New Intermountain F's and DCC

[spookshow]

Just a heads-up for the DCC folks out there - as of the latest production run, Intermountain's F units are no longer a "drop in" decoder install.

Previous runs had long metal tabs on the motor brushcaps that contacted legs coming off the bottom of the locomotive PC board (or decoder). Unfortunately, this new production no longer has the extended brushcap tabs. Rather, wires are soldered to the brushcaps (which then run up to the PC board). Basically the same scheme they used way back on their first run of FT's -



So yeah, still DCC-Ready. But no longer "plug'n'play" (previous decoders will not work). What in the heck was Intermountain thinking?? 

Cheers,
-Mark

[reinhardtjh]

I saw a notice about this on the BLW web site the other day, too.  Then I realized I wasn't hallucinating when I read the documentation for the new Digitrax series 6 decoders for IM F's.  They have 2 versions now for the F3/F7/FP7.  One with tabs and one with holes to run the wires and soldering.  It would have been nice if they had mentioned that one was for pre 2014 F's and one for was the rest.

The DN166I1C is for the old  http://www.digitrax.com/products/mobile-decoders/dn166i1c/
The DN166I1D is for the new http://www.digitrax.com/products/mobile-decoders/dn166i1d/

[spookshow]

Oh hurray, more soldering. As if having to solder the headlight wires wasn't annoying enough 

Cheers,
-Mark

[spookshow]

Just to clarify the changes.

Used to be -



Now -



Cheers,
-Mark

[JSL]

Really not a difficult thing to do. Just two more wires to solder

[Dave V]

I think the indignation is less about the actual work required versus the technological step backward it represents.  I know I've done my fair share of hard wire installs, but it does make complete disassmbly of the frame for maintenance or troubleshooting much more difficult than with a drop-in.

[spookshow]

I'm not a fan of soldering wires to decoder boards. YMMV 

Cheers,
-Mark

[Flagler]

I might cancel my order,yes I will cancel the order.Its BS to go back to the old versions on preorders.Did they find all these parts at the factory in a dusty box?

[Flagler]

OK Kato fill the void.I need some SP Black widow F7 A&B engines.Sante Fe cigar stripe also

[bman]

I've only done a couple of drop in decoder installations for Atlas locomotives for the time being.  I am kinda on the fence as soldering connections does give a better electrical contact then brass rubbing/resting on brass.  I've got some non-dcc ready atlas frames to convert so I will use that as my "do I really want to solder everything" decision maker.  I wouldn't give up to easily and rely on another mfg to make something that's already being made. 
My PC ones haven't arrived so I can't look at them and envision a work around for this setup. 

[Flagler]

I ordered the most update versions of this engines.Not versions that have been improved upon and basicly as good as used old models.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I think the indignation is less about the actual work required versus the technological step backward it represents.  I know I've done my fair share of hard wire installs, but it does make complete disassmbly of the frame for maintenance or troubleshooting much more difficult than with a drop-in.

Exactly.

EXACTLY.

[peteski]

A have to agree with Dave Vollmer that this looks like a purely cost/labor cutting measure.  The chassis looks the same, but they eliminated the springy motor tabs and those metal do-hickeys on the circuit board which contacted the motor tabs.  Instead, they have 2 wires.  Less labor and cheaper to make.

[conrail98]

If they're doing this on the Fs are they going to also do it on their SD40-2s?

Phil

[Dave V]

A have to agree with Dave Vollmer that this looks like a purely cost/labor cutting measure.  The chassis looks the same, but they eliminated the springy motor tabs and those metal do-hickeys on the circuit board which contacted the motor tabs.  Instead, they have 2 wires.  Less labor and cheaper to make.

I'm not sure I said that...  I wasn't speculating as to IM's motivation, but rather that we recognize it's only a little more work for us.  It's not the amount of additional work we need to do but the principle of it that is annoying.