I received a 2-6-0 loco and want to run on ddc, Can it be done
Quote from: donald011 on February 21, 2011, 10:19:47 AM
I received a 2-6-0 loco and want to run on ddc, Can it be done
Maybe, depends.
Rich
whose 2-8-0 did you buy? there are many different makers of 2-8-0s.....
Don it can be converted, but how hard it is depend on the make and age of the locomotive. Why don't you tell us the make and if it is new or used. If it is used, do you know how old it is. Also what scale is it?
Almost all the 2-6-0's out there are not worth converting to DCC or require a lot of work to do so. If you had enough experience to convert this loco then you probably wouldn't be asking this question or have referred to it as ddc.
Quote from: donald011 on February 21, 2011, 10:19:47 AM
I received a 2-6-0 loco and want to run on ddc, Can it be done
Since you have to ask, we can assume you have no idea of whet is involved.
According to the diagram of this loco, it now seems to have a motor similar to the Spectrum line.
You would have to isolate the to motor contacts.
The older version is probably the oancake motor.
But this locos has smoke and lighting all connected for DC.
This would be something i would not try and I have the experience.
Also, many of the standard line of locos have weaker wheel pickups than the Spectrum line.
There is another brand of HO 2-6-0 that comes DCC ready or DCC sound on board but I cannot mention it here.
Below is required reading for DCC as a start.
http://www.siliconvalleylines.com/dcc/2009/DecoderHW.pdf
For those who have not figured it out yet, download this document into your PC and read through all of it even if you have no interest in going into DCC now but you can discuss the different aspects with facts and not opinions.
Rich
The Bachmann Standard 2-6-0, International Hobby Corp Premier 2-6-0, Mantua 2-6-0, and Model Power 2-6-0 are all DC and are not DCC ready and some have poor pickups which make them poor choices for DCC unless you upgrade the pickups and potentially the motor as well. Some including the Bachmann do not even have tender pickup.
If you want a 2-6-0 with DCC then buy the Roundhouse with DCC and sound, if you are alright with analog DC then the Bachmann is the more economic choice.
IIUC, the Bachmann 0-6-0, 2-6-0 and 2-6-2 all have the same chassis and mechanicals. Bachmann sells the 0-6-0 with DCC so it shouldn't be much of a challenge to convert the 2-6-0 to DCC. This wouldn't be true if the locos aren't basically the same.