Atlas GP38 - When did it become DCC ready?

[ryan_wilkerson]

Were these designed to be DCC ready from the beginning or was there a year/release where they became DCC-ready?

[wcfn100]

I think this happened when Atlas moved older units from the Classic line to the Master line.  From the looks of it, this was in 2007 for the GP-38s.


Jason

[Ike the BN Freak]

The Atlas GP38 has ALWAYS been DCC ready.

[ryan_wilkerson]

Thanks Jason. I looked through the master list of releases here http://www.atlasrr.com/nproducts.htm
and I don't see anything about DCC mentioned in any of the GP38 releases. If pre-2007 releases aren't DCC ready, what does it take to install DCC in them, is it the same TCS CN GP split board decoder?

[ryan_wilkerson]

The Atlas GP38 has ALWAYS been DCC ready.

Has the mechanism changed though? I'm thinking split board vs single....

[Ike the BN Freak]

Has the mechanism changed though? I'm thinking split board vs single....

No, the GP40 was original split board, the GP38/38-2/40-2 all came out after Atlas redid the frame to the single board DCC ready mech

http://www.atlasrr.com/NLoco/ngp38early.htm

Earliest announced GP38, from 2002, and you can get with decoder

[Cory Rothlisberger]

Ike beat me to it.

The GP-38s have always come DCC ready/equipped. It was the GP-40 that originally was analog only. IIRC, it was about 1997 when the GP-40 chassis was retooled to accept a decoder board.

[ryan_wilkerson]

Thanks Cory and Ike for the quick and definitive replies. Much appreciated!

[peteski]

These types of questions are usually accurately answered (with pictures) on Spookshow's superb website!  All you have to do is read. 

http://www.visi.com/~spookshow/loco/atlasgp3840.html