can someone help enlighten me here what the newest release of katos SP sd45 and how that differs from the previous release? were the previous release dcc compatible straight out of the box? as well as let me know about the sd40s. thanks! happy thanksgiving eve everyone! hope you have a blessed and thankful one!
OLD SD40/45: Was not DCC ready, however TCS has made a decoder that will now work with them. Also, the original SD40/45 was offered with only low mount brake cylinders on the trucks. NEW SD40/45: DCC ready, you may be able to get a Kobo DCC installed version. The number boards on the new releases are individual and push into the shell and cab from the outside. On the original version the numberboards were attached to the front window/ headlight piece in the cab and were attached to the rear headlight piece in the rear, both pushed into the shell from the inside. Later version SD40/45's are available with either low mount or high mount brake cylinders.
The prevous run of Kato SD45's were made in the 90's and were not DCC ready, they used the split light board design. The shells are mostly the same tooling but on the new ones Kato made the numberboards separate pieces from the windows and printed numbers on them. They also have plows on the front and MU hoses on the back. Same can be said for the old run vs. newer run SD40 except that those don't have plows but have MU hoses on the front instead.
hmm so judging by your responses, if the previous owner of what im looking to get has modified their sd45 for dcc, i should be fairly ok if im not too picky about those details.
If a TCS CN-series decoder is not being used in that SD45, then there are three frame mod options; 1. An Aztec modified (milled) frame 2. A Southern Digital replacement frame 3. A home modified frame There may be a possibility of squeezing a small hard wired decoder, like a TCS M1, with minimal mods to the frame under the rear lightboard on the early releases. Check with the seller what they did to add the decoder.
I just DCC'd my fleet of the older Kato SD45's with TCS CN decoders. Very easy to do. Only had to grind a little bit of the frame in a couple places. Great decoders for a great locomotive. Steve
Point of Interest: The Kato "Early SD40-2" is DCC ready. Don't confuse the "Early SD40-2" with the SD40. I have had versions of every Kato SD40 and SD40-2 and digitrax makes drop in decoders for all of them.
In addition to DCC issues... The new SD45 has separate numberboards as mentioned. It also has a new sill piece and now comes with a plow, MU hoses, and Kato couplers. The 90s vintage SD45 lacked the details and had Rapidos. Not for the 1990s vintage SD40s that are not DCC ready. Just to be clear. As such projects go, yes it is easy. It does require the tools: a rotary tool and a good soldering iron. I would say any decoder hardwiring is not exactly a beginner's project, but for such a project it is indeed very easy.
If I wanted to install Micro-trains couplers in a new version SD-45, can someone reply with the proper M/T replacement coupler part number? I believe M/T's website says 1015, but it is not clear whether this is for old, new, or both SD-45 versions. Thank you! Al
I would expect the new SD45 to work best with 1015 shanks inside a 2004 box. But I don't have the new SD45, just the new SD40.
Yes, same tooling, only difference is that the new ones have plows and separate MU hoses on the pilots and a DCC ready chassis
If you use a 2004 box, you don't have to file the pilot, and you can re-use the Kato coupler clip. And I correct what I said before, I do have one of the newer SD45s, and that's how I did it and how it should be done (unless you are really scrimping on money).
Thanks for bringing up this question. I have 3 SD40s (old blue boxes) and 8 SD45s (the mid 1990s run) and want to convert them all to DCC. They all have the split lightboard design. SD452XR, did you use the TCS CN-GP or other? Can you give some further description of what modifications you made...maybe in a photo or two?
Nope, just see no point in buying 1015s and 2004s and only getting "half" the couplers. But I use the MT screw instead of the clip. And I have large stock piles of 1015s, not so much for 2004s
Check out the install photos on the TCS site http://www.tcsdcc.com/public_html/C...Scale/Kato/C30-7/Kato C30-7 installation.html It would be very similar to the old legacy C30-7
I used the CN decoder. I have two more to do this week. I'll take a few photos of where I had to do a bit of grinding and post them. Steve
