Model Railroading > BC Hydro Units

In 2009 Kylie acquired five BC Hydro Rail locomotives, two Atlas MP15DC's and three Lifelike Proto 2000 SW900's. She dug them out today to add the required details and found that in the two MP15DC units her smallest decoder would not fit, she doesn't know the make of the decoder but it is small. The MP15DC's are equipped with an eight pin plug. What is the smallest decoder available for HO models that will fit these?

Also the SW900's are old enough that they came with hornhook couplers and no DCC plug. What decoder will fit and run in these three first run Lifelike Proto 2000 models?

The SW900's are nearly correct except the prototype had full length hand rails, these were models produced for Canadian Hobbycraft which provided Canadian Roads on American models.We think the prototype coulour is closer to the Lifelike models vs the lighter shade found on the Atlas models.

Edit: Kylie just noticed the m odels are SW1200s with two stacks whereas the BC Hydro Units were SW900s



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/03/16 21:29 by eminence_grise.

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I use N scale decoders in switch engines. For a Kato NW2 it was a Digitrax DN 126 with an 8 wire harness which I hardwired to the trucks, motor and lights. I had to cut out a lot of weight over the motor to make room for the decoder.

It might be possible to mount these decoders inside the cab roof though in the Kato the loco light gets in the way. For other units the harness wires might be visible so painting them black could help.

The Digitrax and NCE N decoders are rated at 1 amp the same as the HO size. The Digitrax Z decoder might work as well. It is a 1 amp decoder with an 8 wire harness. The number is DZ126T.

Digitrax also has a plug in decoder just a little bigger than the 8 pin socket. That could work on the DCC ready models. This is a DH165IP. This will give front and rear headlights through the 8 pin connection. There are more lighting circuits available through solder tabs on the top edge of the decoder.

http://www.digitrax.com/static/apps/products/mobile-decoders/dh165ip/documents/DH165IP.pdf

The 12 cylinder SW1200 should become an 8 cylinder SW900 if you cut off the stack nearest the cab, sand off the stack base detail then touch up the roof paint.


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Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 02/04/16 15:42 by fbe.

Go to Train Control Systems  tdcc@tcs.com   [ I think ] and have a look at their instillation photo I would think you will find some thing that will be of assistance to you.

Malcolm
New Zealand

The NCE SW9-SR is a drop in decoder specifically for the Proto SW locomotives. There are a few wires to solder but it it straight forward to install, I have done a couple of them.

Andrew C

I've used the Digitrax DZ123 decoders in my HO locomotives with great success.  Their latest DZ146PS decoder is even smaller.

KG

The TCS M1P-15 is designed to fit the Atlas MP15DC. I have used it in a couple with success. NCE's P2KSR for the SW9's, but she'll have to do her lighting from scratch.