DCC for SD40s

I don't mean to ride on someones shirt tails, but having not really delved into DCC yet, could someone share what is being used for SD locos? I know the TCS is good for the Geep as well as the Digitrax, but what about the MTL SDs? What and where to buy?

Thank you,
Loren

Loren, dont get the Digitrax, It will not work with the SD40. Use the TCS. The post will have to be milled to get the decoder to fit. Theres two ways to do this. First one is the Robert Ray method which is to mill the post until the decoder fits. The other is the Ed Turner method which is to cut he top portion of the post. It takes lots of filing and checking to see if it fits.

I haven't bought a MTL SD40 yet because of the DCC issue. Any idea if MTL is going to change the frame so a decoder will fit?

John

HELP!!!!
I have 2 of the MTL UP SD40's coming & I also have 2 of the TCS MZA4 decoders left over from another project. Are these correct? Is the post filing the correct route? Earlier I heard that a fairly radical splitting of the frame was required. Can anyone direct to specific information relating to installing decoders in an MTL SD40? --BEFORE our Train Show this coming weekend!!!
Thanks all!
Jack C

Jack, here is the link to the conversion. www.trainboard.com/grapevine/showthread.php?t=112314&page=12

JackC wrote:

HELP!!!!
I have 2 of the MTL UP SD40's coming & I also have 2 of the TCS MZA4 decoders left over from another project. Are these correct? Is the post filing the correct route? Earlier I heard that a fairly radical splitting of the frame was required. Can anyone direct to specific information relating to installing decoders in an MTL SD40? --BEFORE our Train Show this coming weekend!!!
Thanks all!
Jack C

Jack,
The splitting of the frame is not radical if done correctly.
I talked on the phone with Don Fedjur regarding the technique, and here are the critical points.

Yes, you have to do some filing and I think you have to do some no matter how you approach the subject, but Don measures with a caliper the distance between the outside of the top of the two frame halves first before he loosens the chassis halves.
After some filing you insert the board between the posts and then screw the halves together again. The issue is that the board will cause the top half of the chassis halves to spread wider than the bottom and of course you want the top and bottom to be equally spaced.
Don takes a small C clamp and places it on the top halves and carefully turns the handle until the caliper measures exactly what it did before you loosened the chassis screws.

For instance, if the measurement before is say 25mm and then after inserting the board between the halves, you tighten the screws back. Without the C clamp, the top half will not return to the original measurement. So keeping the caliper on the top half you slowly tighten the clamp until the caliper measurement reads the original amount (in this example, 25mm. Know you know the top and bottom are parallel again.

As John said, the whole basic thread is very helpful.

Get ready for your SDs.

Loren, I have a simpler method. If it doesnt fit the shell, you didnt file enough.

John,
I gave up filing after my last tax audit:laugh:
Of course, then I had to learn how to file those metal bars in my isolation cell.
Finally found out that nail files were not for bars....doh !!
Loren

Thanks so much for the help!