ESU Lokpilot Micro Direct

[RBrodzinsky]

$18 at Litchfield Station

[tehachapifan]

Yeah, got mine for $18 too.

[mu26aeh]

damn, that almost doesn't seem right

[peteski]

Yeah, got mine for $18 too.

Ok, that is a great price especially considering how much better the motor control, lighting effects, and function remapping are than a comparable Digitrax decoder (which costs more).

[tehachapifan]

Ok, that is a great price especially considering how much better the motor control, lighting effects, and function remapping are than a comparable Digitrax decoder (which costs more).

That and the fact that these can be run in a consist with LokSound equipped locos that have Drive Hold (provided you have the LokProgrammer version 4.6.2 as above  )

[GhengisKong]

Here’s a pic of all the tools I use.
The file card is 45 years old but still does its job well.  The file card material comes originally just on the canvass backing in huge rolls. You just cut a bit off and glue it to a suitable block, as Per picture.  I’m guessing this stuff is still available from tool supply houses and possibly even ready to run in similar size and already on a backing board. If you know a machine/metal shop they should know.  Unless this is all too ancient technology now. (Attachment Link)

Thanks for the pic! That is a nice setup. I now have the card you found on Amazon on the way!

[peteski]

$18 at Litchfield Station

Streamlined Backshop has them for $33!

[peteski]

Here is the one I would get.   on Amazon. Osborn International 75116SP Steel File Card, 3-3/4" Brush Area Length
Osborn International $9.56.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00J06IPQG/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_tai_vg0IAb0FF1YCF

Steve, the item above is not what you called a file card. It is just a regular file brush with short dogleg bristles.  Not a file card with very dense straight short bristles.    Now that you educated me, I know better.
You double-cut bastard (file) you!   

[ryan_wilkerson]

Just purchased my first ESU decoders...I had to for that price from Litchfield. Thanks for posting that deal!

I'm thinking of putting 2 of these non-sound decoders plus a single sound decoder in 3 unit consists as a budget way to get sound and good operations. Looks like it would cost about $122 for the three (18+18+86) which is what three TCS non-sound drop in decoders costs. Of course the speaker/enclosure/caps would add more cost to the install.

[peteski]

I also picked up few of those last night - the price was irresistible!
But I wouldn't expect that price to last - between the Euro/US$ exchange rate and the prices gong up, I doubt this price will last. Last year I was buying Zimo decoders for price just few dollars higher than Digitrax, but by now the price of Zimo decoders had almost doubled.  I say get 'em while you can!

[tehachapifan]

Just purchased my first ESU decoders...I had to for that price from Litchfield. Thanks for posting that deal!

I'm thinking of putting 2 of these non-sound decoders plus a single sound decoder in 3 unit consists as a budget way to get sound and good operations. Looks like it would cost about $122 for the three (18+18+86) which is what three TCS non-sound drop in decoders costs. Of course the speaker/enclosure/caps would add more cost to the install.

My current plan is to also run a combination of sound and non-sound decoder-equipped locos together, as I have too many locos to convert all of them to sound. I was just playing around with some loco lashup arrangements last night to see what arrangements are the most convincing. I found it's pretty hard to tell that there's a non-sound loco when it's sandwiched between two sound locos, especially if I could position the sound locos so that the ends with the speakers were closest to the non-sound unit. There's even kind of a stereo effect that sort of centers the sound over the non-sound loco, if you know what I mean (might depend on how similar the sound files are?). I also tried to put the non-sound loco in a lead and trailing position. Not as convincing but not too bad. At any rate, I'm willing to accept some compromise to keep the costs a bit more in check.

[jdcolombo]

My current plan is to also run a combination of sound and non-sound decoder-equipped locos together, as I have too many locos to convert all of them to sound. I was just playing around with some loco lashup arrangements last night to see what arrangements are the most convincing. I found it's pretty hard to tell that there's a non-sound loco when it's sandwiched between two sound locos, especially if I could position the sound locos so that the ends with the speakers were closest to the non-sound unit. There's even kind of a stereo effect that sort of centers the sound over the non-sound loco, if you know what I mean (might depend on how similar the sound files are?). I also tried to put the non-sound loco in a lead and trailing position. Not as convincing but not too bad. At any rate, I'm willing to accept some compromise to keep the costs a bit more in check.

The NKP used 3-unit lashups of diesels for most of its mainline runs.  They were usually all GP9's or RS11's, but sometimes they mixed the two - a GP9 with two RS11's or vice versa, maybe even with an RS3 thrown in.  You might even have seen a PA1 on the point with a GP9 and RS11 behind. 

As a result, I've adopted the "two sound, one not" approach, sandwiching the non-sound unit between the two sound units.  Two sound units is plenty; and if I'm mixing a GP with an RS, I can distinctly hear the different sounds of the EMD 567 vs. the Alco 251B.  Works wonderfully.

John C.

[ryan_wilkerson]

So I received my first decoder and installed it into an Athearn F59 that my son has been wanting to be DCC'd for a while. Turned out great! I removed the old DC light board, trimmed the plastic pins that held the old DC light board so the new ESU board could sit lower. I had to remove the plastic cab light housing since the board sits forward. I haven't dealt with the lighting situation yet...I'll be putting LEDs in for the headlights and individual ditch lights anyway.

I took out a variety of locomotives to see what kind of frame mods would be need to fit this decoder in. They all would need some filing: IM SD45-2, SD45T-2 and SD40T-2. Atlas SD50/60, C40-8, SD7/9, B30-7, B40-8 and GP15. I'm not wild about spending an hour or more grinding away on a frame to make it work when there are so many other drop ins. I'm hoping I can use the other decoder in future revised frames (IM and Atlas).

[Steveruger45]

So I received my first decoder and installed it into an Athearn F59 that my son has been wanting to be DCC'd for a while. Turned out great! I removed the old DC light board, trimmed the plastic pins that held the old DC light board so the new ESU board could sit lower. I had to remove the plastic cab light housing since the board sits forward. I haven't dealt with the lighting situation yet...I'll be putting LEDs in for the headlights and individual ditch lights anyway.

I took out a variety of locomotives to see what kind of frame mods would be need to fit this decoder in. They all would need some filing: IM SD45-2, SD45T-2 and SD40T-2. Atlas SD50/60, C40-8, SD7/9, B30-7, B40-8 and GP15. I'm not wild about spending an hour or more grinding away on a frame to make it work when there are so many other drop ins. I'm hoping I can use the other decoder in future revised frames (IM and Atlas).

To get these to fit will need some frame mods in most locos.  I have already done a bunch as I am standardizing to esu for my entire loco fleet. Mostly esu loksound with some esu lokpilots as well for the center loco in a three unit lash up as JC says or if I just can’t get sound in the loco.
There are some very good drop in boards, but I am changing them out, namely digitrax and nce in my case, because one brand makes operating and programming and consisting easier IMHO. A big plus is that the lokpilot works well with the loksound including the delayed start and other features as others have said.
While the frame mods can be a PITA I guess, in my case I actually enjoy the process, mostly!

[tehachapifan]

Steve, since you said you enjoy doing frame mods so much, I've sent you a box full of frames to do.