MTL Announces an SW1500 for delivery in Spring 2014

[Larry46]

Speaking with MTL Rep at the convention Was told unit was DCC ready and a Digitrax DZxxxx decoder was mentioned as the one that fits. Wish I would of wrote down the Digitrax number.

[Denver Road Doug]

Speaking of SW1, every time I see this topic it is truncated due to column width and says "MTL Announces and SW1"....which, is a locomotive I DO need.   So, how long before we see an SW1?      Wait, don't answer that....I don't wanna hijack this thread, just kinda rhetorical.   I do agree the SW1500 probably should be "next in line" as THE locomotive n-scale needs.   But, eventually, I hope we get an SW1 and a CF7. (and yes I have the CF7 kit from Rangust.)

[Dave Schneider]

Larry,

Thanks for the info. It would be great if Joe could weigh in on this. It seems like the his answer many pages ago was ambiguous.

Best wishes, Dave

[wazzou]

Larry,

Thanks for the info. It would be great if Joe could weigh in on this. It seems like the his answer many pages ago was ambiguous.

Best wishes, Dave

Agreed.

[rogergperkins]

http://www.micro-trains.com/cs-N_14xx_SW1500.php
I am not certain if others participants read this announcement as fact, but it seems official to me regarding MTLs plans.

[learmoia]

Comment Removed.

[peteski]

My guess would be DZ123M0 1 Amp Z-Scale Mobile Decoder For MicroTrains GP-35, GP-9

Hmm... thsat decoder was specifically designed to replace the light circuit board on those Z scale locos. It is long and narrow.  I'm not sure that MT would chose to use it in N scale SW 1500.  Hopefully they will just design their loco like many of the newer locos (both American and European).  These utilize a 6-pin socket.  They are sold with a "DC" 6-pin plug which has 2 diodes installed in the socket. It makes the loco function as a standard DC loco.  To convert the loco to DCC, you simply remove that plug and replace it with a DZ125IN decoder (or similar).  The nice thing is that this is a standardized design, so any compatible decoder will simply plug into the locomotive, providing full DCC functionality.  No soldering, no problems....

[wcfn100]

Hmm... thsat decoder was specifically designed to replace the light circuit board on those Z scale locos. It is long and narrow.  I'm not sure that MT would chose to use it in N scale SW 1500.  Hopefully they will just design their loco like many of the newer locos (both American and European).  These utilize a 6-pin socket.  They are sold with a "DC" 6-pin plug which has 2 diodes installed in the socket. It makes the loco function as a standard DC loco.  To convert the loco to DCC, you simply remove that plug and replace it with a DZ125IN decoder (or similar).  The nice thing is that this is a standardized design, so any compatible decoder will simply plug into the locomotive, providing full DCC functionality.  No soldering, no problems....

Isn't 6 pin only two functions?

Jason

[peteski]

Isn't 6 pin only two functions?

Jason

Yes, it is a standard design. Lots of European models and at least FVM GEVO use this DCC plug-n-play system.

[wazzou]

I think Jason may be saying and I would agree, that a switcher like the SW-1500 would benefit from a decoder that yielded more than just 2 functions.  YOMV

[peteski]

I think Jason may be saying and I would agree, that a switcher like the SW-1500 would benefit from a decoder that yielded more than just 2 functions.  YOMV

True.  But in that case the installation would not be plug-n-play anymore. Unless MT decides to have a custom multifunction decoder made just for that model.

[wcfn100]

I think Jason may be saying and I would agree, that a switcher like the SW-1500 would benefit from a decoder that yielded more than just 2 functions.  YOMV

That's part of it.

I've not had the occasion to use a 6 pin decoder but I understood them to be 2 function (and assumed it because of the six wires).  I can't see why the decoder couldn't still have an extra pad for a third function, so maybe that's not a big deal.  Perhaps some are already made that way. IDK

I would think that a decoder + 6 pin socket + light board(s) would take up more space than just a DCC board with the lights on it.   

Jason

[peteski]

That's part of it.

I've not had the occasion to use a 6 pin decoder but I understood them to be 2 function (and assumed it because of the six wires).  I can't see why the decoder couldn't still have an extra pad for a third function, so maybe that's not a big deal.  Perhaps some are already made that way. IDK

I would think that a decoder + 6 pin socket + light board(s) would take up more space than just a DCC board with the lights on it.   

Jason

The 6-pin NEMA connector is being used by DCC manufacturers because is a NMRA defined standard small connector.  See http://www.nmra.org/standards/DCC/standards_rps/RP-9.1.1%20200801.pdf .  This small connector has been used in Europe for decades (I have a Minitrix locomotive from the early 90s which has that connector) and it just recently started being used in US.  Thus, several US decoder manufacturers started making decoders which are designed to fit that connector.  The 6-pin connector and decoder result in a very compact installation. At least for a plug-n-play installation. The FVM GEVO is a good example of how little room the DCC installation occupies.

There is an 8-pin connector too (for more functions), but it is much larger than the 6-pin one. That is because the 6-pin connector uses 0.05" pitch while the 8-pin connector uses 0.1" pitch'  8-pin connector is a bit large to be uses in small N scale locos.  It has been uses in N scale models which have more room inside, like the FVM 4-4-2, IM AC-12, and several Con-Cor models.

[wcfn100]

If it's not three functions, I don't have much use for it.

But like I said, there's no reason there can't be an extra pad on the decoder.  Any beacon would need to hard wired anyway.

Jason

[peteski]

But like I said, there's no reason there can't be an extra pad on the decoder.  Any beacon would need to hard wired anyway.

Jason

I agree.