Decoders & Minitrix trains?

[Bernard]

Has anybody installed a decoder in a Minitrix steam engine?

I have a few 4-6-2 chassis and I'll post a photo of the interior at a later date. I looking to install one in the Minitrix Sir Nigel Greeley. 

[Martijn Meerts]

I have installed decoders in various Minitrix steamers, but nothing like the Sir Nigel. It's no more difficult than other installs really, the biggest problem is usually finding enough space for the decoder. Minitrix steamers usually do have plenty room inside the boiler to run all the wires to the correct places, and in most cases, power pickup is fairly straight forward to.

 

The exception is when the motor is mounted in the tender, in which case there's hardly ever any room unless you mill the frame some. The problem with this is that the trains can get unbalanced and unstable. Another problem could be if you need to have wires in between the tender and loco.

 

If you can't figure it out, and you feel comfortable with it, you can always mail me the loco, and I'll install a decoder for you. The shipping cost might not be worth it though. On the other, maybe you only have to pay 1-way, and I could deliver it in person sometime early April ;)

[The_Ghan]

Nice train Bernard.  Hope it all goes well.

 

Cheers

 

The_Ghan

[Bernard]

Here are 3 photos of the interior of the Minitrix steam engine (Sorry they are a little bit blurry)