haba: haba and SLAMRA: DCC topics

DCC conversion hints for N scale engines

Entries in this strange color are conversions of locos which I do not have left in my posession for varioius reasons. So I can't go back, open it up and take additional photos to answer specific questions. All conversions in this list are compiled from my own experience.

Brand Order number Type Decoder Comments Date
Arnold 2050, ..., 2054 218 Zimo MX62 (last generation) wire Cutting the PCB required to make room for the decoder. Use a decoder which can handle old 3-pole motors well for example Zimo or D&H (not Digitrax). Pictures here 2011-07-25
Arnold 2022/2023 221 Kühn N025 wire Easy beginners project to learn soldering a wired decoder. Pictures here 2010-06-22
Arnold 0259 420 DZ123 wire With extra circuit to switch the lightning in the cab cars. Pictures here 2010-08-02
Arnold 2325 111 D&H DHP160 wire Some cutting and soldering. I use the following CV values: CV5=127,CV49=2,CV50=3 Pictures here 2010-08-02
Arnold 2512 041 Zimo MX61 wire Tricky cable routing and soldering to get the cable to the smoke generator and attached seperately from the headlight contact. Pictures here 2010-01-21
Arnold 2017 (color variations: 2015, 2016, 2018, 2030, 0268, 5702) V65, D65 WVG Tran DCX75 wire Tricky replacement of the headlight with surface mounted LEDs to make room for the decoder in the small space between the chassis and the long hood. Pictures here 2010-03-22
Arnold (Hornby) 2143,2157,2155,2166 627.0 Digitrax DZ143 wire converted to plug Tried with a DH10-C first which did not respond to programming. So I used an DZ134 instead on which I soldered a custom NEM631 plug. The Aux1 and Aux2 wires were used for the interior lights which for that purpose were made seperate switchable. See article in Modelljärnvägsmagasinet 13. 2012-09-12
Atlas (Kato) RS1 Tran DCX74 wire Some milling or sawing neccessary. Small Tran DCX74 fits near lamp PDC on milled out are of short hood. Pictures here 2007-01-07
Atlas (Kato) 4482, 4453, ... U25B with old frame TCS CN wire Some milling/filing/sawing neccessary. Use the TCS split decoder which replaces the LED circuits. Pictures here 2008-05-12
Bachmann 81452 Doodlebug Lenz 077 wire Good beginner project, fits under roof instead of partly removed printed circuit. unknown
Bachmann 81153 2-8-0 Consolidation Lenz gold plug Follow the documentation how to disassemble the loco! Otherwise straight forward. unknown
Con-Cor 27?? (C&NW) E8 Digitrax DZ143 This was a tight one. Advanced! Pictures and description here 2009-04-12
Fleischmann 3767 (3765) ÖBB 1043 (SJ Rc4) Tran DCX75 wire Cramped soldering. Not for beginners. Tran DCX75 fits exactly. Changed light dim CVs. Pictures here 2009-10-07
Fleischmann 7375 103 DHP160 Straight forward placement of decoder on top of PCB. Pictures here 2012-12-24
Hobbytrain 219672-62 Taurus 1116 with old circuit board Zimo MX620 wire Only soldering. But unsolder capacitor between motor leads. Pictures here 2009-03-19
Hobbytrain 25213 (and others) Taurus 1116 with new circuit board Digitrax DZ123 converted to NEM NEM contact. Just plug it in. 2013-06-29
Hobbytrain 25212 Railjet Steuerwagen D&H FH05-1 NEM contact. Just plug it in. 2013-06-29
Hobbytrain 244501 BR 110 (E10) Digitrax DZ123 wire Only soldering. I removed not only the capacitor between motor leads and some more extra components in order to be able to make a blue (common +) connection. Pictures here 2009-10-11
Hobbytrain (Kato) 1515+1516 BR515+815 (ETA150) Zimo MX620 wire + Tran DCX32 wire Soldering and some electrical tape required. Advanced programming for lights. The lights in the outer ends of the train are operated by F0, the lights which are at the motor cars mostly unused end can be added with F1. All bulbs dimmed to 75%. Pictures here 2010-11-01
Ibertren V80 Tran DCX75 wire Only soldering. Pictures here 2008-06-09
Kato 4543 (4525-4544) SD 7/9 Zimo MX62 wire Some milling or sawing neccessary. Fits in long hood together with the lamp board. Cramped like hell. Cable routing and motor insulation tricky. Not for beginners. Nowadays I would use the TCS split decoder instead. unknown
Kato 176-033 GP 50 Digitrax DZ143 wire Major circuit board surgery with extra flash light added. unknown
Kato 176-208 (176-20[0-9A-F]) SD 40 wire Some milling or sawing neccessary. Fits in long hood between lamp and gears. Insulation of motor teadious. unknown
Kato 176-4803 (and others) SD 40-2 (or SD70MAC) Digitrax DN163K1A (or -B, -C) This is more an article (in german) about the Digitrax FX3 light effects and further enhancements than about the conversion, as this is a drop-in decoder which can be installed very easy instead of the original PCB. Don't forget to isolate the motor contacts from frame with the supplied tape. 2011-04-03
Kato 3005-1 EH10 Digitrax DZ125 wire Fits precisely into the recangular free area on top of the frame, but some sawing or milling is necessary to get at the motor terminals. Pictures here 2011-02-27
Kato Super cargo Lenz gold wire Decoder in container, cables through hole into cab. Most soldering goes on the PCB in the cab. Motor wire to underside of motor a bit tricky. unknown
Kato 10810, 10811,... EMD Class 66 (T66) Tran DCX74z plug The plug is "upside down" so you have to doublecheck that you connect the motor pins to the motor. Use a short decoder like the Tran DCX74z because othewise the front light is shaded. Good pictures at 1 zu 160 dot net. unknown
LifeLike 7813 and others for other road names GP18 D&H DHP160 wire This is a conversion of the 2004-2006 chassis version. For details on the different versions, see the Spookshow page.
