P2K GP9 Ph. I Re-Release Decoder

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

I just bought a Proto 2000 GP9 Ph. I Re-Release. These are the newer releases you can get with a QSI sound decoder from the factory.

http://www.lifelikeproducts.com/proto/holocoarchive/description/hogp9ph1descreintro.htm

However, I bought an undecorated without sound (P2K #11374). I haven’t received the loco yet, but i wanted to DCC it with just a regular decoder. I don’t know if it has a light board or not, although I read somewhere else that it may be DCC-ready with an NMRA socket, but that it will require a low profile NMRA plug.

Does anyone else have any experience with these new release GP9s from Proto 2000? I need some mor einfo on a decoder install. I prefer Digitrax decoders, but if there’s a light board drop in replacement for it, that’d be OK, too.

Any help?

Thanks,
Doug

2

I haven’t seen one, but if it has the same board arrangment at the GP-7’s then the Digitrax DH163L0 is the ONLY way to go because it already has resistors for the light bulbs. A true plug and play solution.

Be curious to see inside one of these - ont he Atlas Trainmasters w/o sound, they used the exact same frame so it even has the speaker cutouts. I wonder if LL used their old original frame for the non-sound units or did the same as Atlas, same frame just minus the components. If the latter - decoder installation might be a bit trickier. Plenty of room, but the DH163L0 might not fit.

–Randy