Roco 04178C

[MichaelE]

Can anyone tell me if this Roco SBB locomotive has a decoder socket? It is currently on e-Bay, but I haven't heard back from the seller yet.

 

This is the Re 4/4 red/grey model and appears to be from the early 2000s or very late 90s.

 

Thanks if anyone can tell me.

 

[Keith Addenbrooke]

It is sometimes possible to find the instructions / spares sheets on the internet or in the roco archiv, which may help?  Based on the age of the box and other Roco locomotives I have from this period I'd be inclined to expect it doesn't have a socket, but I stand to be corrected by anyone with product specific information for this item, Keith.

[chb2488]

Hello Michael

 

I can‘t give you an exact year for the Roco model, but it dates from when Roco (and the SBB) thought the Re 4/4 IV would be the next big thing. They don‘t have a decoder socket, but Almrose seems to offer a replacement print:

 

https://www.starrail.ch/de/almrose_04-30121.html

 

Best regards

 

Christian

[MichaelE]

Thanks for the replies fellows.

 

I'll have a looks at the Star Rail product. 

[GrumpyPenguin]

I don't think any Roco Locomotives with a 4-digit number (forget the first zero) were fitted with decoder sockets.

 

It will be a hard wire job and little space for a decoder due to the "light tubes", a possible solution would be to replace the bulbs with LED's mounted at the ends.

[MichaelE]

I'm just going to wait for the new release. I did hear from tge seller who won't remove the shell to check, but the mention of the four digit number jarred my memory.

 

None of those are DCC Ready.

[Keith Addenbrooke]

I believe just four Re 4/4 iv locos were built?  (Perhaps four was someone’s lucky number?). Although the class didn’t become more widespread, a lot was learned from them that was incorporated into later models, so an interesting loco to have as part of the model fleet when you can get a DCC one.  I think they were also used to try out different liveries, so each one was unique in that sense when introduced too, Keith.

[SRman]

I doubt it has a socket. 

I bought a similar second-hand one and hacked the PCB to allow a hard-wired decoder to be fitted. My biggest problem was finding sufficient room for the decoder.

 

 

Sorry the pic is a bit fuzzy.

 

The PCB is single layer, so easy to follow and cut tracks to isolate the brushes from the track, and also separate the lights.

Edited March 19 by SRman
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