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 Posted - November 10 2010 : 5:47:34 PM
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Hello.
I have been mildly collection model trains since the mid 70s when I was young kid. I got 2 sets when I was around 8 years old or so. One was the Amtrak set with the sorta GG1 and the 3 passenger cars and the other was a typical Rio Grande set.
I still have all of the GG1 set but it isn't in running condition anymore, the plastic on it is all badly damaged but I keep it for sentimental reasons.
Are tyco engines capable of being decent runners these days and converted to dcc? JUst wondering because I still have a few older tycos that till run okay but not great.
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Posted - November 10 2010 : 7:55:38 PM
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quote:Hello.
I have been mildly collection model trains since the mid 70s when I was young kid.
Are tyco engines capable of being decent runners these days and converted to dcc? JUst wondering because I still have a few older tycos that till run okay but not great.
Originally posted by bobotech - November 10 2010 : 5:47:34 PM
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I've never converted one, or attempted to, yet, but I think I can safely say they ARE NOT capable, due to the inherent design of the motor. The Tyco uses the motor housing it seems as part of the electrical path, while it uses a second truck up front to pick up the other side, instead of having a true frame. With DCC, the motor MUST be isolated from the frame, to allow the digital control to work. A Tyco motor IS basically the chassis as well with the PT ( Power Torque ) motors from the '70's and '80s. Unless you convert the PT motor frame to a newer CD drive "can" motor,and there would still be an insulation/isolation issue there, There's probably not much chance you can DCC an original Tyco without MASSIVE modifications. that's just the way it is. They make great toys and runners, but just not cut out for DCC for most of them that I've seen so far. The earlier 1960's MU-2 motors, with open frames, can probably be replaced easier with a can motor that can be isolated, but the later PT motors are pretty much non-candidates for conversion.
Sorry to dash your hopes, but you'd be better off using another brand for DCC purposes. Several members on here have put Playstation2 tray motors into the PT housing with some serious metal modifications, but I don't think they've isolated it from the frame, so it wouldn't work for DCC yet either.
Jerry in Virginia
Electronic tech
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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Posted - November 10 2010 : 10:01:41 PM
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Welcome, bobotech. I don't know a thing about DCC, so I can't help you there. In general the words "Tyco" and "decent runner" don't belong in the same sentence. Actually they can be pretty good when repowered.
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