Installation in HO MTH SD70

[HOSCALE PHIL]

One of the first installs I am planning will be a LM2, no sound, in an MTH SD70.

I buy the DCC ready non sound versions. The loco has front and rear headlights, number board lights and ditch lights that blink.

My question is this, based on everything I have read, can I just plug the LM2 in and all the light functions will work once I program them? I think I might need an adapter plug but I don't need resistors or anything crazy right?

I am a current NCE user but I am looking at RE Railpro for the apparent ease of use.

I can wire a house but this stuff still confuses me.

Phil

[KPack]

Hi Phil.  I haven't seen the inside of the MTH SD70ACe, but I do have a MTH ES44.  I assume they are somewhat similar.  It is a DCC-ready version.

You will need a 8-pin to 9-pin adapter (TCS has them).  Open the loco up and see where the module will fit.  In the ES44 it has to be all the way in the back so a longer harness is needed.  I didn't have a long harness so I had to lengthen mine (lots of work).


MTH has all the necessary resistors so you won't have to add those.  You will probably have to solder a couple of wires to some tabs on the MTH board though in order to have control over the ditchlights.  Check the manual to see which wires should be soldered to which board.  In the picture you will see the pads I soldered onto at the rear of the main MTH board.  I soldered mine so I could control the ditchlights without flashing.  The MTH manual told me how.


Hope that helps!

-Kevin