DCC Shop HO Athearn Genesis SD70ACe - DCC, Sound, and Lighting Install

[@t.j.antosiak1045]

The best detailed dcc installation vid I have ever seen in my entire life. Great job dan!!

[@DanielCortopassi]

Wow, thanks! I appreciate that a lot!

[@BriansModelTrains]

Your videos and eexplanations are top notch. Thank you for sharing your passion.

[@DanielCortopassi]

You're welcome. I'm glad you like the content. Thanks for watching!

[@cacline72]

BNSF doesn't do flashing ditchlights but interestingly predecessor BN did on some of their units, BNSF changed them to solid ditch lights shortly after the merger.

[@DanielCortopassi]

Thanks for the info! I don't recall seeing flashing ditch lights on any of the BNSF engines I've seen, but I wasn't 100% sure about this particular engine so I put the lights on separate outputs. All I need to do to get rid of the flashing is just change a couple CV settings in the decoder. Thanks for watching!

[@johnoneill5661]

Great well paced and very helpful video 👍

[@stevenikitas8170]

You really do an amazing job. If I tried this, my washing machine would turn on when I hit the throttle.

[@DanielCortopassi]

Haha... well, so far that's never happened, but I have had my share of goof ups. Thanks for watching!

[@CentralJerseyRailfan]

Excellent vid Dan, a common practice many modelers are taking with DCC and sound installations involve the use of a NixTrainz Decoder Buddy, an LED friendly motherboard which has a detachable connector that allows for the shell to easily detach and accepts any 21MTC decoder. BNSF ACes’ ditch lights do not flash so they can be easily wired to a single AUX although it does not hurt to have them separately because it allows for the individual light brightness adjustment. Scale Sound Systems speakers are also very popular

[@DanielCortopassi]

I haven't yet tried a Decoder Buddy. I may consider that in a future episode. I can see one advantage would be that it would make it easy to swap in an upgraded decoder later on. Thanks for the info on the ditch lights. As I've mentioned in other comments, I don't recall seeing BNSF engines with flashing ditch lights, but I wasn't sure about this particular engine. I would have wired the lights separately anyway, just as a good practice, and because of the brightness adjustment you mentioned. I am not sure what brand of speaker I used. I have a stash of speakers that I've accumulated over the years, and my choice in this case was driven by what would physically fit in the factory speaker mount. Thanks for watching!

[@kyleftw1679]

Just use a TSU2 decoder

[@DanielCortopassi]

@@kyleftw1679 My personal preference is for Loksound, but the installation for any board style decoder would be similar.

[@CW-qt1qv]

Nice work Dan! I did 9366 a while back with the same decoder. Your light work was awesome! This is a good tutorial for DCC installation.

[@DanielCortopassi]

I'm glad you liked the installation and the lighting. That's cool you have one, too. I only have the one BNSF unit but I have a few other Athearn SD70ACe models for other railroads. Thanks for watching!

[@jhoodfysh]

WOW, that was great to watch, thank you Daniel.

[@DanielCortopassi]

I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for watching!

[@eliabraham6918]

Excellent video I have an Athearn Sd70ace that I'm planning to work on too. This video will definitely help me.

[@DanielCortopassi]

I'm glad you found this video helpful. Good luck with your SD70ACe and thanks for watching!

[@enriqueaguilar4892]

Sound technology everyday gets better n more entertaining for Ho locomotive's n for O gauge, O scale, S scale n G scale n even the big scales that you can ride on your own property everyday that technology is worth the investment n money

[@DanielCortopassi]

Sound does keep getting better. I have a lot of fun doing installs like this. Thanks for watching!

[@hoscalerailfan]

I think we needed a series like this for a while...

[@DanielCortopassi]

Thanks so much! A number of people have been asking for something like this. I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for watching!

[@nolanknoepfle8044]

Excellent video

[@DanielCortopassi]

Thanks so much!

[@trapdriver7006]

Excellent informative video I enjoyed watching,please make some more videos in this DCC series.👍😁😁😁🚂🇬🇧

[@DanielCortopassi]

I'm glad you liked it. And yes, there will be more. I have quite a few models that need this treatment. Thanks for watching!

[@What_If_We_Tried]

Fantastic tutorial video, and just what I needed, as I have some older DCC ready motive power, and am planing my first switching shelf layout. * subscribed *

[@DanielCortopassi]

I'm glad you liked the program and found it useful. I have more of these planned, time permitting. Thanks for watching!

[@albertofranchi6408]

Super clear work

[@DanielCortopassi]

I'm glad you liked the presentation format. Thanks for watching!

