# USA Trains F3 and GP9



## George (Dec 27, 2007)

I have a USA F3 set and a GP9 I purchased at the Amherst MA train show from Charlie Ro a couple of years ago. I've been lurking here for awhile. Do these engines have DCC/Battery plug and play ability are they DCC/battery ready without complex installations?


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## Bill Swindell (Jan 2, 2008)

No they aren't. You will have to do the ehole installation yourself. Also, USA uses a common nexative in cases where lights are connected together and DCC uses a common positive.


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

To me USA are the most difficult to do a complete DCC install. The bi colored LED's are a pain, the incandescent light and smoke draw more current that most outputs. It is quite easy to do down and dirty. That is just feed the existing board with the decoder motor output. You will not have constant lighting, if you can live with that.


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## George (Dec 27, 2007)

Treeman said:


> To me USA are the most difficult to do a complete DCC install. The bi colored LED's are a pain, the incandescent light and smoke draw more current that most outputs. It is quite easy to do down and dirty. That is just feed the existing board with the decoder motor output. You will not have constant lighting, if you can live with that.[
> 
> Thanks for the info. Well they are good looking engines; Boton and Maine and Maine Central F units. I'm far from an electronics wiz. I would need to pay someone to do the work.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

You can use my quick and dirty install, basically run the internal board from the motor output, takes longer to open the loco than to install:

http://www.elmassian.com/index.php?...-dcc-install&catid=14:motive-power&Itemid=528


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

George,
You mention battery. What control system are you thinking about?


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## Beddhist (Dec 17, 2013)

There are Airwire drop-in boards, ready for battery connection. http://cvpusa.com/airwire_dropins.php


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

At Trainli in Massachusetts I change out the USA Trains common cathode leds with common anode leds and wire up the fan driven smoke units for more realistic operation.
DCC upgrades can be simple or complex, it is what you would like for the end result that matters.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I think we need to hear from the OP if he is DCC track power or battery since the original question was more about wiring either.

I responded with easy solutions since people said there weren't any


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## George (Dec 27, 2007)

Greg Elmassian said:


> You can use my quick and dirty install, basically run the internal board from the motor output, takes longer to open the loco than to install:
> 
> http://www.elmassian.com/index.php?...-dcc-install&catid=14:motive-power&Itemid=528


Thanks Greg. I'm far from an install expert or even a beginner, I've done n scale board swaps but much easier. Great information but might I recommend you do a You Tube video for a a more detailed explanation.
Thanks


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## George (Dec 27, 2007)

Paul Burch said:


> George,
> You mention battery. What control system are you thinking about?


Hi Paul, I don't know enough about battery power for g scale except I've heard about the dead rail society. Again I'm not a master electronic guru just trying yo find the best power options for my planned outdoor railroad in seacoast NH later Spring. I'm not really interested in spending hundreds on upgrading when the engine cost me $300 for F3 A/A units and less for GP. I do have some Aristo craft.. but they are older.


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## George (Dec 27, 2007)

Beddhist said:


> There are Airwire drop-in boards, ready for battery connection. http://cvpusa.com/airwire_dropins.php



Tons of options. What sort of air wire control system for you need to purchase to run battery on USA loco?


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## George (Dec 27, 2007)

Greg Elmassian said:


> Since you already have the NCE system, the cheapest option is use it, and add a $180 motor and sound decoder.
> 
> Or you could go motor and lights only for $65.
> 
> ...


 Hi Greg, 
I do not have an NCE system.


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## josephunh (Mar 27, 2013)

Hi George, my advice is don't race to put a system in and figure out what you want that system to do and how comfortable you are with certain aspects of the different systems. I am also in NH as you and invite you to look into the www.nhgrs.com as we do have a meeting tomorrow night as well and that way you can talk to others and even see other peoples systems and installs in helping you make your decision.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Sorry George, confused this one with a different thread where the OP did already have the NCE system. Please ignore my post, I deleted it.

On the quick and dirty, you are about the 1,000th person recommending I do youtube videos and I do want to do that, but shooting a good video while working takes an extra set of hands I do not have.

If you make the 2 little jumper wires and connect as I describe, it takes 5 minutes.

Greg


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## George (Dec 27, 2007)

josephunh said:


> Hi George, my advice is don't race to put a system in and figure out what you want that system to do and how comfortable you are with certain aspects of the different systems. I am also in NH as you and invite you to look into the www.nhgrs.com as we do have a meeting tomorrow night as well and that way you can talk to others and even see other peoples systems and installs in helping you make your decision.



HI Joe,
I just looked at your website. See the meeting is in Manchester at 730pm I'm over in the seacoast region, what time do the meetings get out? I'm an early riser due to work, so I'm not sure if I can make it. Are there weekend meets at people layouts etc in the warmer months?
Thanks,


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## josephunh (Mar 27, 2013)

Meeting are usually done by 9 pm. Yes in warmer months members also have open houses for the club to come to and run on.


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

For DCC, in addition to Greg's down and dirty method which I did mention, TrainTek builds a board that replaces the existing board in a USA locomotive, GP-7, GP-30, GP-38 and SD-40 that will operate a replacement lighting kit and accept a QSI plug in decoder that includes a sound system.

For battery, Air Wire has done the work to make a simple plug and play receiver decoder. These are made to fit each of the USA diesels and make a very easy to install a plug and play installation that works perfectly with a Phoenix P-8.


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

Living in NH you do have a vendor that deals in wireless/battery and his name is Don Sweet. 

http://www.rcsofne.com/

He will attend the show at the Shriners Wilmington, MA on March 19/20


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Mike, just to let you know, the link to my site that shows the down and dirty also shows the traintek board on the same page.

It's a more costly solution since you need to change out the lights also.

Greg


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

Very good. I was disappointed with the TrainTek when it came out finding that it would not drive the existing USA lighting. Then AW goes to the trouble to do a separate decoder for each of the USA locomotives, I commend them for going to this effort. They must figure it was worth it. By the way, I have never heard that the would not run the motors adequately, they have sold hundreds of them, but still recommend 14.8 volt batteries. However many are using 18 volt batteries. I know you would not get enough speed, LOL Or run all of those lighted passenger cars.


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## Michael Glavin (Jan 2, 2009)

Mike,

You noted:
_I have never heard that the would not run the motors adequately, they have sold hundreds of them, but still recommend 14.8 volt batteries._

Is your comment in reference to the AirWre system capability of 120 watts total load, regardless of voltage in-play?

Michael


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

Michael, that is correct.


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## George (Dec 27, 2007)

Dan Pierce said:


> Living in NH you do have a vendor that deals in wireless/battery and his name is Don Sweet.
> 
> http://www.rcsofne.com/
> 
> He will attend the show at the Shriners Wilmington, MA on March 19/20


Ok, I usually go to that show off rt 93 I'll check it out.


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