USAT locos, decoder fitting

[nico]

<p>Hi all,</p><p>Before i head to Boston and clean out Charles ro ,can anybody tell me how easy it is to fit a decoder in these models,QSI decoders if possible.pity their not like aristo-craft plug and play.
</p>

 

[bigjack]

I've fitted ESU decoders to a Mighty Mo 20 tonner and an NW-2, quite a straight forward job on these models

 

[supagav]

Hi Nico, it depends on which loco really.

Some are easier than others, but its not always the simplest conversion to perfrom. Switching the motors over is easy but the main issue is the lighting circuits. This problem arises mainly due to the fact that USA Trains use LEDs in the marker lights that aren't DCC compatible. You can just wire the lights off the motor outputs and they will work as if on analogue, but for full digital control you need to rewire them individually to the decoder outputs. It's not as hard as it sounds, it just needs a bit of patience and practice to figure it all out. I do know that QSI intend to bring out a plug and play board specifically for USA Trains locos, but sadly these are still in the prototype phase.

Which locos were you interested in? I've fitted decoders into pretty much most types of USAT diesels so if I can give you any help if you need it.

There is also a guy on myLargeScale called Greg Elmassian that is big QSI fan and I know he has fitted them into a lot of USAT locos, so he might be another person to get hold if you have any specific questions. His personal website is: www.elmassian.com

Hope this helps? Please just give me a shout if you need any help or adivce

All the best,
Gavin

Here is a recent photo, taken by a friend at our open day this year, of a USAT F3 that I converted over to DCC.

 

[nico]

Hi Gavin love the pic,was thinking SD70, i see their big boy is DCC ready but i dont know if it will get around my line it says 16'diameter but i wonder if thats true?

 

[stevelewis]

Hi Nico

I have chipped several USAtrains locos of different types,

I found from experience that it is quite easy to do, BUT it is best in my opinion to forget any pre fitted PCBs and simply wire everything, lights, LED markers smoke units etc directly to the decoder outputs,

I beleive but not 100% sure that the QSI decoder adaptor has screw connectors?

Ask Jeremy he sell them so will know.

One thing to be aware of with USAt locos is that some of the soldered connections are quite fragile especially around the bogie area where lots of movement occurs, So check them frequently,


Also access to the innards usualy requires a long thin cross headed screwdriver to access the retaining screws for the body, and a little fiddling is required to access some of these, especially the nose end of the F3 A units!!

I fitted mostly ESU loksound decoders and could usuually do a loco in an afternoon!!

 

[nico]

just found some information QSI is coming out with the sound/decoder board for the USAT locomotives so i think i will hold off buying a decoder if i purchase .

 

[stevelewis]

nico - 3/11/2009 10:24 PM

just found some information QSI is coming out with the sound/decoder board for the USAT locomotives so i think i will hold off buying a decoder if i purchase .

I think it may depend on what the status of the USAt loco's pcbs are , I have not experienced any USA T locos with any sort of socket, so perhaps the QSI board may still be a screw connection installation,
one thing I would say though is that QSI sound is very good,, I fitted them to K27s, that was a simple plug in job using a plug in 21 pin adaptor into which the QSI unit fitted.

 

[nico]

this is the prototype

http://www.elmassian.com/trains-mainmenu-27/dcc-battery-rc-electronics-mainmenu-225/dcc-mainmenu-29/specific-manufacturers/qsi-equipment-mainmenu-239/usat-qsi
i also got more up to date info on www.mylargescale.com

 

[beavercreek]

Hi Nico

There will be plenty of room inside an SD70 !
I have an old second hand one that was in a poor condition but have made it into a 'weathered' edition. I bought a spare shell for it from USAT that comes with everything , lights cab details etc. This is swapped for when the loco gets 'washed'.
Chipping it will be a doddle when the QSI board becomes available. It will also take a good sized speaker to give full bodied sound.

Have fun in Malden!

 

[TONYWARD50]

The biggest problem as others will no doubt testify, is getting inside the loco - some require the bogies to be moved asied so that you can get to the recessed screws; these screw are also in different sizes, so keep a careful note of which went where. Do invest insome very long-shanked screwdirvers.
As regards lighting I fully endorse the fact that you should dispense with any boards inside the loco and install your own bulbs, or preferably LEDs. Once you have done one, which seems quite daunting, you feel very well equipped to deal with others.
The F3 has a plastic chassis whcih can warp, so take care with this one.
I have chipped 2 x S4's, an NW2 and an F3.
I have replaced the smoke units in all of them with Massoth/Seuthe and wired them direct to the decoder.

Good luck

 

[Jisonga]

When fitting a decoder into any engine that does not have a plug and play option i always strip out all original wiring and then re wire whole engine around the new decoder.

This sounds like a big job but once that first engine is tackled its just as easy as any other way of installing decoders.

I also use the same coloured wires for the same functions on all engines i do so that working on any engine in the future is made a lot easier no matter what make of engine or decoder i have used.

Jason.

 

[stevelewis]

Jisonga - 28/11/2009 4:52 PM

When fitting a decoder into any engine that does not have a plug and play option i always strip out all original wiring and then re wire whole engine around the new decoder.

This sounds like a big job but once that first engine is tackled its just as easy as any other way of installing decoders.

I also use the same coloured wires for the same functions on all engines i do so that working on any engine in the future is made a lot easier no matter what make of engine or decoder i have used.

Jason.

I quite agree, I have been fitting decoders into locos in several scales since the last century ( well 1998) and it always seems to have been the easiest option to discard factory fitted PCBs and wire direct to decoder, after all the decoder is designed to control all the functions of the loco anyway,

It also means that valuable space is also made available in the loco for fitting the decoder and in some case loudspeakers etc.

 

[Ger-Y-Nant]

I have a GP38-2 and am looking at the guts of it wondering how to wire a Loksound to a bi-colour LED (marker lights R/G).
Any ideas anyone?
The LoksoundXL has a common Positive, but the Bi-colour LED is common negative...:thinking:

My only idea is to fit a small changeover relay to the loksound and use the original circuits, but surely there is an easier way?

Andy

 

[ntpntpntp]

I'm writing from memory here, but I'm sure I've read about this sort of problem with bi-colour LED's before in other scales, and the solution was to swap the LED's out for common-positive ones.

I seem to remember that DCC-Concepts sell common-positive bi-colour LEDs for just this purpose.

<edit> Looks like DCC Supplies have them too http://www.dccsupplies.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=916 </edit>