I have a Athern blue box switcher that is DCC ready. Im looking to add a decoder and possibly sound to it. It shows that it will accept either a 8 pin or 9 pin plug. Im fairly new to the DCC world, so if there is a solder free option that would be even better.
Does anyone have a recommendation for decoders?
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I can’t say that I have any recommendations for this project, but welcome to the forums!
I hope that you can find the information that you are looking for!
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Is that an MP-15?
Looking at the TCS site you have two plug options, the 8 pin universal DCC plug and the 9 pin JST plug. There are many non-sound decoders out there that will fit this requirement.
Good Luck, Ed
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Hello All,
In that little switcher, the problem might be fitting the decoder and speaker in its limited space.
The Digitrax SDXH167D Series 7 Sound Decoder using the DHWHPS 9-pin to DCC medium plug short harness (1”), sold separately, will plug into the 8-pin socket in your DCC Ready locomotive.
Hope this helps.
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It is a SW 1500.
Thanks
I will look into those.
Thanks
I have the same locomotive, but mine accepts a 21 pin decoder. On mine, you remove the top cover on the hood, pull off the dummy board, and plug in your decoder. Yours may or may not be the same, or similar. First thing to check is whether that top cover just slips off on yours. If so, it’s easy. You don’t even have to remove the shell from the chassis.
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No, I didn’t add sound. I had no taste for it, I recently came off a bad experience converting a blue box SW1500. Long story best forgotten. Besides, this is only being used as a customer yard goat at a mine.
Thanks,
I may end up going with the Digi Traxx decoder setup as suggested earlier.
Still researching options.
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Just an update,
I ended up going with a TSU-2200 decoder and a sugar cube speaker.
Had to make a box over the front drive and trimmed down the baffle a little.
Works pretty well, have some fine tuning to do with decoder.
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That’s good news. Congrats. 
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