DC Light Boards and DCC Adaptors for Atlas 2 Rail Locomotives

Give Atlas a ring, they are very helpful in the parts dept.

mikjd posted:

Give Atlas a ring, they are very helpful in the parts dept.

Perhaps, but in this case the part is not listed on their website. All they can say is check again next year.

You have the option of hard wiring a decoder into the locomotive

that is a  part that probably "never" fails, so they may not have it listed but have a few around just in case.     Also they may have junque locos that they could get a part out of for you.    

Rather than repeat "it is not on the website", it might be worth just spending a few minutes to make the call if you really want the board.

prrjim posted:

that is a  part that probably "never" fails, so they may not have it listed but have a few around just in case.     Also they may have junque locos that they could get a part out of for you.    

Rather than repeat "it is not on the website", it might be worth just spending a few minutes to make the call if you really want the board.

 

1. When I first bought the loco I sent it to Atlas in New Jersey under warranty and included a long email explaining its behavior. The tech called and said the circuit card controlled lighting but he did not replace or repair the board, and sent the locomotive back to me.

2. A few months later I called and emailed Atlas many times eventually contacting a tech who explained they did not have the part and I should check back in December, which I did, but they still did not have the part.

3. So I "repeat again" or I just live with it.

Is it possible to repair the existing board?

Matt Makens posted:

You have the option of hard wiring a decoder into the locomotive

True, I thought I might ask if the Loksound decoder adapter card (not the sound decoder) can control lighting. I called them but their tech was not available. Eventually I came to the conclusion that their adapter board doesn't really control anything by itself.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

Is it possible to repair the existing board?

I was talking to a dealer in Portland and that thought occurred to me because there is one part on the board that seems damaged. So I will probably do just that and solder in a new part.

I've installed 5 LokSound decoders in Atlas engines and I think the adapter board is pretty much useless without the sound decoder plugged in, at least for DCC operation. I don't know about conventional.

It has been my experience with Atlas that if a part is not listed or in stock then it is not available. Light boards are usually not available probably because they seldom fail.

catnap posted:

I've installed 5 LokSound decoders in Atlas engines and I think the adapter board is pretty much useless without the sound decoder plugged in, at least for DCC operation. I don't know about conventional.

I think I eventually saw a video that made it seem that all functionality (sound, lights, control) was on the circuit of the decoder.

Over time I just learned to live with it. 1 of my 2 locos would move even when the handheld throttle was set to ZERO. The directional lighting would blink when the throttle was at the same setting. The light should be off. In regards to the movement, Atlas said that was impossible. Of course they are wrong.

One solution is to press the 'brake' button on the handheld throttle when it is set to ZERO. Then, the loco light goes off. Then dial in some speed and release the 'brake' button for a smooth start and a brighter directional light. The DC power pack has momentum control.

What the Atlas tech failed to understand is that even on a analog DC system there a 4 potential points of failure. The track, power pack, handheld controller, and the "light board" in the loco that is also an adapter circuit for plug and play command controllers and/or sound decoders.

Is this the light board that you pull out to replace with the “NCE ATL O” DCC board. If so, I have done this conversion to several Atlas O DCC ready locomotives. I have several of these light boards left over from the conversions. I think the board is the same for all “DCC Ready” locomotives, although they have come from GP35’s, C424/425’s, GP7/9’s, and SD40’s. What is the locomotive you need the light board for? Probably be best to try and match like locomotives. Let me know, I might be able to help you.

I have 2 powered locos, both are Atlas O Trainman U23B, 3rd run in 2012. The third run can accept a Loksound Select L decoder. You do not need its adapter or mother board. It is the adapter and light board that came with my loco that has a part that is no longer attached to the circuit. You can see this part as a black cylinder in the video.

If you want the original board I have a few extra boards (brand new-never used) somewhere which I would give you for the price of shipping it but you are better off getting the board from Jack since I am not sure where my boards are. 

Personally, I would go the route of a full install of DCC system with sound but that’s just me. Good luck with your project. 

Just to make sure we’re all talking about the same thing. The light boards I have, are shown in the bottom right (small board). The NCE ATL O board was a direct plug in for the Atlas light board to make the “DCC Ready” locomotive DCC equipped with light and motor control only. Atlas’  more recent releases had the blank socket (far left in photo) already installed in DC  only locomotives. By installing the ESU Loksound decoder, changed the locomotive to full DCC with sound, lighting, and motor control. The light board (lower right in photo) had the same prong arrangement as the NCE ATL O  board that when swapped out made the loco DCC. Swapping the light board back in would make the locomotive DC again.

Thanks Jack, but none of the circuit boards in the attachment on your post are the one that is the subject of this thread. You are 0 for 4.

I included an attachment on the first post in the thread named Main PCB 787216. This circuit card is shown in the Loksound video I provided, but the Atlas parts diagram shows a dog bone shaped card with a dummy plug. The dummy plug is not the subject of this thread. It seems the main function of PCB 787216 is to enable the plug and play feature for add on enhancements like control and sound. To do this, the card connects wires that go to the lights, motors, and trucks for DC electricity.

Sorry, I misunderstood. You need what is called the Atlas Dogbone board. My extra boards are the little ones that piggyback into the Dogbone board as shown in the illustration. NCE referred to these little boards as “DC light control boards” which added to my confusion. If Atlas doesn’t have them anymore you might try looking for a cheap, cosmetically challenged Atlas loco, and do a transplant. I think most of the DC Atlas locomotives except for the SW switchers had them.

Jack Morey posted:

Sorry, I misunderstood. You need what is called the Atlas Dogbone board. My extra boards are the little ones that piggyback into the Dogbone board as shown in the illustration. NCE referred to these little boards as “DC light control boards” which added to my confusion. If Atlas doesn’t have them anymore you might try looking for a cheap, cosmetically challenged Atlas loco, and do a transplant. I think most of the DC Atlas locomotives except for the SW switchers had them.

OK, will do. Thanks again.

I have about a dozen of these "dogbone" boards that were removed from DC locos that were upgraded to full DCC with LokSound decoders.

Hey Catnap,

Would you be willing to sell me one or two of them. If so, my email address is displayed in my profile information.