DCC for the Austrains CL/CLF/CLP.

By Josh Beveridge 23/1/07

 

 

The Austrains CL series of locomotive are DCC ready. They have provision for speakers but are not supplied. The fitting of a motor only decoder is an easy ‘5-minute’ task. The model is fitted with ‘Sunny White’ LED’s with dropping resistors, and as such a plug-in decoder, like the NCE D14SR, is easily fitted.

 

Step One

 

Follow the manufacturer’s method of removing the body. You will need to unplug the existing 8-pin socket from the lighting board. Next unscrew and remove the lighting board.

 

The decoder will simply plug-in to the 8-pin socket fitted, without any changes. It is a good idea to wrap the decoder/plug with insulation tape.

 

Place on programming track and program!

 

If the model runs in reverse, unplug and rotate the decoder 180deg and refit.

 

 

 

Sound for the CL series.

 

As delivered, the CL class locomotive was fitted with a 16 cylinder Turbocharged EMD 645-E3 engine. When the class was rebuilt into the CLF/CLP classes they were upgraded to a 645-E3C engine. In modelling terms, the difference is immaterial. Sound decoder options are: Soundtraxx 2nd Generation EMD or ESU Loksound 72489.

 

Loksound 72489

 

Step one is to be followed upto the removal of the lighting board.

 

The 2nd step is to reroute the rear track pickup wires which pass thru the speaker well toward the bogies. There are unused holes in the metal weight beside the bogies which we will utilize.

 

Next, you will need to make a gasket out of card or similar, as the diameter of the speaker well is larger than the Loksound speaker. Cut the gasket with an outside diameter of 27mm and an inside dia of 20mm. Use silastic to glue the gasket onto the top of the speaker well.

 

 

 

Step Three

 

Plug the Loksound decoder plug into the fitted 8-pin socket. Tidy up the excess harness wires and tape them to the weight block.

 

Put a small bead of silastic onto the outside ring of the Loksound speaker and glue it to the gasket, cone down.

 

Tape all components down, place chassis on the programming track and program.

 

The headlights and fog lights will work as per the original model, they all come on together.

 

 

 

Soundtraxx 2nd Generation EMD decoder install coming soon!