Some pictures and a demo of the performance. 2011-04-04
Lilliput (Bachman Europe) 163990 RABe521 Lenz LE011XF (LE0521D) Old decoder in new train, but the train is very forgiving and runs very smooth with it. The back-emf works well in spite of that we drive two motors and the current ratings (0.5A motor, 0.1A per function) are sufficient as well. unknown
Minitrix 12224 RAm Digitrax Currently in the works. Pictures will come in due time. unknown
Minitrix From set 11483 Taurus 182 245-1 Zimo MX62 plug Easy plug and play. The capacitor is on the small daughter PCB you remove (applause) and the induction coil and the 5x5 thermo breaker seem to work with the decoder. I did not need to remove anything. unknown
Minitrix 12224 RAm Digitrax Currently in the works. Pictures will come in due time. unknown
Minitrix 12748 CC 72033 SNCF Tran plug Easy. But: The motor and lights are real current thieves. A small Lenz Gold is not enough and will shut down. Use Tran or Kühn (>=700mA) instead. unknown
Piko 40500 (40502) 221 Zimo MX659N18 Pictures here 2020-01-25
Roco 23463 1044 new style Tran DCX75 wire Only soldering. Motor frequency change (CV9) to 100-150Hz necessary. Pictures here 2008-05-17

Brand	Order number	Type	Decoder	Comments	Date
Arnold	2050, ..., 2054	218	Zimo MX62 (last generation) wire	Cutting the PCB required to make room for the decoder. Use a decoder which can handle old 3-pole motors well for example Zimo or D&H (not Digitrax). Pictures here	2011-07-25
Arnold	2022/2023	221	Kühn N025 wire	Easy beginners project to learn soldering a wired decoder. Pictures here	2010-06-22
Arnold	0259	420	DZ123 wire	With extra circuit to switch the lightning in the cab cars. Pictures here	2010-08-02
Arnold	2325	111	D&H DHP160 wire	Some cutting and soldering. I use the following CV values: CV5=127,CV49=2,CV50=3 Pictures here	2010-08-02
Arnold	2512	041	Zimo MX61 wire	Tricky cable routing and soldering to get the cable to the smoke generator and attached seperately from the headlight contact. Pictures here	2010-01-21
Arnold	2017 (color variations: 2015, 2016, 2018, 2030, 0268, 5702)	V65, D65 WVG	Tran DCX75 wire	Tricky replacement of the headlight with surface mounted LEDs to make room for the decoder in the small space between the chassis and the long hood. Pictures here	2010-03-22
Arnold (Hornby)	2143,2157,2155,2166	627.0	Digitrax DZ143 wire converted to plug	Tried with a DH10-C first which did not respond to programming. So I used an DZ134 instead on which I soldered a custom NEM631 plug. The Aux1 and Aux2 wires were used for the interior lights which for that purpose were made seperate switchable. See article in Modelljärnvägsmagasinet 13.	2012-09-12
Atlas (Kato)		RS1	Tran DCX74 wire	Some milling or sawing neccessary. Small Tran DCX74 fits near lamp PDC on milled out are of short hood. Pictures here	2007-01-07
Atlas (Kato)	4482, 4453, ...	U25B with old frame	TCS CN wire	Some milling/filing/sawing neccessary. Use the TCS split decoder which replaces the LED circuits. Pictures here	2008-05-12
Bachmann	81452	Doodlebug	Lenz 077 wire	Good beginner project, fits under roof instead of partly removed printed circuit.	unknown
Bachmann	81153	2-8-0 Consolidation	Lenz gold plug	Follow the documentation how to disassemble the loco! Otherwise straight forward.	unknown
Con-Cor	27?? (C&NW)	E8	Digitrax DZ143	This was a tight one. Advanced! Pictures and description here	2009-04-12
Fleischmann	3767 (3765)	ÖBB 1043 (SJ Rc4)	Tran DCX75 wire	Cramped soldering. Not for beginners. Tran DCX75 fits exactly. Changed light dim CVs. Pictures here	2009-10-07
Fleischmann	7375	103	DHP160	Straight forward placement of decoder on top of PCB. Pictures here	2012-12-24
Hobbytrain	219672-62	Taurus 1116 with old circuit board	Zimo MX620 wire	Only soldering. But unsolder capacitor between motor leads. Pictures here	2009-03-19
