E24 to NXT18 converter

[Lackawannae8]

has anyone smarter than me come up with an adaptor board allowing interchange? or am I thinking dumb?

[peteski]

Why?
ESU decoders are already available with either E24 or Next18 connectors on-board.
The main reason for using E24 is its reduced height (which reduces overall thickness of the decoder (important in N scale).  Next 18 connector is thicker.  Using an adapter would further add thickness.   E24 connector also has more functions than can be passed through Next18 connector.

[Lackawannae8]

Why?
ESU decoders are already available with either E24 or Next18 connectors on-board.
The main reason for using E24 is its reduced height (which reduces overall thickness of the decoder (important in N scale).  Next 18 connector is thicker.  Using an adapter would further add thickness.   E24 connector also has more functions than can be passed through Next18 connector.

why? because theres some apps id like to run a soundtraxx nxt18 in a e24 app for different sounds.

[peteski]

why? because theres some apps id like to run a soundtraxx nxt18 in a e24 app for different sounds.

I guess I was thinking in reverse of what you need.
You want to connect non-ESU decoder with Next18 connector to one of the new Atlas (or other brand) "light boards" with the E24 connector?  In that case such adapter would be handy, but if we are talking about N scale, there might not be enough open space for this to work.



If the adapter board had the connectors stacked over each other, there migth not be enough vertical clearance for the adapter and decoder to fit.  If the adapter had the connectors on the same side, one in front of the other then there should be enough vertical clearance, but the decoder might  stick out too much forward.  But it might work for some locomotive models.

As usual, just visualizing things the Peteski way.

[Lackawannae8]

I guess I was thinking in reverse of what you need.
You want to connect non-ESU decoder with Next18 connector to one of the new Atlas (or other brand) "light boards" with the E24 connector?  In that case such adapter would be handy, but if we are talking about N scale, there might not be enough open space for this to work.



If the adapter board had the connectors stacked over each other, there migth not be enough vertical clearance for the adapter and decoder to fit.  If the adapter had the connectors on the same side, one in front of the other then there should be enough vertical clearance, but the decoder might  stick out too much forward.  But it might work for some locomotive models.

As usual, just visualizing things the Peteski way.

yes N scale... in my world no other scales or gauges of model trains exist, would be something neat to have that kind of flexibiliy

[vermonter_railfan]

Why?
ESU decoders are already available with either E24 or Next18 connectors on-board.
The main reason for using E24 is its reduced height (which reduces overall thickness of the decoder (important in N scale).  Next 18 connector is thicker.  Using an adapter would further add thickness.   E24 connector also has more functions than can be passed through Next18 connector.

To my understanding the upcoming Atlas SD45s are going to be next18, and from what I was told at the NSE Convention was that's why they went with Soundtraxx for the sound decoder over ESU. Though between the two gentleman it seemed they were not exactly sure if it would be Next18 or e24. I personally have been wondering the same thing, and heard ESU might be creating a E24 to next18 adapter but I haven't seen anything definitive.

[peteski]

To my understanding the upcoming Atlas SD45s are going to be next18, and from what I was told at the NSE Convention was that's why they went with Soundtraxx for the sound decoder over ESU. Though between the two gentleman it seemed they were not exactly sure if it would be Next18 or e24. I personally have been wondering the same thing, and heard ESU might be creating a E24 to next18 adapter but I haven't seen anything definitive.

If Atlas now  switches to Next18, that won't  make Digitrax happy since they just developed a  decoder with E24 interface.  And Atlas AFAIK is the only company besides ESU which embraced E24.

[vermonter_railfan]

If Atlas now  switches to Next18, that won't  make Digitrax happy since they just developed a  decoder with E24 interface.  And Atlas AFAIK is the only company besides ESU which embraced E24.

I feel like this project was just before the ESU e24 switch over as the GP7/9 are using e24 and the newest Scaletrains releases too. But to my understanding the reason they choose soundtraxx was the the fact the soundtraxx has a decoder that is narrower than ESU next18s. But when I was talking to the Atlas reps about next18 or e24 they did say the decoder is in the long hood but one gave me the next18 answer and the other e24. I'm not sure if the digitrax next18 is as narrow and will fit inside the shell. Didn't Digitrax release a e24 version as well recently?

[peteski]

Didn't Digitrax release a e24 version as well recently?

Yup. I mentioned that in the post right before yours.

The speaker is in the rear (long hood) and the E24 decoder is mounted up front.

[EspeeGoldenState]

If Atlas now  switches to Next18, that won't  make Digitrax happy since they just developed a  decoder with E24 interface.  And Atlas AFAIK is the only company besides ESU which embraced E24.

ScaleTrains has. The SD40-2s and the AC4400CWs are both E24 interfaces. There might be others. Surprising the newest run of Dash 9s that just came out after the AC44s are still Next18. So perhaps the older stuff will be still Next18, while everything that comes after is E24.

[vermonter_railfan]

ScaleTrains has. The SD40-2s and the AC4400CWs are both E24 interfaces. There might be others. Surprising the newest run of Dash 9s that just came out after the AC44s are still Next18. So perhaps the older stuff will be still Next18, while everything that comes after is E24.

They are E24 as well... found that out he hard way when trying to add sound to my H1 -9 I got. There was a bit of an error where the website said next18 but the provided instruction booklet says E24 and i can visually confirm E24