STANDARD DC

[Tom]

I am considering two preorder locomotives from Walthers, and naturally do not want to waste money for the LokSound.  The two options are:

•   EMD SD9 - Standard DC -- Nickel Plate Road 353 (As delivered, black, yellow)
•   EMD SD9 with ESU LokSound Select and DCC -- Nickel Plate Road 341 (As delivered, black, yellow)

I have always understood that DCC ready is what I want for LM-3S installation to run with a PWR-56.  Now I have to contend with “Standard DC.”

Will the Standard DC work with an LM-3S and a PWR-56, or for that matter DCC if a locomotive with LM-3S installed is taken to a club?  If not, can it be modified to work with little expense?

Thanks to anyone who can help.

Tom

[nodcc4me]

Standard DC will work, but the module must be hard wired in because there is no quick-connect plug in the loco. It is not that difficult if you have soldering experience.

[Alan]

Use a multimeter or a test light and battery to confirm the motor frame and motor leads are electrically isolated from the frame of the locomotive.

I have a fleet of Atlas S2s pt#8700 that were purchased as DC locos. http://www.lkorailroad.com/alco-s-2s-join-the-roster/ To use RP (or DCC for that matter) in these Atlas locos I had to electrically isolate the motor from the loco frame. Easy enough. A piece of Kapton tape under the motor and replacement of the metal attaching screw with a nylon screw is all that was required.

[G8B4Life]

I am considering two preorder locomotives from Walthers, and naturally do not want to waste money for the LokSound.

I am guessing that your talking about the Walthers brand of SD9 and not some other brand of SD9 that you'll purchase from Walthers.

If so, then the SD9's that Walthers make are the old Life Like Proto 2000 models. The old Proto 2000 line was DCC ready as it had an 8 pin socket on the motherboard (which would require a harness for a RP module) so everything should be properly insulated.

The problem is we don't know what Walthers will do with the motherboard. Will they design a new motherboard to take a 21 pin decoder? will they use a Loksound Select direct (decoder and motherboard in one)? will they keep the existing motherboard and use a Loksound select with harness? There's no way to tell until they arrive unfortunately but you should not at all need to get the Loksound version. The DC version will be (unless Walthers changes something significantly) DCC ready one way or another. You may need a harness or you may need to remove the motherboard and hardwire, but you'd have to do either of those things with the Loksound version as well.

- Tim

[emd_16645]

I am considering two preorder locomotives from Walthers, and naturally do not want to waste money for the LokSound.

I am guessing that your talking about the Walthers brand of SD9 and not some other brand of SD9 that you'll purchase from Walthers.

If so, then the SD9's that Walthers make are the old Life Like Proto 2000 models. The old Proto 2000 line was DCC ready as it had an 8 pin socket on the motherboard (which would require a harness for a RP module) so everything should be properly insulated.

The problem is we don't know what Walthers will do with the motherboard. Will they design a new motherboard to take a 21 pin decoder? will they use a Loksound Select direct (decoder and motherboard in one)? will they keep the existing motherboard and use a Loksound select with harness? There's no way to tell until they arrive unfortunately but you should not at all need to get the Loksound version. The DC version will be (unless Walthers changes something significantly) DCC ready one way or another. You may need a harness or you may need to remove the motherboard and hardwire, but you'd have to do either of those things with the Loksound version as well.

- Tim

This is an extra challenge to because it appears Walthers is making the switch from Tsunami from the last run to now using loksound.  It will be interesting to see what changes that brings to the DC board, but my expectation would be that it will be DCC ready for a 21 pin chip.  Either way, buy the non-sound version.  The factory sound is a waste of money.

Side note, we really, really need to get Tim to release a LM-4 module with a 21 pin plug.  Just about every manufacturer has made that move and I haven't found the whole 21-9 converter thing to really be practical.  There really isn't enough space.  I somehow managed to squeeze one into a Atlas C40, but couldn't make a go of a bunch of bowser and intermountain units with the converter.  Unless we get a new LM, hardwiring is the way we have to go.

[Tom]

Thanks to all for the comments, no LokSound it is with little trepidation.  Also added to my knowledge base on related issues.

Tom