I didn't post that topic in the DCC subforum, because it's an N scale specific decoder. So far I installed 3 decoders in Atlas N scale engines that are DCC ready, just remove the LED board and drop the DCC one. By the way Atlas , on their DCC equiped engines should install something better that their old Lenz manufactured subpar LE063XF . So I want to give a try at adding a TCS 1286 CN-GP decoder to an old Atlas CPR GP-9 . I purchased it 6 months ago but never had the guts to take the plunge. The 1st thing I did was to download the installation manual from TCS website: http://www.tcsdcc.com/Customer_Content/Literature/Decoders/N_Scale/NDecoderSpecific.htm and read it twice Some tips: Mark the Front - back and left-right on the 2 half frames. Mark the front-left, top-bottom, left-right on the motor The decoder boards were too thick to fit in the slot frame. TCS suggest to take a flat head screwdriver, insert it into the slot, and gently bend up by leveraging against the body of the frame. Instead I built a grinding tool by gluing back to back 2 Dremel # 411 sanding disks and cutting them the same size as the slot width. Trim the motor tabs as short as possible, leaving enough length to solder the wires. Here are 2 pictures: The motor with the trimmed tabs Done: It took me 7 hours to do the job, but at 61 my eyesight is not what it used to be. I'm sure that if I have to do it again I could do it in 4 hours. Jacques
Good job, Jacques. I just installed my first 3 of these into older Atlas GP35's. It seems to go easier the more you do.
I've got 6 of these decoders ordered for a growing collection of GP-30 and 35s. I got a head start by milling one of the frames for the motor wires. That went easier than I thought with a little help from my dremel tool. Can't wait for the decoders to arrive. Brian
I've installed two of this style decoder so far, both in Kato SD40/45 chassis. (This frame requires a bit of milling where the boards fit in, which I did with a Dremel.) Marking the motor before you remove it is excellent advice, particularly for Kato, where it may be impossible to tell which side is which once you take it out. Also, it's a very good idea to put some Kapton tape on the frames near the motor leads. I had one short that had to be dealt with this way. (Fortunately I detected it with a meter before I put the loco on the track.) I took a slightly different tack with soldering the motor leads. I bought motor brush sets with brush cap covers from Kato, took out the existing Kato copper leads, and soldered the decoder wires to the new brush cap covers before installing them. I did this because for some reason I wanted to be able to reverse the install if necessary. Another pro is that you don't risk damaging the motor brushes when you solder. The downside obviously is that removing the brush cap is difficult and you risk losing the brushes and springs, but that's why I bought extras. Don't really know why I'm sharing this, just thought you guys might find it interesting! It may not work with Atlas at all.
I installed 4 TCS CN decoders, I still milled a slot in the frame for the wires to fit in. I have several more locos to modify, I decided to use the TCS Z2 decoder. I just mill the rear down so the decoder will fit under the light board. I remove everything from the light board, then install a surface mount LED with wires to the top of the board. I use the front resistor for the rear LED.
This will be my second Atlas/KATO GP35 when finished, also installed the new Atlas scale speed motor. Yes, they work very nice in a LL SW1200.
Hey, Art, after I finish writing it up, I am going to post A way to put a TCS Z2 into a Life-Like SW with both front and rear lights. It'll probably be tomorrow.
Thank you Tad, Brian , jagged ben ,rrjim1 for taking some of your valuable time and to supply additional information about the CN-GP decoder installation . I didn't modify the half frames at all, but as mentioned in the installation manual I cut a notch in the motor saddle to make room for the wires. My original plan was , as suggested by jagged ben, to pop off the motor brush caps before soldering the wires to them. I tried using a jeweller screwdriver but was never able to pop off those caps so I soldered the wires to the trimmed cap tabs still on the motor. I was lucky I didn't melt anything. I set the soldering temperature at 600°F. Could someone please tell me how to remove those brush caps ? because soon or later I'll have to do it in order to replace the motor brushes or clean the motor commutator. After reinstalling the motor I check with a meter to be sure the motor brushes caps don't contact the frame. When I did the test run the motor was running backward from the lights. I found it strange because , as mentioned I carefully marked the top-bottom, front-back and left-right sides of the motor. So I had to modify CV29, CV49 and CV50 to fix that problem jagged ben mentions Kapton tape, I've never heard of that . Is it like electrical tape ? Can I find it at my local hobby store ? The last question: When looking at the 2nd picture do you think I should make the yellow, black and blue wires shorter or can I reinstall the shell without trimming their length ? Jacques
good timing.. I just did an install myself. The CN-GP in an atlas sd-9 DCC Install: TCS CN-GP in Atlas SD7
I don't remove the brushes either.. if you you have a nice clean iron, and flux on the joint, you can just touch the brush cap and the solder will flow quick enough. they're just held in by pressure, they just pop out. me too, just today with my Atlas SD9... maybe it's atlas thing? I leave my wires a bit long too.. if they're too short, you won't be able to slide either board out w/out de-soldering. You did a nice job, they get easier with every install
Kapton tape is a thin insulation material used to isolate the frame from contacting the motor. http://www.tcsdcc.com/Customer_Cont.../ToolsAndSupplies/Kapton_Tape/KaptonTape.html TCS sells it but it can be purchased elsewhere. The wire TCS uses is so pliable you can fold it over the decoder to take up the slack. I leave mine long enough to pull the board ot of the slots. I hope this helps. Mark
Thanks for the pic! That looks pretty nicely done. I haven't done a decoder install in a loooooooong time and I've got a few loco's waiting for it.
Great job Jacques , as some others have said the first conversion takes more time , I discovered that doing all the similar conversion in a few days helped me a lot . It does not only goes faster , but the job is better . It's like assembling MT couplers , you loose a lot of springs and other parts on the first one and fewer on subsequent couplers ... I did 2 SW1200 conversion using the Silver Mini-W from Lenz , they are expensive but very small . They are so small that they fit in the top portion of the cab ! I will try to find some pictures .
Thanks for the tips and pics on the decoder install. The installs do get easier with time. Especially when you are doing the same loco and same decoder. You do find some tricks as you go along. The hardest one for me was KATO RDC with 3 piece decoder.
Thank you DiezMon, Mark ( catfan ) , Louis ( Trainforfun ) and Gary ( G&G Railway ) for taking some of your valuable to reply. DiezMon: about removing the brushcaps: I know they are supposed to "just" pop out , maybe I didn't apply enough pressure on the jeweller screwdriver. I have an old Life-Like ( non ProtoN ) crappy GP9 so I'll practice removing the caps on that engine.My plan is to remove the motor and make a dummy engine with a sound decoder. Mark, as you mentioned I have no trouble reinstalling the shell. That wire is very pliable. N Scale Supply has the Kapton tape so I'll order it from them, I might need it for future decoders installation. Louis: No one can escape the law of the learning curve. I have 2 SW9/1200 so if you can post the mentioned pictures I might go for it. Gary, I was unaware of any 3 pieces decoder. Jacques As I had to take the GP9 apart I killed 2 birds with one stone and weathered it. Here are 2 pictures of that GP9:
Biased Turkey: Thanks for starting this thread because it helped me decide on keeping my non-DCC ready GP7. I just installed it today and it went smoothly. Much easier than hardwiring a spring-driven LL GP38-2.
I have done all my atlas kato early engines. I love these decoders. THANK YOU TCS Only have 1 SD45 and 2 SD40's Left to finish my MILW fleet.
