Sick to my stomach.

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rem37411

rem37411

Lead Caboose Polisher
Guys, I think I am going to be sick to my stomach. I decided that I was intelligent enough to install the new digitrax decoders in my brand spanking new Atlas mp15. I now have a pile of parts. I was following directions to a "T" but they said nothing about the trucks coming off. The trucks came off and a small square plastic piece appeared from somewhere. I have contained the bleeding and put it all in the original box. with lid securely fastened. I have checked local and found exactly one person willing to install decoders for 20 bux apiece! Yikes! Is that a fair price?? I should add that this is N scale. I have heard that if you mail it all to atlas they will do it but does anyone know what they charge? I plan on calling tomorrow but just need to know what I cost myself by attempting to be uber intelligent. I'm not.
 
Im not sure how fair $20 bucks an install is as ive always bought DCC equipped locomotive, but installing a decoder doesnt seem it should be to hard of a process, so if theyre doing it at 20 an install, and it takes them oh lets say 15 minutes, theyre making $80/hr!! I know off subject but it just came to me :D

You said you have a pile of parts, Did you drop the frame or something? If you dropped it, sorry buddy but youve most likely got bigger problems than a decoder install. :(

Maybe some pics of the carnage would help some of the more experienced members?
 


No, no droppage, the frame is still intact but the trucks are off and there is the small square plastic piece. I have NO idea where it came from. I was trying to keep the frame together and angle the decoder in like the directions said but apparently I backed the screws out too far and everything came out. for an experienced person it should be an easy fix but I am just not sure how to re assemble. I KNEW I shoulda spent the 20 bucks. I don't have but a few to do, but apparently my "getting old eyes" aren't cut out for that work.
 
Littlefoot14 said:
Im not sure how fair $20 bucks an install is as ive always bought DCC equipped locomotive, but installing a decoder doesnt seem it should be to hard of a process, so if theyre doing it at 20 an install, and it takes them oh lets say 15 minutes, theyre making $80/hr!! I know off subject but it just came to me :D
Click to expand...

We stopped chipping N Scale when it got to about 1 hour per loco - we were charging £12 = $20. A lot of N Scale locos have split chassis where the metal halves compress the motor brush connections. This involves milling out the frames to expose the brush connections. You then find that there isn't enough room for a chip so you end up milling both frames to make room. After an hour, you think of lots of other things you could be doing.

David
 
I should add that the loco is DCC ready. It was supposed to be a harmless, remove the body, loosen the screws ,split frame enough to take out old board and put in new one. I just went a bit too far. I will contact the man I know and have him install for me. The loco is not ruined by any means it is just disassembled. I am too scared to put it together now as I am afraid I will put something in upside down or backwards. From here on out it will be DCC Equipped for me.
 
Split frame locos generally have small square pieces with a hole in them, they serve to align and space the frame halves apart, as well as attach parts such as fuel tank covers.

I'd pony up the 20 bucks to a more experienced modeler. Hopefully one that will not only fix the engine, but also explain where you went wrong so next time you are prepared for it.
 
Hmm, $20.00 bucks...

Guess I am lucky, I belong to the local model railway club, we have a fellow there who will do installs for members for free, of course he wants you to come to his layout and over a bit of help for free as well.

But that is what you do for friends anyway. :)
 
20 is a little steep. I only charge 10 for HO installations, but then again, I know my way around most HO scale engines.
 
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$20 to do an N scale split frame loco does not sound bad to me if you have to machine the frame. I have done many of them and it does take time.
 
I agree 100% with the pay up and get it done guys. N scale decoders, even when they are supposedly "drop-in", often involve a lot more shoehorning and moving around of various compnents than a comparatively easy HO scale decoder. I'd even pay him extra if he'll let you watch and give you some pointers. For the cost of one decoder, you can learn a lot and not have problems like this in the future.
 
Okay, I just popped one of mine apart, as well as looked at the parts list. the flat plastic piece is called a shield plate, part #522244, and goes on top of the frame, at the rear (cab) end. I've done several DCC conversions of these, and, after you do the first one, they are not tough. Maybe you could watch over the shoulder of the person doing the reassembly, for next time.
 
Ok, great advice! I will see if he will let me watch, or possibly teach me.
On to the next question. I also got my new Digitrax system!! I am excited, I now own the system and three locos with decoders! I am going to hook it up tomorrow and test them out. But my question is this, I purchased two used locos with decoders. I put them on my DC track just to test them out and they seem slow, they are both atlas dash8-40B locos, used but are in excellent brand new condition. They both run very well, but appear to be running much slower than I thought a loco of that size would run. Does the decoder affect the speed operation even though I am running it on DC power? I am thinking that the previous owner set them up for a "max speed" operation but have not read enough and learned how DCC interacts with DC.

As always, THANKS!
 
It's certainly possible the previous owner could have set the max speed down from the factory settings. I always reset any used engines to the factory defaults. Just enter 8 in CV8 and that should reset the decoder. You'll then know what the maximum spped of the locomotive should be. However, many modern locomotives are geared so that they don't exceed 60-65 scale miles per hour, since that's a common top speed for freight locomotives. You really don't want a locomotive racing around the tracks at 100 smph. :)
 
Good point Jim, in fact, the more I played the more I liked the idea of them being set where they are. I think I will leave them at that setting. I pulled a couple trains around the mainline with it and like the top speed, as a matter of fact it was actually a little fast for pulling a train.

I gotta say, I am feeling like a little kid right now! The last time I really played with trains, whatever you put on the tracks moved when you turned the knob! I loved seeing my locos sitting still and calling one up to have it move, that was really cool. Tomorrow I am going to learn how to put additional throttles on so I can pass trains off. I have about five of the bachman spectrum controllers. Should those work with the digitrax controller?

Thanks!
 
I am absolutely beside myself!!!! I took a trip today to trainmasters in Atlanta and took my pile of parts and four other locos that needed decoders put in. The guy charged me $40!!! He re assembled the one loco, added some solder to the contacts tested everything and charged me $40!! I can't believe he did it that cheap! I now have a total of 8 locos with decoders, I friggin can't WAIT to get down there and play! But before that, celebratory ribeye steak and my world famous taters! (Diced taters in foil, with butter, onion, garlic, and pepper) YAY!!!!

Thanks for all the answers and support!
 
Glad to hear it all turned out good for you. A shop like that always gets my repeat business for both small and large sales.
 


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