As one who is changing over as we speak, I can tell you the most challenging part of the conversion will not be connecting the DCC module to the track; there is nothing to that at all. The hard part will be installing decoders in some of your older power, as there is not always a lot of room. The wiring is pretty basic (gray wire goes here, orange wire goes there) and the "plug and play" conversions can be completed in less than five minutes. I decided not to install sound units, as I have 28 locomotives that I use to maintain my timetable and the cost of that many sound decoders (plus the surgery required to find room for the speakers) would be prohibitive. Either way, have fun. You will be happy with the outcome. GS
Greg (and any one else) I have two different series of videos on how to hard wire a locomotive, as well as how to's for programming, and adding lights (roof beacons, gyro lights, class lights, and LED's.) Ethan
Richard Napper also did a nice presentation on hardwiring blue-box Athearns for DCC. I have two Front Range GP7s that may be candidates for that project later. I just finished test-running my NCE system (and wiping the silly grin off my face), and discovered much to my delight that I have TWO DCC-and-sound-equipped diesels. Besides the H10-44, I also have a custom-painted (full black & yellow "cat whiskers") GP7, which is weathered to the nines, and runs nicely. Not sure if I'll do any more sound-equipped engines, but later on I have a coupla more diesels that are DCC-ready and thus ripe for conversion. The upshot is, I have a GP7 to operate my layout with for now (which is OK with me, since I like them ol' Geeps), and another Geep I can convert. And, both are black & yellow.
Bob: Congratulations on making the leap into the world of DCC. You are HOOKED! There is NO turning back now!
Yessiree.....next I'm gonna try that thar indoor plumbing and teleyophones..... Seriously (who, me?), it's rough to retire my TechII power packs, since they've worked well for almost 3 decades, but I'm eager to finish the tracklaying so I can get wiring done and trains running.
I keep a power pack connected to a test track to test new engines before installing decoders. You might want to hang on to one of them.
More likely than not, they'll reside in a box under the layout, unless I can get a cheap=o desk to used as a workbench- in which case, I can employ one of them. I'm a bit of a pack-rat when it comes to anything railroady. The selectors I was using for cab control, however, are history.
If'n ya got a Habitat Restore, a animal shelter with a donation store, or something similar nearby, ya should be able to score cheap desks, storage cabinets, etc. I needed a cheap piece of angle iron and found a single piece of bedframe for a buck.