Dcc ready 8 pin

[scootergoebel]

Trying to help cousin out. Got a new bachmann no 50712 ho usra 0-6-0 steam and light. Dcc ready. Im reading its a 8 pin decoder. From what i read more is there is a blank plug thats pulled out and a new plugged in. Im told that a sdh167d digitrax can be used with a 9 pin adapter. After opening things up i find a circuit board with 2 wires to light and 2 that go to motor. I see no blank plug to remove and plug in yet the decoder looks like its all wires to be soldered.

[Yard Master]

Hi Scooter,

The USRA 0-6-0 can take decoders but they have to be hardwired. Wherever you read that there is an 8 pin socket, it was an error.

[jward]

Here's how i did mine.

On my 0-6-0s, the light sits wedged between the frame halves and must be removed. I also remove the smoke unit. the cavity where it sits is a perfect place for a Z scale decoder like the DZ126. The circuit board in the cab has two wires to the motor, and two to the drive wheels, you simply connect these 4 wires to the appropriate wires on the decoder. Please note that Bachman wiring does not use the same colour code as the decoder so be careful when connecting the decoder. Use a voltmeter before soldering any connection to be sure it is wired correctly, and only work on one wire at a time.

If you want to use an HO decoder, particularly one with sound, you'll have to run wires between the locomotive and tender. That's something I've tried to avoid. If you opt to go this route, I'd look into adding a power extender to your decoder. Those 0-6-0s can be finicky on switches with unpowered frogs.

On the Digitrax HO decoders, the wiring harness plugs into the decoder with that 9 pin plug. It's not something you really need to worry about. Digitrax HO decoders can be unplugged from the wiring harness without having to desolder the harness from the locomotive, which really helps if you ever have to replace the decoder.

[scootergoebel]

I was confused as far as where the board gets power from with 2 wires to motor and 2 what looks like to smoke and light. Ohm meter shows connection through mount screws on board fastner to wheels. Each svrew shows the resistance and each reads .01 ohm to rt wheel and .14 to left. They reverse when checking the other mount screws Bachkmann says i need a pcb board. Can i use existing board a just connect wires like jward says.

[jward]

If  there is no socket for a decoder you'll need to bypass the board. You can connect the decoder's red and black wires directly to those screws. Then desolder the wires from the board one9 at a time, trace them to see where they go, then connect them to the appropriate decoder wire. Your setup is different than mine.