Scaletrains 21 pin Connector

[DaveB]

Hello. Still learning about Railpro. Was looking at the new engines Scaletrains came out with today. Impressive. DCC ready models have a 21 pin connector. How would that work with Railpro?

Thanks, Dave

[nodcc4me]

They have some good-looking models. I will check them out tomorrow at the show in Springfield MA.

I am not familiar with the existence of a 9-pin to 21-pin connector. You would most likely have to hard wire the module.

[Alan]

I don't think you are going to just plug in an adapter and be off to the races. The 21 pin connector, while standardized in form, is not standardized in pin out. At least not in DCC land. The connector does use electronics industry standardized pin spacing so purchasing headers and sockets is no problem. You will have to determine how the locomotive is wired pin out-wise and then solder the LM wires to the appropriate header pin. Shouldn't be too hard.

The RP for DCC 21 pin is on pg4 of this document: http://www.sbs4dcc.com/images/RP-9.1.1_200801_Recommended_Practice_RP-9.1.1_DCC_Electrical_Interface_Wire_Color_Code_for_DCC_January_2008.pdf

Although there is no guarantee Scale Trains is abiding by the RP.

[KPack]

Here you go: http://tcsdcc.com/Customer_Content/Products/Harnesses/European_Harnesses/harnesses.html.  Should do the trick.

On a side note, I will be getting one of the new ET44C4's in BNSF livery.  The above should allow me to do a plug and play install, assuming there is enough room in the shell (should be, these locomotives are huge).

-Kevin

[Alan]

Kevin, does that help him? Doesn't he need the male plug?

[KPack]

No idea actually.  I've never seen a 21 pin connector before, and I'm assuming that this one from TCS is meant to allow a 9-pin decoder to be plugged into a 21-pin locomotive.  The 9-pin on there looks to be male, so it can plug into the RP module.

-Kevin

[G8B4Life]

Welcome the wonderful world of 21MTC.

I think it should be good for everyone to be abreast of this connector, 21MTC isn't going away no matter what the NMRA thinks (and the decoder manufacturers will have probably created the next new connector before the NMRA has even figured out what to do with this one) and more and more models will come with this connector. It's rife virtually everywhere and inroads are being made in the US with it; even DigiTrax announced a week ago their new line of 21 pin decoders for sale.

I don't think you are going to just plug in an adapter and be off to the races. The 21 pin connector, while standardized in form, is not standardized in pin out. At least not in DCC land. The connector does use electronics industry standardized pin spacing so purchasing headers and sockets is no problem. You will have to determine how the locomotive is wired pin out-wise and then solder the LM wires to the appropriate header pin. Shouldn't be too hard.

The RP for DCC 21 pin is on pg4 of this document: http://www.sbs4dcc.com/images/RP-9.1.1_200801_Recommended_Practice_RP-9.1.1_DCC_Electrical_Interface_Wire_Color_Code_for_DCC_January_2008.pdf

Although there is no guarantee Scale Trains is abiding by the RP.

The reading on sbs4dcc is very good, but it is a bit dated now. The history is correct but the current status is not. This is the whole page containing the history. http://www.sbs4dcc.com/tutorialstipstricks/21mtcconnector.html

Since all that was written it appears that the NMRA did at least update their RP to match the NEM standard though it is still draft status after 2 odd years. These are the latest standards (and RP) for both the NEM and the NMRA.

NEM (not in english): http://www.morop.org/de/normes/nem660_d.pdf

NMRA: http://nmra.org/sites/default/files/standards/sandrp/pdf/s-9.1.1_connectors_2015.05.22.pdf

I believe that most model and decoder manufacturers followed the NEM version to begin with so there should be no problems for DaveB or anyone in dropping an LM3-S with a 9 to 21 pin harness into a scaletrains model today.

- Tim

[BruceRogers]

 [ Invalid Attachment ]
This is the TCS 1352 T-1"-21 9 pin to 21 pin adapter in the Hornby/Rivarossi U25/28C.
With the NP version you can control all the lighting functions. On the CB&Q version you get to control all but the emergency red light on the nose. I spoke with Lee English at Bowser and with the newer engines coming with working class lights it's possible the current modules from Ring won't be up to the task without getting some of the rear outputs to feed the 21 pin plug.