Converting NON-DCC Ready trains to DCC

[jude_farrant]

Hello all.

I would like to convert my current Hornby track to digital. This is okay and I have managed to do so, so no problem there. However, there is this one train which I do love, the blue rapier (Southeastern Highspeed), which is not even DCC Ready, let alone DCC Fitted. Now I know you can make Analogue (Not DCC Ready) trains DCC, however there is a certain amount of skill required. I am not great at things like this at the best of times, so I was wondering if anyone knows of anyone (or anywhere) that does it as a job/for a living. 

Many Thanks

[2e0dtoeric]

Try your local model shop, or see if there is a railway club in your area.

If there was a member on here that does it as a trade, he/she would not be allowed to advertise themselves, anyway!

[96RAF]

I have done this some time ago but all my photos and notes are on my pc at home (Cyprus) and I wouldnt like to try to write it up from memory.

 

If you could post a picture of the pcbs in both the motor and trailing car then maybe it would prompt the old grey matter. i know it was dead simple using basic logic in disconnecting wiresfrom each pcb and conneting these to an 8 pin decoder socket in each car.

[Chrissaf]

You don't say what country you are in.......assuming UK, there are more places fitting decoders than you can shake a stick at. Just Google "DCC Decoder Fitting Service" or variations of.....to find them.

[96RAF]

OK I found a file with the info on so this is how to hard wire in a decoder to each car, noting that both decoders need the same address.

 

If you want to install a decoder socket then solder the loco wires to the correct pins of the socket per the Hornby colour guide in the DCC section, rather than cutting off the decoder plug.

 

Remove the bodies.

Looking at the power car pcb there are four tags on the back edge, these are left to right, TL - left track pickups, M- motor left, m+ motor right and TR - track right pickups. We shall call them by these names even though disconnected.

 

Unsolder these four wires noting that the track pickup wires from the front and rear bogies are connected, leave them connected together.

 

Now cut off the decoder plug and solder the TL wires to the decoder black wire, the TR wires to the decoder red wire and the m- wire to the decoder grey wire and the m+ wire to the decoder orange wire.

 

Now to make the lights work, solder the decoder blue wire to the TR tag on the pcb and the decoder white wire to the TL tag on the pcb.

 

At the dummy car pcb there are two wires attached to tags TL and TR, unsolder the pickup wires from these two tags and solder the TL wire to the decoder black wire, the TR wire to the decoder red wire, then to make the lights work solder the decoder blue wire to the TR tag on the pcb and the decoder yellow wire to the TL tag on the pcb.

 

Note that the pickup wiring logic seems reversed, this is because the dummy car pcb is facing the other way relative to the direction of trvel and its tags although labled TL and TR are connected to right and left rail pickups respectively. If you get these wires wrong you will have a cross connection and the rear car lights wont work properly. 

 

Program both decoders to the same address. 

 

Refit the bodies.

[96RAF]

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[jude_farrant]

Thank you very much for the help everyone. The instructions where great but way past me. I've found a guy who will do it for me. 

Thanks all. Help much appreciated