I was very excited when MR’s DCC corner column gave a step-by-step for installing a decoder in a N scale Life-Like SW9 as I was wanting to do this myself. I am new at the DCC thing and electronics are not my strength. Well, attempt one obviously had a short as I blew by DZ123 Digitrax decoder, but the company replace it for $17 and attempt 2 yesterday was a great success.
Ron
well thats good, i to have started the DCC thing, and i finally did a whole sound decoder setup. glad your project came out good.
TCS will replace them for “free” ie cost of postage, no questions asked
Ron,
A hearty congratulations! Don’t stop with one!
I’m looking forward within the next few weeks to installing my very first decoder (A friend who is an expert will supervise me).
My Rivarossi Challenger was my first. I read too much, and got scared. But I decided to do it anyway. It’s so easy, it ain’t funny. Like Allan Gartner says…the hardest part of it was getting the tender apart…which I did without a crack. Good for you. Like Antonio said, don’t stop at one. I’ve since done my Spectrum Shay, and have two other small steamers under way now.
I also had an N scale Atlas GP40-2 to install (also covered in the same column–what luck), but it was such a breeze with the Digitrax drop in replacement board that it hardly counts. I literally had is up and running in 10 minutes.
Ron
Man, makes me want to JUMP on the bandwagon and DCC-ize my 4-6-4 Hudson,…but it’s too new and I don’t want to mess it up…
If you don’t do it, you won’t do it.
Go for it! It’s not that hard, really. And even FUN!
Sure there’s a bunch of wires, but they are all color-coded. Print out the page from the NMRA RP section and keep it handy. It will tell you what color wire is for what purpose. Then just follow along.
–Randy