Will 1st Generation Kato U30C Shell Work With Current DCC Friendly Chassis

[pmpexpress]

Although Micro-Trains Line pilot conversions will need to be utilized, I was wondering whether or not the first generation (circa 1989 - 1991) U30C shell and walkways will fit properly on Kato's current DCC friendly mechanisms.

[GhengisKong]

Yes. I swapped my first gen Rock Island shell on the new chassis and it snugged right up.

[pmpexpress]

Yes. I swapped my first gen Rock Island shell on the new chassis and it snugged right up.

Thanks.

As I was looking to upgrade my Chessie and Seaboard System units, your response is greatly appreciated.

Now I'm going to have to locate some of the rather scarce Burlington Northern units in order to come up with the black fuel tanks and trucks.

[Bendtracker1]

To go along with what Ghengis said.
The shells will swap with no issue, I've done it several times.
One thing to watch for, the first time I did this I noticed the headlight wasn't very bright.
On the old chassis the the LED was up and right behind the glazing.
With the DCC ready chassis they extended the light tube so that it extends and bends down, right in front of the surface mount LED which sits back on the drop-in chip.
If you can find these new glazing they are also interchangeable into the old shells.

[OldEastRR]

Hmmmm.... I had to thin the center inside of the shell where it sits against the sides of the motor and the contacts between frame and board. This is with a TCS decoder installed. There is an indented area on the original shell, but it needs to be extended to the top of the hood, otherwise I felt it was too tight a fit. How did you guys get the shell on without jamming it in?

[pmpexpress]

To go along with what Ghengis said.
The shells will swap with no issue, I've done it several times.
One thing to watch for, the first time I did this I noticed the headlight wasn't very bright.
On the old chassis the the LED was up and right behind the glazing.
With the DCC ready chassis they extended the light tube so that it extends and bends down, right in front of the surface mount LED which sits back on the drop-in chip.
If you can find these new glazing they are also interchangeable into the old shells.

Thanks for the tip.

Will have to check with Kato on the availability of the revised light prism.

[Bendtracker1]

Thanks for the tip.

Will have to check with Kato on the availability of the revised light prism.

Sure.

What's worked for me was I had several older Rock Island units that were DC.
I've picked up over time some newer DCC U30C's and C30-7's, swapped the mechanisms and and the glazing then resold the old chassis with the newer shell and the old light tube.

So far I haven't needed to buy any parts.

This might work for you?

[pmpexpress]

Sure.

What's worked for me was I had several older Rock Island units that were DC.
I've picked up over time some newer DCC U30C's and C30-7's, swapped the mechanisms and and the glazing then resold the old chassis with the newer shell and the old light tube.

So far I haven't needed to buy any parts.

This might work for you?

Thanks for the suggestion.

Although my situation is slightly different, your brilliant idea would work perfectly for me.

Had actually forgotten that Kato's U30c and C30-7 locomotives share the same chassis.

[Ike the BN Freak]

Trucks and fuel tank swap over also

[pmpexpress]

Trucks and fuel tank swap over also

Was wondering about that...

Thanks for the additional info.

Knowing this will make retrofitting my legacy units much cheaper.

[sandypsj]

Apologies for reviving this thread. I'm trying to perform a shell swap between a DC-only U30C/C30-7 and a DCC-ready one. I see the advice is to get the light tube out of the older shell in order to help it fit on the new chassis, but I can't figure out how to get it out. Does anyone have advice?

[OldEastRR]

I did a shell swap between the first-run non-DCC U30C and the first DCC-ready one and all I remember doing is shaving down the ridges on the inside of the original shell to fit over the new chassis. I don't recall any headlight problem.

[Sumner]

Apologies for reviving this thread. I'm trying to perform a shell swap between a DC-only U30C/C30-7 and a DCC-ready one. I see the advice is to get the light tube out of the older shell in order to help it fit on the new chassis, but I can't figure out how to get it out. Does anyone have advice?

Have considered adding a decoder to the one you have?  There isn't a drop-in decoder but .....



....  I put a decoder in one of these as one of my first decoder installs when I came back to the hobby.  I used a Digitrax but would now use an ESU LokPilot if I didn't want sound.  $30 and a not terribly hard install (the LokPilot is smaller and better)....

https://1fatgmc.com/RailRoad/Decoder-1/page-7.html

Sumner

[Sokramiketes]

I haven't done the U30, but on the C30-7 the difference was that the new DCC ready frame had nubs on top that hit the old shell.  You can see on the newer shells that they had to clearance the extreme edges inside the shell.

However, it really looked like the new frame could be filed down to do the same.  There's a lot of meat on the posts that hold the new decoder.