Since when did Atlas Trainman come DCC-ready?

friscobob Jan 5, 2015

  1. friscobob

    friscobob Staff Member

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    First off, this is NOT (I repeat NOT) a bash on Atlas. That out of the way:

    I got an HO scale Atlas Trainman GP38-2, which was painted for BN and was part of a tradeout of HO-for-N stuff with a friend of mine. I removed the shell to strip the original paint off in anticipation of repainting in Frisco colors, and after I did so I noticed a Digitrax DCC decoder installed.

    Funny, but I didn't know Atlas made their Trainman diesels DCC-ready.....I have one other Trainman diesel (in Frisco colors) that I haven't de-shelled to check that chassis out.

    So, I guess my question is this- is Atlas Trainman actually DCC-ready, or did I get a Trainman shell with, say, an Atlas Master chassis? The wiring doesn't look like it was soldered in, and I haven't checked out the decoder yet-if it works, I've scored big-time!
     
  2. YoHo

    YoHo TrainBoard Supporter

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    I have a red box U23b and an atlas silver B23-7 that both shockingly came DCC ready.
     
  3. dalebaker

    dalebaker TrainBoard Member

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    Was it hard-wired or used a pin? My Silver Series had DCC plugs. The Gold I have were all sound equipped.
     
  4. YoHo

    YoHo TrainBoard Supporter

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    My silver series doesn't just have a blug, but the weight has a speaker location too.
     
  5. Geep_fan

    Geep_fan TrainBoard Member

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    Atlas trainman to my knowledge have always come DCC-ready with an 8 pin plug. I bought one of the first generation GP38-2's when they came out and it came with a dcc-ready plug on it, that was back in 2008.
     
  6. friscobob

    friscobob Staff Member

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    That being the case, I need to check the chassis on my Frisco-painted Trainman diesel. If indeed DCC-ready, I'm in like Flint, since I have several decoders in stock. Plus, my fleet will have increased to 7 diesels, all Frisco.
     
  7. Brian K

    Brian K TrainBoard Member

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    Correct, a quick check on the Atlas home page shows all of their HO Trainman releases to be equipped with NMRA 8-pin plugs. I had the GP38-2 and GENSET's and they just needed an 8-pin decoder slapped on the motherboard.

    And just to add some more confusion, Atlas announced that the next run of the GP38-2's will be available with QSI Sound, thus becoming Trainman Gold. http://www.atlastrainman.com/HOLoco/tmhogp38.htm

    The N Scale Trainman GP15-1 is DCC Ready as well, but those require board swaps.

    Cheers,
    Brian
     
  8. Davidfd85

    Davidfd85 TrainBoard Member

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    I have a Silver series Dash 8-40bw that came DCC ready. I just had to take the shell off and dropped in a TCS decoder. Runs great.

    David
     
  9. John Smith

    John Smith TrainBoard Member

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    Just bought(Xmas to me) a Chessie System GP40 in Atlas Silver and I am in the process of weathering it and patching the numbers. I removed the shell... it is DCC ready. Has a "jumper" plug in the socket. JMS

    PS-This is the FIRST Atlas loco for me... man, they are great!!!
     
  10. friscobob

    friscobob Staff Member

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    I've been a happy owner of Atlas locos since the early 1908s, with the old Roco drives and too-big handrails. An RS1 custom-painted for Frisco is my very best-running diesel, and it's one of the Kato-drive models.
     
  11. Brian K

    Brian K TrainBoard Member

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    Wow, can you share your secret for long life...no McDonald's right.... ;)

    Think you meant 1980's....so just givin ya' a hard time... :)

    Cheers,
    Brian
     

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