Athearn SW1500 DCC Ready

Scale:
HO Scale


This installation uses the following decoder:


This installation is for HO-Scale Athearn SW1500 DCC Ready uses TCS DP2X Digital Decoder and was performed by A.G.

Shown with the shell on, prior to decoder installation.
Shown with the shell on, prior to decoder installation.
Front of the locomotive.
Front of the locomotive.
Back of the locomotive.
Back of the locomotive.
Remove both couplers and gently lift the shell off of the locomotive chassis being careful not to break light wires.
Remove both couplers and gently lift the shell off of the locomotive chassis being careful not to break light wires.
We are going to use our DP2X decoder which means that 8PIN NMRA socket will be utilized. Make sure you remove the dummy plug from the 9PIN JST connector otherwise you will damage the decoder.
We are going to use our DP2X decoder which means that 8PIN NMRA socket will be utilized. Make sure you remove the dummy plug from the 9PIN JST connector otherwise you will damage the decoder.
Insert the TCS DP2X decoder into the 8PIN NMRA socket in exact way it is shown in the picture above. Reattach both couplers, shell and the locomotive is ready to run.
Insert the TCS DP2X decoder into the 8PIN NMRA socket in exact way it is shown in the picture above. Reattach both couplers, shell and the locomotive is ready to run.

Important Soldering Tip

Please do not use any flux either liquid or paste on the mother board. Over time, the acidic properties of liquid or paste flux will begin eating away at the fiberglass PCB and will damage it. Use only Rosin-core solder or no-clean flux approved for electronics use.

TCS recommends the use of Kester "44" Sn63 Pb37, .015" diameter Rosin-core solder. Kester part number 24-6337-0007.

You can order this solder from the following retailers:
Digikey - PN:KE1110-ND
Techni-Tool - PN:488SO6775

Other solder tips

When stripping wire, only strip a tiny little bit of the insulation. Strip no more than a 1/32 of an inch. When the wire gets tinned with solder, the insulation will shrink back more. Try to not expose any more wire than half the length of the solder pad at most. In no case should solder or exposed wire wire ever be outside the boundary of the the solder pad you are attaching a wire to.
Click here for important information on properly Stripping and Tinning wire