Model Railroading > Decoder location Athearn GP38-2 HO

Has anyone on here used the space where the weight is (on the newer  BB, 4 screw motor mount shell) for the decoder location ? TIA

Ed Stewart
Jacksonville, FL

Use a 9 pin plug in decoder from Digitrax, NCE or TCS. Plug this into the short harness on the mother board and it will sit right on top without removing any weight.

Posted from iPhone

I second what FBE suggested.  I never removed the shell for this, just popped off the DB hatch and plugged it into the wire harness.  I use Soundtraxx decoders so they are a touch smaller than the Digitrax decoders.

cascadehogger Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I second what FBE suggested.  I never removed the
> shell for this, just popped off the DB hatch and
> plugged it into the wire harness.  I use
> Soundtraxx decoders so they are a touch smaller
> than the Digitrax decoders.

Thanks guys but no Athearn board there, new motor (4 screws on bottom)  but still  has metal strap on top ,TIA

Ed Stewart
Jacksonville, FL

Sounds like the blue box GP38-2. I would go with a plug in decoder and hard wire the connections using the 9 pin wiring harness included with the decoder. Make sure you isolate the motor from the frame by bending the tabs on the bottom motor clip up out of the way and placing a piece of tape on top of the frame under the motor. You will be soldering the orange and grey wires to these clips so do not lose the brushes or brush springs when you take the copper clips off.

When you are done you can tape the decoder to the top of the motor for mounting. If you use Digitrax or TCS these are shrink wrapped and thus insulated. If you go with NCE you need a piece of tape on the bottom so it does not short out on the top motor clip.

Have some fun.

Posted from iPhone

Ah, ok.  RTR line?
calsubd Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> cascadehogger Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I second what FBE suggested.  I never removed
> the
> > shell for this, just popped off the DB hatch
> and
> > plugged it into the wire harness.  I use
> > Soundtraxx decoders so they are a touch smaller
> > than the Digitrax decoders.
>
> Thanks guys but no Athearn board there, new motor
> (4 screws on bottom)  but still  has metal strap
> on top ,TIA

cascadehogger Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ah, ok.  RTR line?
> calsubd Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > cascadehogger Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > I second what FBE suggested.  I never
> removed
> > the
> > > shell for this, just popped off the DB hatch
> > and
> > > plugged it into the wire harness.  I use
> > > Soundtraxx decoders so they are a touch
> smaller
> > > than the Digitrax decoders.
> >
> > Thanks guys but no Athearn board there, new
> motor
> > (4 screws on bottom)  but still  has metal
> strap
> > on top ,TIA
Yes, RTR Line,  I had the decoder installed ,soldered, double sided tape under the rear fans and wiring bunched over the motor but the shell would not go in place b/c  of the wiring over the motor, back to squre 1 and thinking of trimming out the floor where the weight's sit and double taping the decoder and wiring under the brake housing hood. and relocating the weight's under the rear fan's,, in the mean time it is DC again ! Thanks all for the help, I really appreciate it
 

Ed Stewart
Jacksonville, FL

I just (re)did one of those last weekend.  I put a decoder in in about 2001 and just replaced it with an NCE.  The decoder is under the fans like yours and I put the resistors for the LED lights in the nose.  There is a bit of wire in there connecting the two but I cut the wires to length so there isn't a bunch to stuff in under the shell.  Everything fits fine.  I replaced the stock sheet metal weights with some lead tire weights, slightly adjusted with a hammer to fit better.

I just had a thought, mine doesn't have the stock motor, it has a Mashima motor that probably sits lower than the original.  Still, I would try shortening up the wires as much as possible so you don't have to stuff a bunch of slack into the shell.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/23/15 21:23 by pmack.

I dremeled  out the rear wall of the weight compartment for a wire pass thru, going to route the wires down through existing hole under the weights, will sacrifice 1 weight to allow this, may have to adjust the wire lengths to fit, but I see a glimmer of hope now !, Thanks all

Ed Stewart
Jacksonville, FL