I am thinking of selling my rivarossi big boy 4009, but I would hold on to it if it was dcc ready. The manual is in italian and I can’t find the answer online. Can anyone help?
Also, when were DCC ready locomotives first on the market?
As a custom DCC installer, I am pleased to tell you that your Big Boy would be a cake walk for any installer to takle. It would have a Can motor and small flanges. All that would be needed is to hardwire the decoder in.
There is nothing better than a Big Boy with Tsunami Heavy sound. It would take me about 20 minutes to install.
DCC ready means different things…it can mean it has a plug, or it could just mean that the motor is isolated from the frame.
I look at your question, and I can only think that it would be a trivial install…but that is just me.
More that likely, it does NOT have a plug. But the install is just 4 wires at minimum. 2 for the Motor, and 2 for the pickups. If you want a light, it is another 2 wires.
The nice thing about the Riv Big Boy is the AMPLE space under the boiler. Even lots of room for a speaker up there…(another 4 more wires)
I have 2 of those Rivarossi 1993 Big Boys and no, they were NOT DCC Ready – but soldering a decoder into them was very easy to accomplish, and the decoder fits inside the boiler.
David sure could use your help here?I have an Rivarossi big boy number 4006,can motor in the cab,small flanges and frount of boiler is painted silver,I have no idea how to get the boiler off so I can put an Tsunami in it? Help please?
Look for screws under the boiler and possibly in the smoke stacks (It has been a while with that particular unit). IIRC the Boiler and the drive assembly come apart quite neatly.