How to convert Life Like EMD GP18 Hi Nose Norfolk & Western 918 to DCC

This guide covers the Life Like EMD GP18 Models Hi Nose diesel models:

• Life Like EMD GP18 Hi Nose 918 in Norfolk & Western black livery
• Life Like EMD GP18 Hi Nose 920 in Norfolk & Western blue livery (7114)
• Life Like EMD GP18 Hi Nose 958 in Norfolk & Western blue livery (7118)
• Life Like EMD GP18 Hi Nose 923 in Norfolk & Western black livery (7140)

It may also be suitable for other models with a similar chassis and motor arrangement made by Life Like Models.

Step 1 - Remove Body

Unclip the body and move the wires out of the way of the internal weights. Remove both weights.

Step 2 - Modify Wiring

Desolder the red wire from the lower motor contact.

Desolder both green wires from the upper motor contact. You should now have two green pickup wires and two red pickup wires, with the bulb separate.

Remove both wires from the bulb, so you just have bare metal legs. Solder a white and blue wire to these legs, and then cover the join with some shrink sleeving. The bulb is 12V, so it isn't necessary to fit a resistor.

Step 3 - Make Space For Decoder

Take the weight that didn't have the bulb attached, and using a Dremmel (or similar tool) grind away a few millimetres from the top to make room for the decoder. The metal is very soft so this should be fairly easy.

Step 4 - Connect Motor To Decoder

Solder the orange wire to the lower motor tab, and the grey wire to the upper motor tab.

Put some Kapton tapee over the lower tab to make absolutely sure it can't touch the metal weight, or any part of the chassis.

Temporarily put the decoder in place with some blue tack while you solder the wires to it. Solder the grey and orange wires to the decoder.

Step 5 - Connect Track Pickups

Join the two red pickup wires together. From the join, solder a new red wire to go to the decoder. If you prefer, you can simply solder the two pickup wires directly onto your decoder, but usually the solder pads are too close togeter to accomodate two wires with a reasonably thick gauge.

Do the same with the two green pickup wires, this time running a black wire to the decoder. Cover all joins with heat shrink sleeving.

Step 6 - Connect Bulb

Solder the white and blue wires from the bulb to the decoder.

Add some Kapton tape to secure the wires to the chassis. Remove the temporary blue tack and fix the decoder in place using Kapton tape, making sure it is fully insulated from the metal weight.

Step 8 - Refit Body

Refit the body, and the conversion is complete.