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Subject: HO vs G DCC Voltages?

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Jerry McColgan User is Offline

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08/01/2008 1:03 PM
I completed the LGB 2-4-0 MTS/DCC conversion with the addition of a Digitrax DG583S decoder into the locomotive. Now the 2-4-0 and its LGB 4135s sound unit work under both analog track power and under MTS/DCC. Jerry

Jerry McColgan User is Offline

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08/01/2008 2:37 PM
Next I went to one of the Lionel 0-4-0's. I figured it should be a snap to put a Digitrax DG583S decoder into this locomotive. I was almost right. It really was easy to open the loco up but the problem then started when I realized that there was no circuit board and no identification to the wires (track and motor) coming up from the gearbox. That was not a particular problem except I had to cut the wires from their connections in order to test them. Once I identified the wires I installed them the same way as I had with the LGB 2-4-0 but Lionel being Lionel (or is it Digitrax being Digitrax) when I got the decoder installed so that the loco went in the right direction under analog track power it ran in reverse under MTS/DCC. I tried several wiring combinations but nothing worked so I'll probably have to reprogram the decoder to run the right direction under MTS/DCC. I'll get to that later (maybe much later). I will probably install a decoder in the other Lionel 0-4-0 just to find out if it too runs backward in MTS/DCC. Heck, if I have to reprogram one I might as well do two or three Lionel locos at the same time. The actual decoder installation took slightly less than one hour. It probably would have been less than 1/2 hour if I had not spent the time trying to figure out how to run it the right direction under MTS/DCC. The extra wiring in the picture is for the LGB Smoke Unit, the LGB headlight bulb and wiring assembly, a 5 volt regulator and a LGB wiring harness I added so that I can connect the loco to one of my little Sound Cars with a LGB 4135s sound unit. The LGB wiring harness also connects to the LGB ball bearing wheels in the sound car which doubles the loco's electrical contact with the tracks from four to eight which makes for much smoother and more reliable operation. This now gives me two inexpensive trains I can let the grandkids and visitors run under MTS/DCC or under analog track power. Jerry

Jerry McColgan User is Offline

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08/01/2008 4:42 PM
I hit it pretty close. The 2nd Lionel 0-4-0 took right at 1/2 hour to install the decoder into it. I was a bit surprised to find that the 2nd Lionel 0-4-0 runs backwards under MTS/DCC just like the 1st Lionel loco does. That left two Lionel locos going backwards (counter clockwise) and a LGB Corpet-Louvet (with a factory LGB decoder) and a LGB 2-4-0 (with the same Digitrax DG583S decoder as the Lionel locos) running forward (clockwise) with all locos and sound systems set to ID #3 and running on the same LGB Central Station III under MTS. When I flip to analog track power all the locos run in the same direction. Go figure! Eventually I'll start giving it some serious thought but first I'll probably ask the local Digitrax dealer I bought the decoders from. Jerry Posted By Jerry McColgan on 08/01/2008 2:37 PM src="http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/jerrymccolgan/Digitrax13.jpg " /> The actual decoder installation took slightly less than one hour. It probably would have been less than 1/2 hour if I had not spent the time trying to figure out how to run it the right direction under MTS/DCC.

rwbrashear User is Offline

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08/01/2008 5:37 PM
Jerry- You wrote: Once I identified the wires I installed them the same way as I had with the LGB 2-4-0 but Lionel being Lionel (or is it Digitrax being Digitrax) when I got the decoder installed so that the loco went in the right direction under analog track power it ran in reverse under MTS/DCC. I tried several wiring combinations but nothing worked so I'll probably have to reprogram the decoder to run the right direction under MTS/DCC. As I said in the other thread... If the loco runs backwards in analog, reverse the track power leads. If the wrong directional lamps are illuminated in digital mode, reverse the motor leads. Repeat until you've got it correct. Make a harness with a lamps connected to the front and rear headlight outputs. You can simply detach it and use it for the next installation. Sorry. No pictures. Best regards, Bob

Jerry McColgan User is Offline

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08/04/2008 3:21 PM
Lionel's Thomas the Tank is now also converted to handle both analog track power and MTS/DCC. Also the three Lionel locos are now fixed to run the right way both under MTS/DCC and under analog track power. This brings the total number of LGB 2-4-0's and Lionel locos ready to run under track power and under LGB's MTS to four (plus their LGB analog sound units). The results have been good enough (and cheap enough) that I will probably put decoders into the rest of the LGB 2-4-0's. For that matter I bought another LGB 41352 Steam Sound Car on eBay today. I might use the Sound Boxcar to put a Dietz DCC compatible sound system in it and put a decoder into a LGB Ballenberg Rack Loco to see how that works out. Jerry

Greg Elmassian User is Offline

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08/06/2008 10:27 PM
Congrats Jerry, your perserverence gave you the solution you were looking for! good for you. Regards, Greg

Be sure to visit my site, lots of technical tips and modifications, and you can search for topics and key words. Click here for Greg's web site

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