Are all of Life-Likes Proto 2000 deisels DCC ready? Couldn’t find any info on there web site. Thanks, Mike
Short answer is no. The long answer is that all the newer ones are, but there are many older ones out there still on the market.
I for space considerations I often totally rip out their electronics and start over again anyway.
Buy the way, the reason you are probably not getting more response on this question is that it somehow got into the “layout” form rather than “General Model Railroading” form. You might want to repost it over there.
Even a lot of them that DO have a plug in socket for DCC, I rip out the stock electronics - because it’s a MESS in many cases. My favorite so far is the SD-7, plugging a decoder into the 8-pin socket poweres the headlights through a resistor on the board, both lights sharing the same resistor. But there are TWO resistors on the board, one just does’t connect to anything!
Then there are the mis-wires. Certain locos have a short in the 8-pin socket. Others have the headlights wired correctly but other lights connected across the motor. Others have the motor NOT isolated from the chassis, yet have a socket.
The newer GP-7’s and the like are probably the easiest, the Digitrax DH163L0 drops right in and includes the proper resistors for the headlights. Otherwise, it’s probably best to rip it all out and solder the wires. It’s not really that difficult. Sometimes the wires even have the right colors!
The shell detailing of the P2K is second to non, but man, their electronics leave a lot to be desired (standard ones. The new Sound units use a QSI decoder which works great - but then they already run on DCC).
–Randy
mgruber,
Randy will verify that the Alco S1 switcher, even though LikeLike says it’s “DCC-ready”, really needs the motor and frame isolated from each other before installing a decoder in one. For convenience, Randy has put together a handy how-to pictorial of the process on his web site. It’s a little time-consuming but not too difficult of a job to accomplish. Here’s the direct link: http://community.webshots.com/album/163958178NgaXTy
Randy’s correct. The detailing on the Protos are REALLY nice and my S1 switcher absolutely crawls at low speed - DC or DCC.
Tom