Hobbytrain	25213 (and others)	Taurus 1116 with new circuit board	Digitrax DZ123 converted to NEM	NEM contact. Just plug it in.	2013-06-29
Hobbytrain	25212	Railjet Steuerwagen	D&H FH05-1	NEM contact. Just plug it in.	2013-06-29
Hobbytrain	244501	BR 110 (E10)	Digitrax DZ123 wire	Only soldering. I removed not only the capacitor between motor leads and some more extra components in order to be able to make a blue (common +) connection. Pictures here	2009-10-11
Hobbytrain (Kato)	1515+1516	BR515+815 (ETA150)	Zimo MX620 wire + Tran DCX32 wire	Soldering and some electrical tape required. Advanced programming for lights. The lights in the outer ends of the train are operated by F0, the lights which are at the motor cars mostly unused end can be added with F1. All bulbs dimmed to 75%. Pictures here	2010-11-01
Ibertren		V80	Tran DCX75 wire	Only soldering. Pictures here	2008-06-09
Kato	4543 (4525-4544)	SD 7/9	Zimo MX62 wire	Some milling or sawing neccessary. Fits in long hood together with the lamp board. Cramped like hell. Cable routing and motor insulation tricky. Not for beginners. Nowadays I would use the TCS split decoder instead.	unknown
Kato	176-033	GP 50	Digitrax DZ143 wire	Major circuit board surgery with extra flash light added.	unknown
Kato	176-208 (176-20[0-9A-F])	SD 40	wire	Some milling or sawing neccessary. Fits in long hood between lamp and gears. Insulation of motor teadious.	unknown
Kato	176-4803 (and others)	SD 40-2 (or SD70MAC)	Digitrax DN163K1A (or -B, -C)	This is more an article (in german) about the Digitrax FX3 light effects and further enhancements than about the conversion, as this is a drop-in decoder which can be installed very easy instead of the original PCB. Don't forget to isolate the motor contacts from frame with the supplied tape.	2011-04-03
Kato	3005-1	EH10	Digitrax DZ125 wire	Fits precisely into the recangular free area on top of the frame, but some sawing or milling is necessary to get at the motor terminals. Pictures here	2011-02-27
Kato		Super cargo	Lenz gold wire	Decoder in container, cables through hole into cab. Most soldering goes on the PCB in the cab. Motor wire to underside of motor a bit tricky.	unknown
Kato	10810, 10811,...	EMD Class 66 (T66)	Tran DCX74z plug	The plug is "upside down" so you have to doublecheck that you connect the motor pins to the motor. Use a short decoder like the Tran DCX74z because othewise the front light is shaded. Good pictures at 1 zu 160 dot net.	unknown
LifeLike	7813 and others for other road names	GP18	D&H DHP160 wire	This is a conversion of the 2004-2006 chassis version. For details on the different versions, see the Spookshow page. Some pictures and a demo of the performance.	2011-04-04
Lilliput (Bachman Europe)	163990	RABe521	Lenz LE011XF (LE0521D)	Old decoder in new train, but the train is very forgiving and runs very smooth with it. The back-emf works well in spite of that we drive two motors and the current ratings (0.5A motor, 0.1A per function) are sufficient as well.	unknown
Minitrix	12224	RAm	Digitrax	Currently in the works. Pictures will come in due time.	unknown
Minitrix	From set 11483	Taurus 182 245-1	Zimo MX62 plug	Easy plug and play. The capacitor is on the small daughter PCB you remove (applause) and the induction coil and the 5x5 thermo breaker seem to work with the decoder. I did not need to remove anything.	unknown
Minitrix	12224	RAm	Digitrax	Currently in the works. Pictures will come in due time.	unknown
Minitrix	12748	CC 72033 SNCF	Tran plug	Easy. But: The motor and lights are real current thieves. A small Lenz Gold is not enough and will shut down. Use Tran or Kühn (>=700mA) instead.	unknown
Piko	40500 (40502)	221	Zimo MX659N18	Pictures here	2020-01-25
Roco	23463	1044 new style	Tran DCX75 wire	Only soldering. Motor frequency change (CV9) to 100-150Hz necessary. Pictures here	2008-05-17