[@jeffreyrule8143]

Thanks Dan. Great DIY video.

[@DanielCortopassi]

You're welcome. I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for watching!

[@paulkirkmanMYTRAINS]

Very nice work !!!!!

[@DanielCortopassi]

Thanks so much!

[@oaksub510]

Fantastic attention to detail! Nice work.

[@DanielCortopassi]

Thanks so much!

[@kevinleftridge8241]

Excellent job!

[@DanielCortopassi]

Thanks so much!

[@randallellison6421]

Very cool video Dan and to answer your question, none of BNSF's SD70ACe units have flashing ditch lights, but do feature ground lights, which is interestingly omitted on the road's GE/Wabtech units (C44-9W, AC4400CW, ES44AC/DC/C4 and ET44C4). There were SD70MACs that BNSF predecessor Burlington Northern ordered that did feature flashing ditch lights, however, those units are likely stored/retired or overhauled and repainted and thus no longer have alternating ditch lights.

[@DanielCortopassi]

Thanks for the info. A lot of people have commented on this. I didn't recall seeing flashing lights on any BNSF engines, but I didn't want to make too many assumptions. I did assume that Athearn was correct in putting the ground light detail parts on the model, which is not necessarily safe either, since manufacturers don't always get everything right. I think the techniques used could be applied to other models, which is one of the reasons I tried to wire the model to be as versatile as possible. The flashing can be changed with CV programming, and the ground lights could be turned off. Thanks for watching!

[@pacset2]

the PTC on the BNSF may b different , check your photos for road #'s, nice work Dan

[@DanielCortopassi]

Thanks for the info!

[@bertcresta6685]

Nice work!!

[@DanielCortopassi]

Thanks so much!

[@danielferri2000]

Very interesting!!! Thanks!!!

[@DanielCortopassi]

I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for watching!

[@kcgrailgilbert8466]

It sounds so real

[@DanielCortopassi]

I like the sound quality of the Loksound 5 series with a decent speaker. Thanks for watching!

[@kcgrailgilbert8466]

@@DanielCortopassi no prob

[@kyleftw1679]

Nice tutorial on this, I'd assume it's similar if installing a Tsunami 2 board.

[@DanielCortopassi]

Yes, all DCC decoders have the same basic connections, though they may be in different places on the board. I'm not sure how many lighting outputs Tsunamis have these days, so that can also vary. Thanks for watching!

[@kkrices]

The fiber optic strand idea really worked out well. Have you considered fantasy lighting ideas?

[@DanielCortopassi]

I hadn't but that could be cool. I remember thinking that it would be cool to take a sci-fi model like the Star Trek Enterprise and use fiber optics to light up all the windows, but I think they have a built up model or kit for something like that now. I do have some ideas to use fiber optics in other ways on a layout, which I'm anxious to try out. Thanks for watching!

[@edsel6818]

I thought all these locomotives had ditch lights in the rear too. Great work, that sure takes a lots of patients when WORKN on tiny models/parts, ECT, like this. Great job.😉👌👍

[@DanielCortopassi]

Photos I found of this particular unit show it with no ditch lights in the rear. Some SD70ACe engines do have them. I have a pair of Athearn NS units that do. I'm glad you liked the video. Thanks for watching!

[@floydbeard5073]

Nice work.

[@DanielCortopassi]

Thanks so much!

[@floydbeard5073]

@@DanielCortopassi welcome buddy. Keep up the great content.

[@scottk9806]

Awesome video just for a heads up, none of the BNSF locos have flashing ditchlights!

[@CentralJerseyRailfan]

a small number of ex BN MACs I found have flashing DLs

[@yankeesforlife24]

@@CentralJerseyRailfan but those are former bn units that weren’t changed. All new ordered bnsf units don’t have flashing ditch lights

[@scottk9806]

@@CentralJerseyRailfan none of the BNSF locos I have seen, have had them. Living in BNSF country as well

[@randallellison6421]

@@scottk9806 it's most likely the units that were equipped with flashing ditch lights, which would have been BNSF predecessor Burlington Northern's first order of SD70MACs, have either been retired or rebuilt into SD70MACe units in which the later no longer features flashing ditch lights.

[@DanielCortopassi]

Thanks for the info. I wasn't 100% sure about the lights, though I don't remember seeing flashing ditch lights on any BNSF engines that I've railfanned. I'm glad I set up the engine the way I did, so that the flashing can be eliminated with just a bit of reprogramming. With a decoder that has a lot of outputs, I think it's good to take advantage of that as much as possible. That way if any adjustments need to be made later, it can be done with CV programming and won't require physically opening up the locomotive. Thanks for watching!

