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Thomas tank convert to DCC


Kenzie10

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Yes, but with difficulty.

First off, can you solder? That model will not have a pre-fitted socket, so you will have to hard-wire a decoder in. Is there room inside for a decoder?

Do you have a multimeter, and know how t use it, so you can check that the decoder and motor are really insulated from the chassis.

You have to insulate the motor brushes from the chassis, and wire the decoder output to the motor, and then the pick-up on one side, and the chassis to the input side of the decoder.

THEN you have to ensure that there is NO WAY the decoder can touch any part of the chassis, or it will expire in a puff of smoke!

There are plenty of explanations scattered around on here, on how to do it, so I'll not repeat them again again again!

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@Kenzie10, What make is your Thomas?

I have converted a Hornby one and that was not a live chassis.  

In fact, it is the same size and style of chassis as the Hornby Railroad Class 08.

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What do you mean by "what make is Kenzie10's Thomas", RDS? Surely it's a Hornby model?

 

All of Hornby's Thomas Locomotive's motor and chassis' are, or were (Because most if them are discontinued), undercover locomotives from Hornby's standard range, apart from both versions of Spencer, Murdoch and the new 2016 Henry, who have tooling's from Hornby's RailRoad range.

 

The bodies of Hornby's Thomas Locomotives were also the taken from standard locomotives, apart from Percy's, Toby's, Bill's and Ben's, which Hornby created the tooling for specilly on top of the 0-4-0 chassis and motor for Percy, Bill and Ben; And the 0-6-0 chassis and motor for Toby.

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As our resident Thomas expert Jacob I thought you were aware that Thomas is a world wide brand and as you can see closer to home here he is hiding in a blue box...

 

Picture loaded via copy and paste, then disappeared. Can't load by normal means as it says the disk is full.

 

Heres a link instead... http://theworldofthomasmodellingcommunity.blogspot.com.cy/p/bachmann-thomas-reviews.html

 

 

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Yes, I do know about The World of Thomas the Tank Engine Modelling Community, whose logo is an edited version of The World of Thomas the Tank Engine logo, that Hornby used for their Thomas range from 1985 - 1997.

 

I get that same disk messgae come up everytine I try to upload images. Is there anyway I can stop it. Am I doing something wrong? Or is it happening because of my slow Wi-Fi, which I discovered is slower than I had thought it was, from the Speedtest hyperlink, that howbiman posted for me to use.

 

Sorry for going off topic there as well.  😳

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Jacob

So if you know that Thomas is made by others than Hornby why post your previous comment about it must be a Hornby Thomas as only Hornby makes them. Goodness there is even an Indian railways version of Thomas and very nice she looks too with all her accoutrements.

 

Your inability to post pictures is not down to your internet speed. There appears to be a problem with the forum lately and many others are seeing the same problems when trying to upload pictures. Don't sweat it, give the people a chance to sort it out and then we will get back to normal.

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@RAF96

 

 

Bachmann (HO, OO-9 Narrow Gauge and G Gauge's) and TOMY TOMIX (N Gauge) also make Thomas in model railways.

 

Yes, I know that others are having trouble uploading images, so I hoping that when these teething troubles have been sorted out, I will be able to pictures too!

 

 

@RDS

 

 

I will let Kenzie10 answer your original question.

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The "original" Hornby SSPP (Super Strong Pulling Power) chassis was indeed "live".

 

The bottom motor brush contact was in contact with the chassis, which only had a pick-up wiper on one side.

 

The body of the Pannier Tank and Jinty models we have had weights, one being a round cylinder stuck with "black tacky stuff" into the smokebox. (Not sure about Thomas. The modified LBSC Tank loco tooling)

 

The body, wheels, and probably the under frame plastic part that holds the wheels in place are, I believe the same as the more recent chassis, including the DCC ready Railroad versions.

 

The older motor retainer is different, as the older chassis has a "lump" of metal in the way....

 

Simplest conversion would be to swap parts about with a Railroad DCC Ready 08 or similar 0-6-0.

 

If fitted to the Thomas body, the front weight would need to be removed from the smokebox.

 

The Hornby 4-pin parts are available from sources to convert more recent non-DCC-Ready 0-6-0 chassis. (we have done this...to a Pannier Tank Loco)

 

The Decoder Holder requires two 8BA threaded holes in the flat part of the chassis.

 

The motor holder requires a 4-pin socket to be wired in (soldering required).

 

A Hornby 4-pin decoder is then a plug-in fit.

 

Probably just as easy to go with hard wired decoder.... 😉

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Jacob what has super strong pulling power got to do with sound.???

 

In those days you were allowed to use less than true catch phrases to advertise your products without fear of litigation that it didn't do what was said on the tin.

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Oh, sorry. So what's difference to this ort of chassis, to one you find these days?

 

The current Hornby 0-6-0 chassis, as used in Rairoad models, has all wheels flanged, Brass bearings to all axles, no traction tyres, Hex nut crank pins, finer, split, coupling rods,  and no sprung driving axles.

 

The original SSPP Hornby 0-6-0 chassis,  has the centre wheels un-flanged...with traction traction tyres, Screw Head crank pins, not so fine, split, coupling rods,  and the rear (on steam locos, front on Diesel Shunters, as the chassis is in "Backwards in the Diesels!) Driving axle is spung, with two little springs. The rear axle does not have brass bearings.

 

 

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