Is my loco dcc ready?

Model Railroader Electronics and DCC
1

I model n scale and have a few older Kato locomotives: C30-7, SD45, and SD40 (in the blue kato packaging). How do I know if they’re DCC ready?

Thanks.

2

Chances are they are not DCC ready. To find out, remove the shell. If you see 1 long light board, then they are DCC ready. If you see 2 small light boards, then they are NOT DCC ready.

If you see 2 light boards, then consider the TCS CN split type decoder. It still requires that you dissasemble the loco and isolate the motor from the frame halves, though.

David B

3

All three of those (blue label) are not DCC ready. In fact, KATO has not run the C30-7’s since the original runs. Would really like to see them done again.

Martin Myers

4

The old blue box stuff is not DCC Ready, and I am not at all sure it is worth the time and effort to make them DCC ready.

5

The C30 & SD45 are in green boxes. Just the SD40 is in blue.

6

They’re excellent runners so all worth the effort. TCS CN decoders would be the logical choice nowadays. Mine have DN140’ s in them.