Rebuilding Märklin 00380-1, DB 38 1967, to digital with Märklin 60903

Updated 26.04.2011

I have rebuilt Märklin 00380-1, 3099 and 34988

Decoder:
Installed at the same place as the original Delta decoder. I used the mini 60902 decoder (Märklin part number 603462), not the decoder from the 60760 set visible in the photo.  The decoder is installed in the holder 456200.

Decoder functions:
f0 = front light, three in forward direction, the two lower in reverse
f4 = acceleration and braking delay off

Motor:
Installation of the motor itself is very simple. You need to remove the screw for the left hand control rods to access the lower motor cover screw.  It is not necessary to remove the rods.  Carefully bend the rods aside to access the lower motor cover screw.

Notice the flat area above the rotor shaft, marked red in the photo. Approx. 1 mm have to be cut off to make the locomotive body fit.  I used a sharp knife.  A good file would be better, but I did not have one at the moment.

Front light:
Normally I will not make any modifications, grinding, drilling or otherwise make mechanical modifications to rare models.  But, I wanted to make a new light unit in the 00380, as I wanted all three lights on while driving forwards, but only the lower two when going backwards, basically to be able to see the driving direction when the locomotive is stationary just by a glance, without installing the rear lights in the tender.
I cut off the cylinder shaped parts of the light guide (213990) and put them back into the locomotive as lenses. As light I used three SMD LEDs.  The two centre pins (orange and gray) on the circuit board fits into the original bulb socket, the yellow wire is connected directly to the decoder.

This photo shows the light circuit board from both sides, and the light guide before cutting off the lenses

Wiring diagram for 38 1967:

The light circuit board: