Atlas FP7

Scale:
HO Scale


This installation uses the following decoder:

T1



This installation of TCS T1 digital decoder is for HO-Scale Atlas FP7 old style and was performed by Terry Powell.

I have several older engines that I still think are worthy of updating to digital control. The T1 decoder from TCS is an excellent and inexpensive way to upgrade an older engine. First off, don't let all of the wires on the decoder harness intimidate you. It requires some soldering ability but other than that it pretty simple. This unit is an Atlas FP7 that has a drive unit made in Austria. A little different from the units made in Japan but still pretty easy to digitize. After removing the body shell unsolder all of the leads on the circuit board. Insure you know witch end is the front of the unit. Solder the 2 right side (engineer side) truck leads to the red lead on the harness. Now solder the 2 left side truck leads to the black lead on the harness. Next solder the orange lead to the right side of the circuit board that is mounted to the top of the motor. Then solder the gray lead to the left side of the board. The last step is to solder the light leads to the harness. You may need to replace the light in your unit with a bulb that will handle 14 volts. I did NOT have to do this. One lead from the bulb to the blue wire on the harness and the other lead from the bulb to the white lead on the harness. I insulated the circuit board with electrical tape and sealed all connections. The extra leads on the harness can be cut off or rolled up and secured. Plug the T1 decoder into the harness. Now this FP7 is ready for Digital running.
I have several older engines that I still think are worthy of updating to digital control. The T1 decoder from TCS is an excellent and inexpensive way to upgrade an older engine. First off, don't let all of the wires on the decoder harness intimidate you. It requires some soldering ability but other than that it pretty simple. This unit is an Atlas FP7 that has a drive unit made in Austria. A little different from the units made in Japan but still pretty easy to digitize. After removing the body shell unsolder all of the leads on the circuit board. Insure you know witch end is the front of the unit. Solder the 2 right side (engineer side) truck leads to the red lead on the harness. Now solder the 2 left side truck leads to the black lead on the harness. Next solder the orange lead to the right side of the circuit board that is mounted to the top of the motor. Then solder the gray lead to the left side of the board. The last step is to solder the light leads to the harness. You may need to replace the light in your unit with a bulb that will handle 14 volts. I did NOT have to do this. One lead from the bulb to the blue wire on the harness and the other lead from the bulb to the white lead on the harness. I insulated the circuit board with electrical tape and sealed all connections. The extra leads on the harness can be cut off or rolled up and secured. Plug the T1 decoder into the harness. Now this FP7 is ready for Digital running.

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