[@scottday8]

It was good to see another great video know I haven’t spoken to you in a long long time hope you remember who I am😂

[@DanielCortopassi]

Yes, I remember. Nice to hear from you! Thanks for watching!

[@KingTrump2024]

I will say the Athearn LED conversion kits are good quality LED's for these kings of installs.

[@DanielCortopassi]

I didn't know that Athearn offered those. Thanks for the info!

[@randallellison6421]

@@DanielCortopassi yup, you can buy them in packs with or without the lens too!

[@watchtrainsnow1099]

Really enjoyed the video. I learned a lot.

[@DanielCortopassi]

I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for watching!

[@captainbill12]

Nice video. I love to look at install videos. Always something new to pick up. I was just wondering why your wires are as long as they are. Is there a reason to not shorten them up?

[@DanielCortopassi]

It's mostly a matter of giving myself enough slack to be able to maneuver the shell. If the wires are too short sometimes it can be difficult to do that. On the other hand, if they're too long they tend to get caught in things. Thanks for watching!

[@captainbill12]

@@DanielCortopassi what I was looking at that I thought was long were the speaker wires. It looked like they were a bit long in this case. I know it's a matter of personal preference. It's just part of my OCD talking. I hope you continue to make videos like this as these are my favorite types of videos to watch. No matter what I know there is always something I can take away from watching someone else do the same thing. Thank you again for making this video as I really loved it.

[@clintonpringle8537]

Great Video Please do one with a SP’s locomotive with full light package Thank you

[@DanielCortopassi]

I might have a few SP locomotives lying around. I'll put it on the list. Thanks for the suggestion and for watching!

[@hobbeekid]

Hey Dan, what kind of soldering iron do you use for your small intricate soldering work?Also,what kind of flux do to use on your Loc Sound boards? I have used tix in the past but was told recently that is bad to use esp on boards. Keep that content rolling!!! Jeff

[@DanielCortopassi]

I use a Weller 25 watt iron, which is great for electronics. I've also used it to hand lay track on PC board ties. I don't use any flux on electronics. Sometimes I pre-tin the solder pads by heating them with the iron and then applying a small amount of solder. If you also pre-tin the wires, then connecting the two is very fast with just a quick touch of the iron. The rosin core solder I use for electronics has a small amount of flux built in, if I recall. I like Tix flux for some applications, like hand laying track and building locomotive handrails. Thanks for watching!

[@Highclearmedia]

Hey Dan, recently I bought an ESU V5 direct and got it programmed for an EMD 710 sound file. When it’s in the locomotive, the decoder gets extremely hot when it receives power at all. The locomotive is an Athearn RTR GP60M. Is there anything I can do or someone I should contact? Thanks.

[@Highclearmedia]

The current draw is also much higher than any other of my DCC locomotives and it does make a very quiet buzzing sound like there’s a short.

[@DanielCortopassi]

Since you mentioned the possibility of a short, I would suggest maybe removing the decoder and checking for that. If you have a multi meter that can help. Make sure there's no current flow between the wheels and the motor. I have an Athearn GP60M but it's been a while since I worked on it. Some Athearn motors have contacts on the top and bottom. In the old days the bottom contact would touch the frame. A newer DCC ready version should be insulated, but it's another spot to check. If you can test the decoder in a different model that could also help to narrow down the cause. If the decoder is defective, I'd suggest contacting ESU. Good luck and thanks for watching!

[@Highclearmedia]

Thanks for the info, I already insulated the bottom contact with some tape, and I tried all of the other methods you suggested. My guess is that it’s defective, so I contacted ESU about it. Hopefully I get a response soon from them. Thanks.

[@yankeesforlife24]

This unit did not have ground lights bc bnsf does not have grounds lights on their units. Otherwise this is a good video

[@natestrains1166]

Just looked at a picture of this unit, and it does have ground lights.

[@CentralJerseyRailfan]

IIRC, BNSF didn’t specify truck lights on their GE units but their EMDs seem like the exception

[@devernepersonal3636]

look at BNSF engines at night, they have step and ground lights

[@BNLX_7046]

The early thundercabs did have them on a mistake on EMD’s part. All other models of their newer locomotives do not have them. The gevos and later Ace orders don’t. They have retrofitted some local units with them. Otherwise no major unit has them unless otherwise noted

[@yankeesforlife24]

@@devernepersonal3636 most units only have step lights

[@bertcresta6685]

Nice work!!

[@DanielCortopassi]

Thanks for watching!