I have a Bachmann Western Maryland GP-35 (Item 11518). Can someone tell me if this model is DCC friendly and what is the appropriate decoder to purchase for this conversion. My DCC system is MRC Prodigy Advance 2. Thank you very much for your help.
it really doesn't matter which decoder you use, as long as it can be hardwired. there is a very good web page on converting a bachmann h16-44 to dcc, the process is the same for the gp35.
http://members.shaw.ca/sask.rail/dcc/tmaster/tmaster.html
thanks to jim banner for this site. print it out and keep a copy handy when you do these conversions.
Thank you, Jim, that was very helpful. So, the GP-35 is not really DCC friendly, it requires a total, from scratch, conversion.
Quote from: davesurf on June 10, 2011, 12:16:03 PM
So, the GP-35 is not really DCC friendly, it requires a total, from scratch, conversion.
Yep, if you want to call it that. Bachmann does not consider it DCC ready.
dcc ready means the motor is isolated from the wheels. no, the dc version is not dcc ready, unless things have recently changed.
that said, the conversion is not hard. i have personally done at least 6 locomotives using this process. it works like a charm, and is one of the easier hard wired dcc projects to do, certainly easier than a b23-7.
Jeff, thank you so much. That is great information and the article was super. You're great.