Am new to forum, mrr and DCC. I have two Spectrum CW40-8's I would like to convert to DCC. Any suggestions on decoder and is this a mean feat. The past is but memories, the future but dreams and wishes, live life 'N'ow!
Hi Tony. Welcome to Trainboard. I have converted 4 of the 7 Spectrum Dash8's that I have, to DCC. I used MRC AD-330 decoders. It is not an easy thing to do but far from impossible. I stripped the frames and bolted them back together and then put them in a vise. With a big lathe file I easily filed a groove out across the top of the frame about 3/16" deep to fit the small decoders. The metal is soft so it hogs off pretty easy. There is some trimming to be done to the frame tabs that contact the brushes. The rest is following the decoder's wiring directions. I re-installed the light bulbs using 1/8" aluminum tubing. If you want, I can snap a few pics of the beasties and send them to you.
I really do appreciate anything that you can do to help. I have a friend who has a milling machine if necessary. Also, are the small springs what transfer power to the brushes in DC and if so can the spring area just be milled out larger to give clearance. Also, do you run these loco's with any of the Atlas loco,s and how do there compare in responsiveness. Sorry for all the questions. I had trouble with one of these loco,s staying on track until I cut off the coupler holder. Have not yet installed the MTL coversion kit. Plan to soon. Again, thanks bunches! The past is but memories, the future but dreams and wishes, live life 'N'ow.
The use of a Bridgeport would make milling the slot for the decoder a cinch, but to remove metal around where the frame halves contact the brush holders you need a dremel tool. There are two versions of the frames. I have assumed that one is an earlier version. They are different around where the frame halves contact the brush holders. The decoder motor wires need to be soldered to those brush holders on the motor with a low wattage soldering iron. I use a tiny bit of flux on a pointy brush to make for a quick and accurate solder. To secure the decoder to the frame I used the thin double sided tape that comes in window insulation kits. It really sticks and holds the tiny wires as well. I do not recommend running these spectrum Dash 8's with the early Atlas locos. The newer Atlas locos with the so-called slower speed moter work better but If one loco seems to be pulling the other one, don't run them together. The Spectrums generally have better traction ability and will drag a wheel spinning Atlas around a layout until the nickle finish on the Atlas' wheels is damaged. Let me snap a few pics in the next few days and I'll send them to you.
one caution about Bachmann C40-8's, every one of them I had (3 C40-8w's and 1 C40-8) had the gears stripped within 5 hours of operation. They have long since been retired and only the C40-8 is in my Display case.
6 of 7 of mine have more miles on them than the space shuttle and they are still going strong. They are my primary work horses for the long haul Ntrak meets and have run for 6 hours at a time repeatedly. I have never experienced a broken gear with a Spectrum dash 8. But the Bachmann F units are a different story.
