ESU LokSound Select Micro Install in Kato N-Scale SD45

Back in December, I started a project to install a LokSound Select Micro into a Kato SD45, with adding front ditch lights. The details on the ditch lights can be found in this thread. As a quick reference, here is the prototype



and here is my ditch light installation on the shell



To jump right to the chase, here is a video of the finished install (detailed installation posts follow)

 

First up was milling the frame to make room for the decoder and speaker. I made a decision to put the keep alive capacitors in the fuel tank, as there just wasn't a lot of room with this frame and shell

In this photo, you can see that I took down the read portion of the frame, down to the top of the part numbers, and made another large pad area in front, near the cab. Since the capacitors are in the fuel tank, I also milled a channel, to the rear, for the wires from them. I also touched down a couple of high spots, which resulted in an oops, right above the motor tab, due to complete stupidity on my part while moving the X-Y table, and forgetting to adjust Z.




View of milling, from above



Here is the fuel tank (which also demonstrates the importance of double checking your dimensions - all I needed was the smaller opening, but when marking... oh well) You can see the start of the wire channel



Close up of wire channel

 

Here are the capacitors (3x 20V 150uF Tantalum) in their cubby


This shows the wires coming up from below



And the full view of the decoder install, speaker, light board, etc. I tapped 00-90 holes for power pick up screws, with brass scrap as contacts. 8mm x 12mm Soberton speaker with Keystone Designs enclosure in rear. Ditchlights are tethered to shell, and front light is attached to white styrene piece on left, rear light is on speaker enclosure (not seen), with wires to far side of board. 1K ohm resistors for each LED.

An alternative to putting the caps in the fuel tank would have been to ditch the cab shield (black plastic clip), and put them there.

 

Here is a track side photo of the unit with front lights on



And with ditch lights on

 

Those are actually some old Sunrise cast metal housings. I had to cut and shape them (follow link in top post)