How to Convert Minitrix Union Pacific 0-6-0 No. 76 (2080) to DCC

Step 1 - Remove body

Remove the screw from the top of the loco body. Lift the body up, and remove the weight from the front.

Remove the red wire from the top of the chassis by desoldering it at both ends.

Step 2 - Remove Pickup PCB

Undo the screw holding the pickups and PCB to the chassis. Remove the PCB.

Step 3 - Modify Motor

Undo the two screws at the back of the loco, then take the motor out.

With the motor out, solder a red and grey wire to the upper and lower motor contacts.

Put a piece of kapton tape on the bottom of the motor to stop it making electrical contact with the spring.

Solder a black wire the the spring. Refit the motor, and replace the two screws.

Step 4 - Modify PCB

Take the PCB and cut off the metal tab to create more space for the decoder. It looks like a version of the model may have used this tab for a light, however in this case the weight takes up the space where the bulb would have been.

Solder a red wire to the PCB, in the same place as the original red wire was removed from previously.

Refit the PCB, then using a multimeter confirm that none of the motor wires (orange/grey) have continuity with either of the red/black track pickup wires.

Step 5 - Fit Decoder

Solder the four wires to your decoder. An ESU LokPilot 5 Micro with wire tails will fit nicely into the space. Wrap the decoder in some kaptop tape, then secure it against the PCB with some black tack.

Add a piece of tape on top of the chassis the keep the wires in place so they route around where the body screw goes.

Step 6 - Refit Body

Refit the body and the screw, then test your installation on your programming track.