Looking for help Diesel Locomotives and decoders

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M

mlachap925

New Member
I currently run my pike in DC and I am looking to buy some diesel locomotives to eventually run on a DCC pike, but I have a few questions that I could use some help with the answers.

If I buy a locomotive from Athearn, Atlas, Bachman etc without a decoder installed and I want to purchase a decoder to install, can I purchase any manufacturers decoder? Also, do all decoders give me sound or do I have to purchase decoders that include sound? Would it be smarter to buy locomotives with DCC decoders already installed?

Sorry for all the questions, but I do not have much experience with DCC decoders.

Thanks,
Michael
 
there are 2 different decoder plug available. There is the 9 pin JST with is often found on athearn locomotive, and almost all Digitrax decoder are plug and play with this one. there is also the 8 pins NMRA plug, this one is used my most of the manifacturer. There are adaptors to convert from one plug to the other. If you whant sound you have to buy decoders from manufacturers that do specialise in sound (soundtraxx, qsi, ...)
They have decoder available with both plug standards and some that just replace the light board of certain loco. buying loco that already include a decoder come to a higher price. Regular decoder range from 15 to 30$, and sound are about 100$
 
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