Hi everyone.
I thought I would share my photos of my DCC conversion of the Peco Kato Prince.
The decoder is a Digitrax DZ126. The red plastic insulation needed a slight trim for it to fit.
Tony
Good to see that you have fitted DCC control. Can you advise on the best way to dismantle the loco to give access for fitting DCC?
Thank you.
The red body seems to be just a push fit. I slid my thumbnails along the bottom edge and eased it off. The inner saddle tank shaped moulding is clipped on. The lugs are visible. I gently eased it off with a small flat bladed screwdriver.
There is not a lot of room for the wires and I was concerned they the motor wires appear to emerge from the motor without external solder tags. I cut the wires at the chassis pickup end to keep the wires intact. After soldering the decoder red and black to the pickups they didn't want to stay in place during reassembly so a couple of small blobs of BluTack were used. There is a slightly smaller Zimo decoder that others have used. My Digitrax needed some of the plastic insulation trimming to fit nicely.
Everything goes back together. I forgot the cab is also a push fit and the tender and loco separate easily, just pull gently. I can't say I enjoyed the process but was pleased with the result. However I am glad the forcoming Bachmann Quarry Hunslets are DCC ready!
Best wishes
Tony
Thank you for explaining what you did. I will be tackling this soon.
John
Quote from: Tony Stephens on April 08, 2022, 15:17
The red body seems to be just a push fit. I slid my thumbnails along the bottom edge and eased it off. The inner saddle tank shaped moulding is clipped on. The lugs are visible. I gently eased it off with a small flat bladed screwdriver.
There is not a lot of room for the wires and I was concerned they the motor wires appear to emerge from the motor without external solder tags. I cut the wires at the chassis pickup end to keep the wires intact. After soldering the decoder red and black to the pickups they didn't want to stay in place during reassembly so a couple of small blobs of BluTack were used. There is a slightly smaller Zimo decoder that others have used. My Digitrax needed some of the plastic insulation trimming to fit nicely.
Everything goes back together. I forgot the cab is also a push fit and the tender and loco separate easily, just pull gently. I can't say I enjoyed the process but was pleased with the result. However I am glad the forcoming Bachmann Quarry Hunslets are DCC ready!
Best wishes
Tony
Just a suggestion, but have you thought about writing this up for 009 News?
Just watched the Wickford model's utube video of this conversion - is Prince(ss)'s chassis a modified 11-109?
Quote from: Pete Williams on July 12, 2023, 11:34
Just watched the Wickford model's utube video of this conversion - is Prince(ss)'s chassis a modified 11-109?
this particular thread is about converting the Kato/Peco chassis, not the 11-109.
I've not seen the vidoe you mention to comment on that.
well aware of this, I HAVE Converted the Kato chassis to DCC and was commenting on the fact that the two units look remarkably similar in construction and method of converting.
Quote from: Pete Williams on July 12, 2023, 11:34Just watched the Wickford model's utube video of this conversion - is Prince(ss)'s chassis a modified 11-109?
In a word no.
The chassis for the Kato Englands (well, Prince & Prinsess at least) is Kato number 57-201 (https://www.gaugemasterretail.com/peco-57-201-powered-chassis-for-ffestiniog-railway-oo9-locomotive.html?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIlbPV8r3NggMVBsXtCh380wV5EAQYASABEgLZM_D_BwE) and looks nothing like the Kato 'Pocket Line" / tram chassis family, 11-109 (https://www.gaugemasterretail.com/kato-k11-109.html) and 11-110 in my view, except that they might use a split chassis construction.