[igmuska]

I just received the above locomotive, realizing that it wasn't DCC Quick-Plug Equipped. I want to convert it by changing the shell over to a DCC Quick-Plug Equipped model.

Any gotchas to watch out for?

 

[dozer]

changing the shell over wont make it dcc compatible. You need to buy a decoder with a harness and do the conversion. Very simple, I've done 8 now.

 

[igmuska]

I hear you and understand.
The above locomotive is a Blue Box, with the bright lamp in the cabin and long flat metal piece along the length.
I was thinking about getting another Athearn DCC-ready RTR SD40-2, then just switching the shells to gain a couple improvements: (1) I don't like the bright light bulb making the cabin glow; and (2) an RTR DCC Ready frame is much heavier.
I compared this shell to my other DCC Ready type locos and think that it'll work fine. It is just that removing those tiny wires, then threading through those tiny holes can be frustrating so my thread here helps me a lot.

 

[mr_x_ite_ment]

Hey ig...I have converted quite a few BB locos too. It isn't very hard. I got the DH123AT harness w/decoder. All the solderless connections just plug right on to their respective positions. Then you just plug in the decoder and away you go. Sometimes it is kind of a nuisance to get all the wires tucked away up underneath the shell, but other than that....fairly easy! Good luck!

Chad

 

[igmuska]

This isn't so much a DCC conversion as it is that of convenience. I just want to change the shell from being a BB frame to that being sported out on a RTR frame.

 

[igmuska]

Well, after getting another Athearn RTR, I discovered immediately that the shells are different types. But I made it work, the entire cab is not lit up anymore, just the headlights and taillights light up now. All I did was just change the light boards as well as taking out the humongous light bulb.

Now to move on the DCC wait, hopefully by XMAS (hear me Santa)

 

[igmuska]

I changed the lights from that big "light up the whole cabin, making the walls glow" bulb to some smaller more realistic headlights

My loco looks much better now.