Kato SDP40F/DCC questions

[squirrelhunter]

I picked up a couple of Kato SDP40F's for running on the local Ntrak setup with the Kato Phase 1 cars. One of the locos had the TCS decoder already installed (put the wrong item in the cart!), so I have a few, maybe very dumb DCC questions.

First, I'd like to add both a gyralight and a mars light to the upper headlight housing on both units. I know Richmond Controls provides gear that will accomplish this not non DCC locos, but can this be done on a DCC loco using the DCC board?

I was also thinking about getting one of the factory sound equipped versions when they finally arrive, but the SDP40F's probably have a lot of space  under the shell for a decoder and a speaker. Are sound installs hard to do even if you don't have to cut the frame to hold the speaker? I guess i'm not sure I should pay Kato to snap on a speaker and decoder if it just all replaces the existing light board. I can do that!

Thanks for the help!

[woodone]

Well I just finished doing one of these guys. I installed an LOkSound Micro Select sound decoder. Had to machine the frame down in the rear to make  room for the decoder. I also had to machine a hole in the fuel tank area to have a place for an 9 MM X 16 MM speaker.
The LokSound Decoder has additional lighting output so you could use those to make your Mars light and one other light work if you wanted to.
I also had to modify the rear light holder as it would not fit with the decoder in place. I wired a SMT LED in place for the rear light.
I modified the original light board so I would have a place to wire my decoder. This left the front light as it was and worked fine for this.
Not a model for the first time installer with sound.     

[squirrelhunter]

I have an update! And a problem!

Woodone, thanks for your comments. I decided that I'd hold off until the factory applied sound units arrive so I can see how they take a crack at it. In the meantime I bought a second TCS K7D4 for #504, which didn't have a Kobo installed decoder.

First, getting the shell off of the chassis was difficult and took about 45 minutes of working and googling. I found a guy on N Scale.net who said the easiest way was to get the right rear side unclipped first, then work the shell up and down from the back end ofn the unit, and then try to spread the shell at the front. I found this way worked the best, and using about 6 old Xacto chisel blades is keep for use as shims, I got the shell off.

Unclipping the light board and replacing it with the TCS decoder was just as described on TCS website. Put the unit on my DC test track (don't have DCC at home), turned on the power, and got the lights to come on and ran it back and forth briefly to verify it ran. Did all all this Friday night. Boxed it up, and took it to the big Ntrak Setup on Sunday, and asked the guys with their programming rigs to help me get addresses and consist both the Kobo installed unit and the unit I installed so I could get down to the business of hauling a 18 car Southwest Limited.

The Kobo unit programmed pretty easily. But the decoder I installed wouldn't read on either the Digitrax or the Easy DCC programming setups the club had. The lights would come on in DCC or DC on the Digitrax programming track, but it did nothing on the Easy DCC one. I even tried to just run it on straight DC, and go nothing, no lights no movement.

My guess is one of 2 things, and maybe both:
1. The clip that holds the contact strips came loose and the DCC board/locomotive is no longer getting power
2. I fried the DCC board somehow