(Approved July 2003) then goto section D for the 9pin plug Athearn uses and full in spec with the NMRA (and NEM also, actually NEM653. The medium NMRA plug is equivalent to NEM652, and the small NMRA plug is covered by NEM651)

to make a long story short: this loco *IS* DCC ready and the provided connector fulfills the current NMRA RP's, and quite a few manufacturers (already mentioned, TCS, Lenz, DigiTrax, NCE, ...) are offering decoders with that interface

and my GP60M/B have the same board ...

/jw

My point is, that if you expect "drop in" to mean "no work at all, including reading the instructions," then you are naïve. If you have that much experience with DCC (I've been using and spelling it since 1995, working with computers since I built my own in 1961), then *flame on* you must be not particularly observant. *flame off*

WRT: motor leads: yes, Athearn messed up on the F3/F7's (the other Genesis diesels, too? I don't know). NCE is not stupid (note that I avoided that word in my flame above). The DA-SR is a drop in for several locomotives, including the Genesis. Note that the wire attachment pads are too thick for the plastic grips, too.

*flame on*I suggest you stick with analog train sets: the trains work out of the box as long as you read the instructions and don't apply AP to the track (some sets come with a transformer with TWO sets of terminals, AC and DC--I guess they are not plug and play enough for you. In short, RTFM to avoid confusion. *flame off*

Ed. in article snipped-for-privacy@walkersquawker.net, SleuthRaptorman at snipped-for-privacy@walkersquawker.net wrote on 12/8/03 9:46 PM:

Well, I don't have that much experience with much, but "drop in" implies much. I had checked up on the S1's before buying them; "DCC ready" seems a little over the top when it includes grinding the frame, rerouting the wiring and screwing with the lights. Same with the GP60's, ok it didn't stop me, but it is annoying. Kato's are pretty much "drop in" as far as DCC is concern. I learned to glue the "snap in no gluing required" details. Athearn "Blue Box Specials" are probably the most honest that I've encountered, "Recommended age group 7 years and older" *8->

I'm not expecting to have them presentable for a "considerable time". BUT, having lots of fun with them.

Enjoy, Paul