Recently bought EMD GP40 Chessie #4155 DCC Ready and can't figure out how to "open it" so I can install the DCC chip.
1. Remove the screws holding the coupler boxes in place. then remove the boxes. They slide out through the ends of the locomotive.
2. Gently pry off and remove the fuel tank cover.
3. Underneath the fuel tank cover there are two screws that hold the body shell to the chassis. Remove these and the body lifts right off.
Great. I've completed that step. Now how do I attach the 8 pin decoder?
Is there a schematic somewhere? Am I going to have to solder?
If it's DCC ready you should already be a plug for you to plug the DCC decoder in.
That's it unless you have a sound decoder as well. That will require installation of a speaker which will require soldering. Plug and play is a statement that goes round and round and round in model railroading but it's rarely accurate, there's always something else that needs doing.
Ok. I've dismantled it.
Is there a step by step how to for converting it?
Do you see a removable chip on the circuit board? If so, is it 8 pint or 21 pin?
I want to thank everyone for their help and support. I managed to get this train up and running and even installed a speaker.